Si Medea, a Filipino's take on Euripides' Medea

How far can you go to revenge someone?

Si Medea, a two-part play, is an adaptation of Euripides' Medea. It is a bold storytelling of a woman, betrayed by her husband, who sought revenge by killing their own son and her husband's new wife.

The creation of this adaptation is quite interesting as it involved the actors in putting up the story. Director Blonski Cruz shared that they did an exercise on translation and adaptation where the two main characters and a writer where each were asked to come up with their own interpretation that is fresh and unique. The end result? A tragic story in a Philippine setting - making it more relatable and a plot that pokes the interest of its viewers and tapped everyone's critical thinking. Does it really happen? Who in the right mind would do such thing? Is the action worth the revenge? Most of us may oppose, but in reality, it does really happen and only the person involved may only know the answers.

Jenny Logico-Cruz as Jason and Alekxandra Toyhacao as Maida

For a production staged in such a small venue, every tiny detail such as side glances and uncertainties on gestures are very visible to every keen observer's eyes. Also, teamwork is very important and perfect timing is vital in giving the flow a smooth transition.

Nonetheless, the emotions that every character has to convey were perfectly delivered. The fierce acting skills showcased by the leads, Jenny Logico-Cruz and Alekxandra Toyhacao, really brought us into their world. The sudden shift of happiness to intense anger is just flawless. And the ensemble immersed every audience into the story. Special mention to Joshua Ryan Nubla, the young boy who very well knows his cues and memorized his long narrative lines during the first part of the show. Not every young talent can do such thing, especially in a theater play where there are no cuts nor retakes, so great job kiddo!

Si Medea is Langgam Performance Troupe's last production before the group goes into hiatus for a year. I'm so glad that I was able to catch it and I'm really looking forward to more interesting shows in the future.