A Filipino Puppet Play of The Little Prince Is Coming This November

(SPOT.ph) Calling all kids and kids at heart! Get the chance to see the world through the eyes of a child as one of the most beloved children's books in history is coming to the stage in a unique puppet reimagining this November.

In celebration of National Children's Month, Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas (MULAT) is adapting the timeless classic The Little Prince into Prinsipe Bahaghari. It will run from November 10 to 12 and 17 to 19 at the Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio Teatro Papet Museo in Quezon City.

Tickets are available via Ticket2Me for P800. Act fast, as tickets for the dates from November 10 to 12 have already been sold out. The show starts at 7:38 p.m.

Prinsipe Bahaghari follows the little prince’s search for a companion that would help him in caring for his flower, the Gumamela, and keep her safe in his home planet. Along the way, he encounters a cast of characters on various planets that lead him to understand what his relationship with the Gumamela means to him. Prinsipe Bahaghari offers valuable life lessons on loneliness, friendship, love, and loss.

Also read: 10 Beautiful Filipino Translations of Classic Books

What to know about Prinsipe Bahaghari, the Filipino stage adaption of The Little Prince

Because it is staged by MULAT, a puppet theater company founded by the late National Artist for Theater Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio, we can expect the characters to be played by, of course, puppets. Adding to the magic, the puppetry form to be used for the adaptation is traditional Japanese Bunraku. One puppet is typically given life by three people, so director Aina Ramolete chose this form to follow the importance of connections in the story. "Mahalaga 'yung connections din na nabubuo ng mga puppeteers sa isa't isa sa, at sa puppet mismo," said Ramolete in a clip posted by MULAT. This adaptation was penned by Vladimeir Gonzales.

What makes this rendition special is the infusion of local elements into the play. We're not just talking about a simple language translation to Filipino. Prinsipe Bahaghari infuses the universal charm of The Little Prince with the rich cultural tapestry of the Philippines.

As a novella, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry has been translated to over 500 languages, including Filipino (Ang Munting Prinsipe), Bikol (An Sadit na Prinsipe), Chavacano (El Diutay Principe), and Waray (An Guti Nga Prinsipe).

Prinsipe Bahaghari runs from November 10 to 12 and 17 to 19 at the Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio Teatro Papet Museo, 64 Mapagkawanggawa Street, Diliman, Lungsod Quezon City. Tickets are available for P800 through Ticket2Me.

Also read: This Filipino Version of The Little Prince Makes for a Great Christmas Gift