Mula Sa Buwan 2024 Theater Review: We're Over the Moon

(SPOT.ph) I don't exactly live under a rock, but for some reason I have not seen any staging or encountered any spoilers on Mula Sa Buwan since it first came out in 2010. Just recently, however, I finally got my Mula Sa Buwan cherry popped.

For those who, like me, has not been acquainted with the musical, Mula Sa Buwan is an all-original Filipino work based on Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac which was written in 1897 and translated from the French to Filipino by Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo.

The musical adaptation was created by Pat Valera and William Elvin Manzano in 2010 and has evolved in different stages since then—as the experimental Cyrano: Isang Sarsuwela at the University of Asia and the Pacific the same year and at the GSIS Theater in 2011; as Mula Sa Buwan at the Henry Lee Irwin Theater of Ateneo de Manila University in 2016 and 2017; in the then newly-built Areté Ateneo in 2018; under the production of the Barefoot Theatre Collaborative for two runs in 2022; and for those dealing with FOMO from the two runs of 2022, via online streaming in 2023.

Entering the world of sepia

While there are numerous adaptations and translations of Cyrano de Bergerac, this version hits close to home. Mula Sa Buwan takes us to 1940s Manila—when the Silent Generation was in their teens and the Baby Boomers had yet to be born; the period between American and Japanese colonization. Amid courtships, first loves, and defying societal expectations, World War II is about to erupt and change is inevitable.

It doesn't take a lot to feel transported to this time long gone. Ohm David and Meliton Roxas Jr.’s set and lighting design give the stage the feel of a sepia photo just unearthed from a grandmother’s wooden treasure box. Muted jewel tones from the cast’s wardrobe to pops of ominous crimson bring the set to life, evoking a mix of storybook fantasy and nostalgia.

At the center of the story is a classic love triangle. Cyrano, with his Pinocchio-esque nose, is a deep, poetic cadet who masks his physical insecurities with his obnoxiousness and humor. He’s in love with his childhood best friend Roxane, who is attracted to the new and dashing cadet Christian, who isn’t as intelligent and eloquent as Cyrano. With their budding friendship, the two cadets devise a plan where Cyrano secretly feeds Christian with poetic verses to win Roxane’s heart. When chaos ensues,  the naïve Roxane begs her best friend to take care of the newbie cadet slash object of her desire.

It doesn’t take a pompous film critic to know that the Cyranoid trope is a recipe for disaster, but we’re completely hooked.

Beyond the usual love triangle trope

Underneath the surface, Mula Sa Buwan is about revolution. Whether or not you remember your Philippine history lessons in high school, poignant scenes in this musical will remind you of those events and why they’re painfully etched in our collective memories as a people.

But it's not just about a literal revolution amidst a time of war—it's also about revolting against societal norms as instigated by the misfits, the fools, the filibusteros, and the dreamers. If you think that rebelling against the norm is only for the current woke generation, think again. They—we—have always been at it. Every generation, after all, has its dreamers. Mikko Angeles’ direction brings that generation’s voice of defiance centerstage, portrayed by the ensemble as “Kabataang Makulay.” This group, led by Rosanna (Phi Palmos), depicts the safe space for Manila’s misunderstood youth of that era.

All of these themes are carefully tucked into the performances of sarsuwela-inspired numbers and spoken lines that flow like poetry, bringing the beauty of the lost arts of the harana, kundiman, and letter writing to the spotlight. 

The birth of a new Cyrano

For those who have been part of the cult following of Mula Sa Buwan—from its early campus stagings to the 2022 run by Barefoot, it’s easy to cement Myke Salomon and Gab Pangilinan as the ultimate pairing of Cyrano and Roxane, especially since fans have witnessed the real-life couple’s love story and engagement in 2022. But do not sleep on the talent of Paw Castillo, who is on standby for Cyrano.

I have to admit I was almost disappointed that we didn’t get Salomon during opening night (he had an injury). But Castillo jumping into the role of Cyrano was a welcome surprise—the biggest standout of my first Mula Sa Buwan experience.

His rapport with MC Dela Cruz (Christian) and Pangilinan and his portrayal of brokenness were so raw that you could hear the sobbing among the audience members—this writer included. Castillo’s comedic timing had the audience in stitches in every scene he was in. Of course, we would later realize that this overarching humor was padding for the pain about to hit us like a barrage of bullets come the second act.

I know audiences would love to see the now-married Salomon and Pangilinan play the leads, but you're in good hands if you catch Castillo’s limited run as Cyrano. 

Pangilinan, as expected, delivered a flawless performance as Roxane. Other standouts were Phi Palmos as Rosanna, the mother and the powerful guiding force we all need in our lives. Jillian Ita-as as Gabriel and Jerom Canlas as Tato make a great B-plot romance—or for a Pinoy telenovela reference, they're the BarDa of the musical.

Kita-kits sa Buwan...

As the play reached its eventual end, I found myself holding back tears. The story took me on emotional highs and lows. I found myself reflecting and relating to the metaphorical symbols and the themes of courtship, unrequited love, solace in the arts, and life’s uncertainties.

I finally understood why many audience members proudly wore their 1940s-inspired get-ups and were adamant about getting their hands on merchandise like shirts, handkerchiefs, and cadet hats. Mula Sa Buwan is a movement and a testament of defiance to which everyone can relate.

I may not have seen the waxing and waning of Mula Sa Buwan through the years, but after watching it for the first time, I proudly hold space for these misfits and dreamers shooting for the moon. As they say in the play: "Tayo'y magkikita muli sa buwan." 

Mula Sa Buwan’s limited run from August 16 to September 8, 2024, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Circuit Makati. Tickets are available via Ticketworld.

Also read: Mula Sa Buwan 2024: Cast Interviews and What to Expect

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