SI JOHN ARCILLA ANG KRISTO
.jpg)
With international Filipino actor JOHN ARCILLA playing KRISTO in a Marinduque Holy Week play, local artist Patrick Sadiwa does his make-up..
The mounting of the annual Black Saturday evening stage presentation of the "Sinakulo-Pugutan" in Gasan in 2008. was handled by the public high schools in the municipality. It was to be the turn of Tiguion National High in that year.
Until teachers reported to the mayor that someone had given the order for the school not to participate in this year's municipal sponsored activities. Their hands were tied. The participation of the 'DepEd family' in Gasan was eventually missed in all of the cultural activities.
"Ang Kristo" which Teatro Balangaw had earlier staged was therefore mounted in Gasan to fill this artificial vacuum.
John Arcilla
"It is for a very personal reason that i accepted your surprise invitation to play Jeaus Christ...just tell me how you want my role done", Arcilla said.
"Let me see your interpretation first", I just answered.
I chuckled after seeing it. He looked curious. "Is it OK Direk? Or shall I change it?", the actor asked.
Sabi ko, "Hindi ako sumulat ng bagong Passion Play to see and hear the same Kristo we always see and hear in Senakulos",.
"Then I could make him speak naturally, make him become very angry, show a rebellious Christ when needed!", was the answer.
"'Yun nga. Perfect!", sabi ko lang. And the rest was history.
On Stage
In her very direct speech before the play was presented, Mayor Vicky Lim stated that "Pugutan" just did not have the chance this year in view of what transpired.
The late Governor Carrion was more emphatic: "I will not allow politics, not anywhere in Marinduque's six municipalities, to mess up with efforts for culture and the arts and tourism!"
Culture being 'dynamic not static' and not exclusive to a few as defined in Philippine statutes, and the same being an accurate reflection of the society in point, the Gasan case is a classic example of the tug-of-war between politics and culture in the Philippines. The emcee, Enrico San Juan pointed this out before the start of the play.
ARCILLA AND THE CAST RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION FROM THE GASAN AUDIENCE AND THE REGIONAL MEDIA GROUP THAT CAME TO WATCH!
(to be continued)
