Conflicts with Understanding

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Thirdly, the theme, it was mainly about being a martyr for the Philippines. All of them are; even those whose objectives weren’t clear. All of them hoped and thrived for an independent country. Bonifacio had his life taken by his fellow Filipinos because they thought that at the expense of his life, every Filipino will collide to achieving one mission. Aguinaldo had to betray his friend thinking that it was the only way to free the Philippines. The love-hate relationship between Aguinaldo and Bonifacio is what I truly admired. Aguinaldo lost a friend that he loved dearly, as well as Bonifacio. Both of them loved each other but power and glory dominated. Moreover, patriotism and nationalism is clearly evident in the play and that is what most of us are lacking today. The love for our own country is slowly disappearing. It came to a point that I noticed that people only think of the Philippines as a land that they live in and a land that they can abandon whenever they want. I still pray that I am wrong. These plays show that Philippines is a country worth fighting for. Philippines is a country that has been abused back then and is still being abused now. This play wanted to raise awareness to the Filipinos that Philippines needs to be saved. Sadly, she needs to be saved from her own children.

Fourthly, the diction and language, full sentences in Filipino astound me. I find it very pleasing to the ear. The way the cast spoke their dialogues was fitting for the scene. When Aguinaldo was being persuaded to kill Bonifacio, his tone was of pure confusion; not knowing which side to take on. Bonifacio’s tone when he was with Gregoria broke my heart. His words pierced through my heart. His tone and dialogue was of a husband that loves his wife deeply and is parting his last words to her. The type of tone he gave is “give me more time” because he is still not ready to leave Gregoria and the Philippines. Jacinto, on the other hand, gave a longing tone and dialogue when he was bidding his farewell to Bonifacio. He knew that something bad was about to happen and he couldn’t do anything about it. He is a friend that knows that Bonifacio is going away and will not come back. The lines that struck me the most were Bonifacio’s, “Ang puso ko ay tumitibok para sa Pilipinas at ang dugo ko ay dumadaloy para sa kanya”. These may not be the exact words but this is what has been engrained after I watched the play.

Fifth, the music, it started upbeat and dramatic (somewhat overpowering) but it suited the scene since it was a battle. Whenever there’s a battle between the Spaniards and the Filipinos, the music somewhat makes your heart thumping. It starts powerfully and ends powerfully. However, when it was the time when Bonifacio was killed, the music was more of a moderate-paced beat but gives the uncomfortable ambiance. You know by the music that what’s happening is horrible. The music at the end, when Aguinaldo gave the flag to Bonifacio, was amazing. It shouts independence and joy. This is what I’ve noticed with the music. It always matched the mood and made the ambiance perfect for the viewers to feel romantic, happy, uncomfortable, and sad.

Sixth, the spectacle, I found it quite cramped. Moreover, the clothing seemed heavy on the actors and it didn’t let them move freely while they were dancing. It seemed to have weighed them down since the gestures wasn’t visible enough for the viewers to get the gist of what the character was feeling (since non-verbal language is more noticeable). The clothing and the stage did a great job in terms of historical representation. Even with limited space, they were able to pull it off. The little details like the bandanas, swords, and fans added emphasis on the characters.

Bonifacio: Ang Sarswela is an outstanding play and deserves the high praises for the hardwork put into it. Sir Tanada is a genius because he wrote the script, composed the songs, and even directed the play (talk about multi-talents). He gave justice in acting Bonifacio and in the short time, he gave a fatherly feel that most actors struggle to give. He felt comfortable to watch and it was a breeze to see them perform. Kudos to the people who worked on the film and for raising awareness and debulking the myths about Andres Bonifacio. Mabuhay ang Supremo!