Unang Baboy sa Langit: Play Review

A Musical Play by Christine S. Bellen
Directed by Jerry Respeto
Original Children’s Short Story by Rene O. Villanueva
Staged by Ateneo de Manila University’s ENTABLADO
Play dates: January 19 to 23, 26 to 30 - 7.00pm
January 24 and 31 - 3.00pm and 7.00pm
*The play runs for two hours and thirty minutes, at 200 php per ticket.

Summary:
Unang Baboy sa Langit tells the tale of Butsiki, an extraordinary piglet who veers away from the “messy” tradition of her kind.
Butsiki’s mother and resident of Babuyan Islands, Ponyang, was pregnant with her in a time of turmoil. An angel in the form of a rabbit, appears to her and tells her that instead of the standard twelve piglets, she will have only one—the Takdang Baboy. The angel tells her that she must name the piglet Butsiki. The Takdang Baboy, or TB for short, will save the pig race from certain destruction.
Ponyang and husband Kardo become afraid, for the Punong Baboy who wished to sell all their lands to the mining industry ordered pregnant pigs who exhibited odd behavior to be poisoned. The Punong Baboy had heard of the TB prophecy, and was threatened by it.
Ponyang gave birth in another town, and Butsiki was visited by her very own version of the three kings: a dog, a cat, and a mouse.
Months later, they return to Babuyan Islands, where things are not looking up. The mining industry has destroyed their home, the pigs are in poverty, and the reign of the Punong Baboy was one of corruption and deceit.
Butsiki has grown up, and was easy to distinguish from the other pigs. She was clean, for one. She also had a star on her forehead, and her nails sparkled. She was also the only pig who liked to take baths everyday—in clean water.
Butsiki finds friends in local piglets Becky, Louella and Butsukoy, the son of the Punong Baboy. They are out playing one day when Becky gets sick from the mud contaminated with the waste from the mines. Butsiki bathes her in clean water and she gets well. Soon, all the sick pigs come to her. She then convinces all the other pigs to start cleaning their environment, to prevent the other pigs from getting sick too. This was much to the chagrin of antagonists Ipis, Gagamba, and Lamok. They went to the Punong Baboy and complained, realizing that Butsiki was the Takdang Baboy. The Punong Baboy orders Butsiki to be put on trial.
In the trial, Becky and Butsukoy testify to her good and helpful nature, while Ipis, Gagamba and Lamok incriminate her for the destruction of their homes. The Punong Baboy sentences her to become litson.
The rabbit-angel appears again, and Butsiki is seen ascending to heaven.
Days later, all the pigs become sick from their waste, and they realize the error of their ways. They work together to make Babuyan Islands a safe place to live in, and honor Santa Butsiki as the Unang Baboy sa Langit.

Reaction:
These pigs just grow on you.
ENTABLADO’s retelling of the Rene Villanueva short story is done with finesse and a whole lot of effort. Although at the beginning it is a bit odd to see pigs singing and dancing, audiences soon become accustomed to the musical styles of Babuyan Island.
Notable in the play is the use of technology, both on and off stage. Pigs toting cell phones and a rabbit with a laptop gave the play a contemporary ambience. The lighting and the set itself was beautifully done, echoing simplicity and creativity.
It was also chockfull of humor, in both the songs and dialogues.
Speaking of the songs, there were some brilliant lyrics in there, like Butsiki’s solo about searching for strength, and the very danceable “Welcome to Babuyan Islands.” A soundtrack, perhaps?
The actors and actresses (singers and dancers) deserve a pat on the back for a job well done. So do the costume designers, writers and of course, the director.
The story is patterned after the story of Jesus, and his own call for change.
Butsiki is a simple pig destined for great things and a noble end. She is remembered for her contributions and ends up changing her world even long after her death.
Resonant in the retelling is the emphasis on the values of cleanliness, inner strength and purity of heart. Butsiki shows audiences that even little pigs can make a big difference.
My only criticism of the play is that the development of the events was too slow at the beginning, and too fast towards the end. Other than that, this is a must-see for everyone who wants to sit back and relax and see a Philippine classic brought to life onstage.
I’m not a fan of animal stories, but ENTABLADO convinced me to rethink my opinion. Like I said, these pigs just grow on you.