Photo / Kyle Venturillo, courtesy of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative
When does a thing become a classic? How long do we have to wait before we give a book, a movie, a song, or a musical the mythical status of “classic”?
Opinions vary, but for Mula sa Buwan, it already is a classic or destined to be. It’s written in the stars.
Mula sa Buwan is an original Filipino musical based on Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo’s Filipino translation of Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac. The material began in 2009 when Pat Valera turned the story of Cyrano and transformed it into a rock-sarswela with music and lyrics by Valera and William Elvin Manzano.
Its first iteration, Cyrano: Isang Sarswela, was staged in 2010 with five lapels shared by 18 actors. Valera staged it for his final thesis output the following year.
The playwright reworked the book and music and restaged it in 2016 under the title Mula sa Buwan. It has since been restaged in 2018, 2022, and 2024. According to Valera, “Through circumstance and opportunity, I had the chance to create, recreate, revisit, and reshape the musical over the span of 12 years. Not many playwrights, especially in this country, are given that space and privilege.”
Love, friendship, and ideals
Photo / Kyle Venturillo, courtesy of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative
The story follows Cyrano, his beloved Roxane, and the kindhearted Christian. Mula sa Buwan takes Rostand’s play and Rodrigo’s translation to 1940s Manila, where wide-eyed dreamers and misfits explore themes of love, friendship, and ideals. Everything is put to the test when war strikes, and they must fight for their place in an ever-changing city.
Pat Valera’s book and translation beautifully tell the story. Act 1 shows a bright and colorful version of Manila, where Cyrano mischievously leads a group of cadets who are devoted to him. The biggest concern of the show’s first half is that Cyrano is in love with Roxane, who is betrothed to another. The story then violently shifts during the second act, when war strikes and Cyrano, Christian, and the cadets must fight for their lives.
Photo / Kyle Venturillo, courtesy of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative
A strong cast brings the story to life. Myke Salomon plays Cyrano, but the stars aligned for his standby, Paw Castillo, who took to the stage during the gala performance. It was a terrific evening for Castillo, who breathed new life into the role. He was playful and exuberant in one moment, pining and wistful the next. His portrayal was brimming with the innocence and optimism needed for the role.
Gab Pangilinan is, as expected, wonderful. Reviews of Pangilinan’s performance often mention her voice, and for good reason: her singing captures the range of emotions that Roxane experiences in the show. She brought the audience on a journey, from the joyful opening number of “Ang Tanghalang Ito” to the exhilarating romance in “Awit ni Roxane” and the poignancy in “Awit ng Mga Naiwan.” Pangilinan is matched note for note by Phi Palmos as the cabaret owner Rosanna.
Photo / Kyle Venturillo, courtesy of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative
MC de la Cruz is a highlight as Christian (full disclosure: this writer’s bias is Christian). He plays a man who is too tongue-tied to express his feelings for the woman he loves.
Christian, however, has depth: he is bumbling (“Tinig sa Dilim”) yet confident (“Ang Ilong”), simple yet profound. It’s easy to write Christian off as basic when you compare him to the eloquent Cyrano, but then he suddenly says, “Ang mahalaga hindi natin malimot na marunong pa rin tayong magmahal.” His growth is delightful to watch.
Photo / Kyle Venturillo, courtesy of Barefoot Theatre Collaborative
The excellent ensemble rounds out the cast. JM Cabling’s choreography is insane, and the ensemble gamely accepts the challenge, especially in the showstopping numbers “Ang Tanghalang Ito” and “Mula sa Buwan.”
Equally showstopping is Mula sa Buwan‘s astronomical set. The show takes its aesthetic cue from Art Deco, a style popular in the Philippines from the 1920s and 1930s, right before the war. Art Deco is known for its opulence, geometric forms, and stylized patterns. In the wrong hands, it could look cheap and baduy. Mula sa Buwan, however, made the stage look elegant and expensive. There is also a grandness to the set design, especially during the end of Act 1 (“Malaya”) when the Imperial Japanese Army arrives.
Mula sa Buwan takes its story from a play staged in 1897 and a Filipino translation published in 1955. The musical has been staged multiple times for the past 12 years, and yet still feels current and fresh. If that’s not the definition of a classic, I don’t know what is.
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