Bucoy’s ‘Walang Kukurap’ explores the darkest Filipino soul

After a successful run of the 110-year-old sarswela of Severino Reyes’ ‘Walang Sugat’, Tanghalang Pilipino (TP), Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) resident theater company presents a highly-controversial play ‘Walang Kukurap’, written by Ms. Layeta Bucoy, considered by many as Quentin Tarantino’s female in theaters. Ms. Layeta Bucoy’s play is set to open on September 14 at CCP’s Tanghalang Huseng Batute.

In an interview with the playwright Layeta Bucoy, she mentioned that she got inspired by a political blogger named Christopher Bonoan that brought her attention to the Article 11 Section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which states that public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.

Bucoy stressed: “The questions that lingered in my mind: But what if the public office is taken as the extension of one's private or personal interests or what if the public office is perceived as the means to further such interests? What if public trust is ignored for the public office is treated as a private trust fund?”

The play is highly political in nature that explores the darkest Filipino soul. ‘Walang Kukurap’ as a production will serve as a forceful reminder that if people do not take the responsibility to better this world, then there is no need to die just to experience hell.

The same team that brought Dulaang UP’s shocking adaptation of William Shakespeare’s ‘Titus Andronicus’ is the artistic collaboration between the director-playwright tandem of Tuxqs Rutaquio and Layeta Bucoy together with TP’s homegrown talents—the Actors Company led by Jonathan Tadioan, Marco Viaña, Regina De Vera, Nicolo Magno, Ralph Mateo, Remus Villanueva, Doray Dayao, April Joy Iñigo, and Jovanni Cadag.

It will also feature veteran and competent theater actors who have crossed over to the mainstream arts, like Suzette Ranillo, Sherry Lara, Mymy Davao, Crispin Pineda, Pewee O’Hara, Lou Veloso, Ding Navasero, Nar Cabico, and Delphine Buencamino. 

With the TP Actors Company:

JONATHAN TADIOAN

MARCO VIANA

REGINA DE VERA

NICOLO MAGNO

RALPH MATEO

REMUS VILLANUEVA

DORAY DAYAO

APRIL JOY INIGO

JOVANNI CADAG

Another highlight of this second offering is the featuring of GLOC 9 on special dates of its run.

For more details of the play please visit, Tanghalang Pilipino’s official website on tanghalangpilipino.org.ph or contact TP office at (632) 832-1125 locals 1620/1621 or +639177500107 or call TicketWorld at (632) 891-999. The show will run until October 7.