Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Cherie Gil stars in PETA’s Cherry Orchard remake, Arbol de Fuego


February 20-March 15, 2015
PETA Theater Center
No. 5 Meynard Drive, New Manila
Quezon CityPhilippines

Cherie Gil stars as a debt ridden matriarch in denial in Arbol de Fuego, the Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard running this February 20-March 15, 2015 at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City.

Adapted by Rody Vera and directed by Loy Arcenas, Arbol de Fuego ends PETA’s 47th season that included Rak of Aegis which had three successful runs and FnL.

Standing from L to R: Divine Acuina, Lao Rodriguez, Leo Rialp, Jake Macapagal,
Cherie Gil, Raffy Tejada, Angeli Bayani, Loy Arcenas, Anna Luna, Bembol Roco,
and Rody Vera
Fron from L to R: Anthony Falcon, Kiki Baento, Riki Benedicto, and Gie Onida

Cherie Gil portrays Enriquetta Jardeleza-Sofronio, who throws lavish parties in her estate to forget the reality of her squandered fortune and mounting debt. Joining Gil in this production is Angeli Bayani a recent winner of Best Actress at the Gawad Urian as her adopted daughter Charito, who takes care of the estate in the absence of the Jardelezas. The rest of the Jardelezas will be portrayed by British Independent Film Award nominee Jake Macapagal as Enriquetta’s younger brother Adjie and 2013 Cinema One Best Actress Anna Luna as Carmen, her naïve and optimistic daughter.

The rest of the characters in this production include Leo Rialp as the money-grubbing former nobleman Chitong, Raffy Tejada as Tiking, the former servant who struck rich, Riki Benedicto as the young, intellectual Dante, and Bembol Roco, the faithful but sometimes space headed mayordomo Manoy Iking. The Jardelezas hired servants are composed of Anthony Falcon as Caloy, Lao Rodriguez as Pindot, Gie Onida as Sakada/Sundalo, Kiki Baento as Kane, and Divine Aucina as Ling-Ling.

From the Cherry Orchard’s original setting of mid-19th century Russia during the emancipation of serfs, Vera’s adaptation Arbol de Fuego transfers the setting to Negros Occidental during the 1970’s when the hacienderos’ opulent aristocratic lifestyle drastically declined with the downfall of the sugar industry brought upon by Marcos crony Roberto Benedicto. The setting may have changed but the adaptation still retained the sarcasm and humor of Chekhov.


Joining playwright Rody Vera and director and production designer Loy Arcenas in the artistic staff are Carlo Pangunaling for costume design and Vincent de Jesus for sound and music.

During the press launch of Arbol de Fuego held at the PETA Multi-Purpose Hall, the cast did a 20 minute staged reading that gave the press and show buyers ideas about each other characters. Some wondered how people who aren’t aware of the play and Anton Chekhov would be able to understand and connect with the play. Rody Vera and Loy Arcenas said that the story with characters coming from different classes of society is just like the local soap opera series shown in television prompting Cherie Gil to quip that Arbol de Fuego “is so Downton Abbey!”

Cherie Gil

Later on, I was able to have a brief chat with Cherie Gil and asked her how she feels sharing the stage with real, live people this time compared to her previous stint in her one woman play Full Gallop in which she was just surrounded literally by flowers. She expressed her relief and delight that she has co-actors this time and that it takes a load off her shoulders. We then shared a few laughs as we recalled the now infamous etched portrait of Maria Callas in a Dutch restaurant that was actually a publicity photo of Cherie Gil when she essayed the role of the legendary soprano in Master Class. She is truly a delight on and off the stage. And my off stage interaction with her, no matter how brief, just made me look forward to seeing her on stage once again.

For inquiries:
PETA Theater Center 725-6244 local 23, (0916) 437-6551, peta.theatercenter@gmail.com
TicketWorld 891-9999

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