Rolled Beneath a Deep Blue Sky

Inside Insiang

I finally met PDI-Lifestyle writer/editor Gibbs Cadiz last Tuesday during the Insiang press conference at the CCP. Joel McVie was there to cover it too. It’s cool to finally meet these excellent scribes and bloggers. Other netizens with online journals were on hand to interview and report about the event, as well.

Screenwriter-playwright Mario O’Hara arrived a little late, but was much appreciated and was generous with his answers. The bloggers and the cast members asked him about Insiang’s translation and re-translation through the years, and he was quite funny and candid with his thoughts. Later, when asked if he has current projects as director, he just replied, “Tamad akong direktor; sinisipag lang ako kapag wala akong pera!”

Tanghalang Pilipino’s Insiang is directed by Chris Millado and stars Ricky Davao, Mailes Kanapi, Sheenly Vee Gener (as Insiang), Mae Paner, Peewee O’Hara, Paolo O’Hara, McDonnel Bolanos, Roeder Camanag, Paolo Rodriguez, Vanni Liwanag, Jun Bueta, and Acey Aguilar.

Catch it on October 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14 at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater). Insiang tackles mature subject matter, and has strong language and brief nudity, so parental discretion is advised. Tickets are priced at P700 and P500. For show details, visit the official website or call 5210412.

Radio Goo-Goo

It’s strange that the cab I rode was tuned in to Jam 88.3. The pa-baduyan radio craze hasn’t gotten to the driver, it seems, and it was surprising to hear Tori Amos’ new song (the one with the “M-I-L-F, don’t you forget!” line) playing instead of some distressingly loud deejays from the now-leading kadyut-pangga stations. Oh, and last week, it was also unusual that a jeep’s dial was glued to the reformatted Joey, which was playing trance at the time, much to my and two young people’s delight.

Growing up, I listened to WKC, which was also baduy to some people back then. The attraction to me was the collection of cartoony sounding characters that accompanied the deejays during “Joke Time” segments. American Top 40 was a show that I followed religiously over that station too. But I also listened to WTM, which had 12-Inch Sunday and Friday Magic Madness. It kept claiming to be “The Number One Pop Music Station” during the time.

In college, I listened to RT and BM (rest in peace, dear new wave station), a time when I’d fall in love with music that flavored that special time of my life. LA, NU and K-Lite were my post-college companions, stations that also played some of my fave songs.

I rarely listen to the radio now, but I do keep track of some artists that I see on the music channels and the net. Things have changed and I’m exposed to more types of music, but I never tire of those songs I find instant rapports with. The old turntable broke over a decade ago; my old radio and Walkman are mostly broken now, too, but the music lives on in other formats. The radio star can never truly be “killed,” after all.

But I still wish that more drivers listened to the stations that I like.

Multiple Man

Ellinstrove Market. I drew this as part of some comic book submission samples way back. Check out my Multiply site for other drawings, pics and articles.

Showing Some Initiative

Avengers- The Initiative by Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli is currently the best Avengers book out there. Yes, there are a few ‘A’-titles and spinoffs being published by Marvel, but this stands out as the superhero book that has ample doses of drama, mystery, slugfests, and it respects established continuity, which is definitely a plus. Five issues into Initiative, the definition of real heroism is dissected, as new and old superhumans are molded into super-soldiers in the post-Civil War landscape.

Those missing the long-absent Young Avengers book will find the newbie Initiative recruits easily fill that void, that characters like Trauma, Cloud 9, Komodo, MVP and Hardball are just as interesting and enigmatic as the YA team when they started out. Veteran Avengers such as War Machine, Justice, Yellowjacket, Triathlon, drill sergeant Gauntlet, former X-Man Dani Moonstar, and former Liaison Henry Gyrich are also learning that teaching these registered adventurers hero ethics doesn’t always prepare them for the various deadly menaces that plague them. Characters from old Marvel books make appearances (as squad members and instructors) so it doesn’t get boring at all. The big ensemble reflects the title’s scope, and presents more sources of conflict than the regular team book.