Feature by Abigail Romualdo | April 13, 2024
Image: Pamphlet of Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba. (Abigail Romualdo)

The bravest man to ever start a revolution is a woman deprived of freedom.

Dulaang UP’s “Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba” shows a fresh take on the looming revolution in a gruesome setting of a land under colonization while integrating the quirky Generation Z humor that makes the play stand out among others.

“Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba” is a theatrical play based on the children’s story entitled “How Rosang Taba Won a Race” by Dean Alfar. It was adapted by Rody Vera and Maynard Manansala, and directed by Jose Estrella, Issa Manalo Lopez, and Mark Daniel Dalacat.

The play features the story of Rosa, a fat Katao woman, and how she won in a foot race against Pietrado, a boastful Ispancialo champion. It is set in Hinirang, a land controlled by Ispancialos; a setting that is familiar to every Filipino, after being colonized by the Spaniards for more than 300 years.

Blooming Revolution

Rosa, played by Kiki Baento, is fearless, even with the disapproval of her parents for challenging Pietrado in a foot race. After all, Ispancialos rule Hinirang, and Indios like her are designed to serve them. The colonizers like Pietrado, on the other hand, continue to humiliate Indios, saying they were stupid and never a threat.

However, the young woman, whose name is also controlled by Ispancialos, remains firm that their slavery ends on the day she wins the race. After more than 100 years, Mama Rosa’s watering hole managed by her family line is the concrete proof of their history.

Rosa’s character is also enormous in size. She is frequently body shamed - a problem in today’s society that the play subtly touches, yet she proudly flaunts every inch of her body.

Overall, her outspoken and brave personality, accompanied by her colorful wardrobe, shone through the play, empowering women that their place is in revolution, fighting for social issues that liberate not just them, but their ancestry.

Theaters’ Evolution

Despite the storyline being serious at a glance, Dulaang UP added Generation Z humor that mostly incorporated TikTok trends and dances suitable for their target audience.

“Naisip namin, paano kaya pwedeng mag-communicate ang piyesang ito sa kabataan? So dahil lahat tayo parang tuwang tuwa sa mga napapanood natin, naisip namin gamitin yung TikTok references na ‘yon,” Issa Manalo Lopez, one of the directors of the play, explained in a Talkback session at Teatro Amianan on Monday, April 15.

“Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba,” played at UP Baguio Teatro Amianan, is also the first leg of the Dulaang UP Mobile Theater: Mula sa Entablado Patungong Pinilakang Tabing, according to Lopez. It will also be played in other UP constituent units, while UP students in Diliman, Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga, Los Baños, Manila, and Open University can watch the play live at IBG-KAL Theater in UP Diliman from April 19, 2024 to May 5, 2024.

“Whether it is in theaters or streaming, the accessibility is what we hope to bring to audiences, without compromising the quality, so yung kalidad ni Dulaang UP ay ma-experience din sana ng iba’t-ibang mga audience dito sa Pilipinas,” Anna Gamboa, Dulaang UP’s Business Manager, added.

Indeed, “Kung Paano Nanalo sa Karera si Rosang Taba” is a humorous yet educational theater play on what it is to be a woman in a revolution - smart, vocal, and bold. Along with this lies Dulaang UP’s fostering of accessible theater production, from watching inside the corners of an arena to streaming on online platforms and cinemas.