Why ‘Pilato’ is meant to be political

There’s a Pinoy musical now running at the PETA Theater Center near Broadway Avenue, Quezon City, but it isn’t a production of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).

The musical is Pilato, a re-framing of the events that led to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Golgotha. 

As written and directed by the youthful adult Eldrin Veloso (who looks and sounds like he is just in his 30s), Pilato is meant to be political. 

Jesus Christ’s crucifixion was not a religious decision even during the Biblical era but political. Pontius Pilate was a prefect of the Roman dynasty at that time and he happened to be governing a herd of people who were mostly Jews. The people who screamed around Pilate “Crucify him [Jesus]! Crucify him!” were Jews who initially favored Jesus Christ as The Messiah. 

But a sea change in attitude towards The Messiah transpired after so many moons rising and setting, between the rising and ebbing of the tides. The Jews arrested Jesus who is acknowledged to be one with them even as he had many claims and assertions that were not expected from a Jew. He once proclaimed that the Jews could demolish the Temple but he would re-build it in three days seemingly all by himself.

Jesus was brought to Pilate twice for judgment as a seditious citizen. In between being dragged twice, he was brought to the Roman King Herod who refused to judge him because he was among the Jewish subjects of Pilate in Judea. 

When they brought Jesus to Pilate, the Roman prefect still didn’t want to judge him. The Jews insisted to Pilate that Jesus was his subject and even Herod asserted so. Pressured by the rant and rave, Pilate reminded the crowd — a mob actually — that due to the festivity about to be observed in Judea at the time of Jesus’ arrest, he (Pilate) had the privilege of saving just one man from a bunch of criminals already sentenced to be crucified. So, Pilate proceeded to ask the crowd who they wanted freed -- and the irreligious mob chose to save the thief Barabbas.

Pilato is the first theater production directed by Veloso who credits Behn Cervantes and Floy Quintos with inspiring him to get involved with theater. He is reportedly a Business Administration graduate, cum laude, in UP Diliman.

Pilato is also the first theatrical effort for The Corner Studio, a creative agency headed by Veloso himself. Intoned Veloso at the media huddle in February for his musical: “This is not a senakulo. This is not a religious play. We see a different layer and perspective of the people who lived in the time of Jesus. We approached the experience like reading a history book but delivered it in a very contemporary manner. This is a retelling of the story of a man who was confronted to address the truth some 2,000 years ago. Thus, the play begins and ends with the question, ‘What is the truth?’” 

The play tackles the truth (and falsehood!) of politics, religion, mob mentality, and the non-belligerence of the spiritual master Jesus Christ (though in the Catholics’ tenet of “Three-persons-in-one-God,” Jesus is God the Son”).

Religion is highly political. Catholicism spread worldwide due mainly to the political will of pope-kings. There were pope-kings through hundreds of years. The popes who were just popes, not kings at the same time, came much later in world history.

The cast features Jerome Ferguson as Pilato, seasoned professional stage actor Onyl Torres as the historian Josepo, Christy Lagapa as Procla (Pilate’s spouse), veteran Noel Rayos as Hesus, Jeremy Manite as high priest Caiaphas, Marit Samson as the Roman senator-historian Publius, Chan Rabutazo as Decimus (a fictional character) and Ard Lim as Marcus, a servant of Caiaphas.

They are joined by Mika Espinosa, VJ Cortel, Julia Panlilio, Hiro Delos Reyes, Misha Fabian, Robert Macaraeg, Francel Go, Darwin Lomentigar, Harrah Casey, Thor Ganchero, Cynthia J. Santos, and Jason Chan mostly playing Jews. 

Yanni Robeniol composed the songs in the musical. Pauline Arejola is the play’s musical director, Tsard Chua is in charge of production and costume design). Ian Torqueza took care of lighting design and is also the production’s technical director.  Daniel Wesley choreographed

The musical premiered on 4 April and will run 5 to 6,11 to 13 April at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets cost P2,200 (VIP), P2,000 (Orchestra), P1,500 (Orchestra Side and Lower Balcony Center), and P1,200 (Lower Balcony Side and Upper Balcony Center). They are available at pilato.helixpay.ph.

What we watched was the press run of the musical on 1 April during which Ferguson (Pilate) turned out impressive only in the play’s second part. He was almost a wimp in the first half. The publicity yarn says he has been an actor for 15 years in Baguio City but his stint in Pilato is his first crack on a lead role. Ferguson may be sharper in the regular run, even astounding. 

Lagapa, as Pilate’s wife, was consistently impressive from her first scene to her last. Her mere presence practically overpowered Ferguson’s Pilate. Most cast members were worth sitting up for in the lengthy production (almost three hours) even as most of them seems to have not been seen in a major production on a professional stage. 

Since Pilato is not meant to be religious, it can be shown any time of the year, more so if the biblical outfits were redesigned to be just evocative of the Biblical era. The production really has more political appeal these days than religious. We do have an ex-politician sent out of the country to be tried as a criminal in a foreign court. His supporters want him sent back here pronto, jailed here, and tried here come hell or high water. 

The musical’s production design and costumes do not have to be conservative. The actors do not have to be fully covered with bedsheets all the time. Ferguson’s Pilate needs more peacock aura. Some male cast members are noticeably tall. They portray assertive characters which may turn fascinating if they do not walk around wrapped in bedsheets. 

Entertainment-seeking Pinoys are no longer apathetic to political undertones in what they watch. Veloso is on the right track for the kind of theater he wants to offer to the “madlang pipol.” He is not stuck up about male roles played only by the machos. One male character in the narrative is played by a woman.

Veloso seems to be destined to go places in Philippine theater with his kind of brain. He just needs to pay more attention to production values and stage styling.