‘Lola Basyang’ gets a 21st-century reboot

Long before Filipino children had television, YouTube, or phones, there was Lola Basyang.

Created by writer and playwright Severino Reyes, Lola Basyang first appeared in Liwayway in 1925. Reyes wrote the stories under the name of an old grandmother who told tales to her grandchildren. The series became widely read and eventually reached audiences through books, comics, radio, television, film, ballet and theater.

Now, more than 100 years after her first story, Lola Basyang returns to the stage in Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang at iba pa…, presented by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).

The production runs at the PETA Theater Center from 21 to 30 September, with a longer run set for February 2027. It will also be available for school and community tours in excerpt or full-length versions.

The Lola Basyang stories

The production returns to two stories from Reyes: Ang Prinsipeng Mahaba ang Ilong, about a prince who learns that worth goes beyond appearance, and Ang Binibining Tumalo sa Hari, about a young woman who uses wisdom and courage to overcome power and prejudice.

Both are adapted for the stage by Christine Bellen, whose adaptation of Lola Basyang was first staged by PETA in 2005. A third story, Ang Bantay ng Huling Buwan by J-mee Katanyag, joins the two classics.

From fairy tales to phones and vlogs

Ang Bantay ng Huling Buwan follows Uriel, a curious girl whose world includes phones, vlogs, science, and digital culture. The story brings folklore into conversation with questions about fear, critical thinking, misinformation, and collective action.

For Bellen, Lola Basyang’s stories can continue to change each time they return to the stage.

“Laging may bago sa bawat paglabas ni Lola Basyang sa entablado upang magkuwento sapagkat bukal siya tuwina ng harayang mapagpalaya sa isip ng kaniyang mga manunuod. (Every time Lola Basyang returns to the stage to tell a story, there is always something new because she continues to inspire her audience’s imagination and free their minds.)”

A new stage version

Phil Noble, who previously directed Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang, returns for the full-length revival. The production has a new cast and creative team, with refreshed visuals, choreography, music and staging.

The cast features Kiki Baento and CB Garrucho as Lola Basyang, Yhuan Gatbunton as Prinsipeng Mahaba ang Ilong, Belle Mendoza as Gracia, Leo Lapitan as Bungal and Pido, Thor Ganchero as Duling, Nyla Festejo as Sharay, Roi Calilong as Datu, Ayla Garcia as Bebang, Mico Esquivel as Lamukot and JC Sunto as Uriel.

Noble also sees the production as a chance to introduce children accustomed to screens, social media, and AI to live theater.

“I want them to discover another kind of world — the world of live theater. I want them to open themselves to other possibilities, to immerse themselves in the stories, and to become part of the magical world of Lola B.”

Keeping a classic alive

Maribel Legarda directs the excerpt version, with Boni Juan as production designer, Siglo as puppet designer, and Ian Torqueza as lights designer.

For Legarda, keeping a classic alive means allowing it to speak to each new generation. “Reviving a classic does not mean reproducing it exactly as it was,” she said. “Stories live because they are able to speak to changing generations.”

That idea also shapes how the production engages its young audience. Lola Basyang breaks the fourth wall, asks questions, listens to the children, and lets them make choices and help the characters solve their problems.

The excerpt cast features Yhuan Gatbunton as Prinsipeng Mahaba ang Ilong, Ericka Peralejo as Gracia/Bebang, Carlon Matobato as Hari/Duling/Pido, James Pe Lim as Bungal/Lamukot, and Icee Po as Reyna/Kawal/Sharay.

More than a century after Lola Basyang first appeared in Liwayway, the world around her has changed, and her stories have changed with it. But the invitation remains the same: sit down, listen, imagine and see what happens next.