Teatro Pinas : "Anino sa Likod ng Buwan On Stage": A Gripping Psychodrama Returns – March 1-23, 2025 at PETA Theater Center

The critically acclaimed film "Anino sa Likod ng Buwan," originally a one-act play by Jun Robles Lana, is set to captivate audiences once again as it returns to the stage in a new production, "Anino sa Likod ng Buwan On Stage."

 

This gripping psychodrama, exploring the complex interplay of politics, love, and betrayal, will premiere at the PETA Theater Center from March 1-23, 2025.

Written by Jun Robles Lana, "Anino sa Likod ng Buwan" won first prize in the Bulwagang Gantimpala Playwriting Contest in 1993 and was subsequently staged by Bulwagang Gantimpala and Artistang Artlets of the University of Santo Tomas. The story follows Emma, her husband Nardo, and their friend Joel, a soldier, as their lives intertwine amidst the backdrop of military operations in Marag Valley during the early 1990s. Their nightly card games and seemingly casual banter mask deeper tensions and hidden desires, culminating in a dramatic confrontation during a lunar eclipse.

In 2015, Lana adapted his play into a film, also titled "Anino sa Likod ng Buwan," starring LJ Reyes, Anthony Falcon, and Luis (now Adrian) Alandy. The film garnered numerous accolades, including Best Director, Best Actress, the FIPRESCI and NETPAC Awards at the Pacific Meridian International Film Festival of Asia, Best Director at the Kerala International Film Festival, and Best Actress at the Gawad Urian. Lana also received an Independent Camera nomination from the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Critics hailed the film as a “spectacular dramatic roller-coaster” (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival), “stunningly staged” (Filmfest Hamburg), and a “tense and taut drama oozing sex, sweat, and social chaos” (The Hollywood Reporter).

Now, "Anino sa Likod ng Buwan" returns to its theatrical origins under the direction of acclaimed theater director and set designer Tuxqs Rutaquio. This production marks the maiden offering of IdeaFirst Live!, the theater arm of The IdeaFirst Company.

Synopsis:

Emma and Nardo, refugees in a town ravaged by conflict, find solace in the company of Joel, an army soldier who regularly brings them food. Their shared evenings of card games and lighthearted conversation take a dark turn as a lunar eclipse approaches, exposing the simmering tensions and unspoken truths that bind them.

Cast:

• Martin del Rosario as Joel
• Elora Españo as Emma
• Ross Pesigan as Nardo
• Edward Benosa as Understudy for Joel
• Denise Esteban as Understudy for Emma
• Vincent Pajara as Understudy for Nardo

Artistic Team:

• Set Design by Tuxqs Rutaquio
• Lighting Design by John Ilao Batalla
• Sound Design by TJ Ramos
• Poster Design by Justin Besana
• Photography by JB de Leon

Performance Details:

• Dates: March 1-23, 2025
• Venue: PETA Theater Center