The game is on and you either play or you die with the truth. At least, that's what historian John Ray Ramos thinks.
During the press launch for the Philippine Educational Theater Association's (PETA) month-long staging of "A Game of Trolls" (#AGoT) on Tuesday, Ramos discussed the role of narratives in shaping not just our history, but how we perceive it.
"A Game of Trolls" dives into the myths being created about Marcos' Martial Law and the mechanism that is countering the extensive documentation about the era.
"Narratives have the power to dictate [what we] value in our society," Ramos explained. "Narratives dictate our decisions, our values... it dictates our morality."
"If I teach a history...a dark history, siguro matutunan natin na igalang ang human rights. Siguro if I teach that our democracy and our freedom was hard-won, perhaps we as Filipinos will work together to improve our young democracy.
"Pero, what if 'yong kabilang narrative ang pinaniwalaan ko? What if I believe that the Martial Law period is the Golden Age of Philippine History? If I believe that it's the Golden Age, okay lang ang human rights violations as long as mayroon akong tulay, as long as mayroon akong flyovers, et cetera," he elaborated.
Everyone wants progress, Ramos said, but at what cost do we achieve it?
PETA — in partnership with the National Historic Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation, and DAKILA — guides the audience to the facts and perspectives they need to find their own answer.
Unlike the book and the HBO show that inspired its title, "A Game of Trolls" distances itself from the grim, gorey depiction and instead employs music and humor to introduce a new perspective to the conversation.
The audience sees Martial Law through the eyes of Heck, a professional troll. He is employed to argue fallaciously, LEAVE COMMENTS IN ALL CAPS, and sow doubt in the minds of people about what really happened during the Marcos era.
Writer Liza Magtoto drew inspiration from GMA News TV's "Reeltime" and online articles on trolls to understand their psychological profiles in order to give a fresh perspective to the topic.
For director Maribel Legarda, what's important is reaching a new audience. The elements appeal to millennials, but Legarda clarified that she does not want to preach to the choir.
The play is meant to inspire discussions from all sides and it presents a challenge to the company, now celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Legarda is "glad to touch base" with the kind of theater that functions as a documentation of history and the kind of theater that makes room for updates in the script to keep it from being dated.
In a statement shared with the press, Active Vista Executive Director Leni Velasco affirmed this and said, "The most effective antidote against historical revisionism, false heroes, fake news, apathy, and misinformation has always been education through the arts — real compelling stories of the human struggles presented through creative forms."
"A Game of Trolls" was previously staged last December and then again in April, with Legarda and Magtoto diligently fine-tuning the play since. This September run incorporates the recent events in our history, they revealed.
A song has been updated as a more straightforward rumination on the recent spate of reported extrajudicial killings and the entire play takes advantage of the freedoms we have.
"It's not about Duterte," Legarda said. "It could be any politician ... It is about how power is used or misused."
"A healthy democracy requires conversation," Legarda said. "And the last time I checked, we are still a democracy."
PETA fought for freedom of expression during the Marcos regime and has was recently recognized by the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation for its continued struggle to elevate art as a platform for democracy to flourish.
The original cast composed of Myke Salomon, Upeng Galang-Fernandez, Vince Lim, Gold Villar-Lim, Lemuel Silvestgre, Kiki Baento, Gilver Onida, John Moran, Norbs Portales, Roi Calilong, and Ada Tayao returns, joined by new alternates Gail Billones,Jasper Jimenez, Joseph Madriaga, Nieves Reyes, TJ Valderama, and Juan Miguel Severo. — LA, GMA News
"A Game of Trolls" will run throughout September at the PETA Theater Center. Log on to ticketworld.com.ph and petatheater.com for ticket and show buyer information.
