LIVE MOVIE ON STORM: 4-C II themed with life's lessons on LOVE

"Love is temporary madness." Love may be mere infatuation. But still, love makes the world go 'round.

I could've enjoyed 4-C Part II more if the Philippine Stagers Foundation first showed Alexis Yasuda's "Judas Lair" and Patrick Libao's "Felipa". Of course, the rest of us must have enjoyed Jomer Bautista's "Fan" and Atty. Vincent Tanada's "Romeo and Juliet" with all that "kilig" ideologies brought by the norms of today's worldly pleasures. Aside from my being apathetic to such lovey-dovey vibrations, I've noticed they have focused on that kind of love (puppy love, etc) in their 4-C Part I, and it seemed all too familiar now.

But of course, the Stagers actors were always outstanding and the stories had truly evolved into deeper moral lessons for us high school students. And 4-C II definitely left us four new angles on love: a friend's love vs. idol fantasy (Fan), love and respect for oneself (Romeo loves Juliet), nationalism and a brother's love (Judas Lair) and one true love (Felipa).

FAN, written by Jomer Bautista, directed by Atty. Vincent Tanada

ARE THERE KOREAN POSTERS ON YOUR WALL, TOO?

Well, this kind of love more appropriately termed as "obsession" really exists in the corporate world. Students idolizing foreign icons and singing imported songs only to prove their impractical addiction and patriotism over other countries are just as poignant as Francis in "Fan". Worse consequences may evolve into madness, losing a friend or even yourself.

ROMEO LOVES JULIET, written and directed by Atty. Vincent Tanada

EYEBALL? CHAT? BLIND DATE?

This play may be the most amusing of all because it portrayed a very important lesson behind all that romantic-comedy atmosphere: it was all about loving and respecting oneself to be equally loved and respected by others. The play may be too exaggerated for me but the lesson is for all of us to reflect on. I would guess maybe the lost of respect for ourselves is the reason why marriages these days don't last long, relationships are downsized to simply become a new fashion trend, and broken families are beginning to be at the brink of normalcy.

JUDAS LAIR, wirtten by Alexis Yasuda, directed by Atty. Vincent Tanada

"ANYWAY, THESE YOUNG FACES WON'T CARE BECAUSE THEY ENJOY POVERTY AND INNOCENCE."

I believe this was the best contemporary play they presented, but most ignored by the students.

Aside from the play written in pure English, I observed most of us did not take this play seriously (maybe except the handsome outstanding actor Kierwin Larena) because it was not the kind of love they want to see and laugh at. Obviously having a political atmosphere, Judas Lair showed the real face of dirty politics and the innocent majority's indifference to the country's "kanser ng lipunan". The play also showed a brother's love and his strong sense of nationalism we have all lost by now.

FELIPA, written by Patrick Libao, directed by Atty. Vincent Tanada

JUST WHERE CAN YOU FIND TRUE LOVE?

An atmosphere of fear, Spanish-Filipino history and true love. I was rather left breathless not only because of the eerie door-banging and chair-moving moments that always made me almost fall off my seat, but also because of the story's twist in the end and the moving truth about love.

Sometimes in life (and most in times of premature stages) we thought we've found true love, but the underlying truth remains--and ignored by many--that we can only find it in ourselves. Going back to Romeo loves Juliet, one cannot be truly loved by someone if you yourself cannot truly love your own.

Maybe it was the normal surge of madness that made me so bitter and pessimistic about the play beforehand, after waiting for three hours while I've already watched a lot of people smoke and crush the butts of their cigarettes outside the mall. But then I can now truly say the wait was worth it, given the facts the actors still gave their best even after three tiring shows, and the four contemporary plays (hence 4-C) loaded in P150 left us more meaningful lessons on love.

Kudos to Atty. Vincent Tanada!