Mapeh (Theatrical)

• Representative Philippine Theatrical Forms


  Ancient form of storytelling and entertainment which uses flat, articulated figures held between a source of light and a translucent screen
• In many Asian countries, puppet theatre has influences traditional dance and drama and puppetry is considered a serious art form
• Shadow Puppet Play


  Puppetry started since the time of Dr. Jose Rizal staged a Carillo or shadow puppetry where he placed carton and stick figures at the back of a white cloth and used candlelight to illuminate the puppets
• Giant puppets in Angono


  • Made of papier mâché and bamboo sticks to celebrate the feast of St. Clementine every last Sunday of November
• Traditional puppetry have been formed since 1972. These groups inspired by different puppetry art in other countries and the children's programs seen in movies and television
• Presently, puppets are effective mediums for kid's educational entertainment often used in TV commercials to advertise certain products
• Types of puppetry in the Philippines


  • Hand puppet
  • Rod puppet
  • Giant puppetry
  • Stick puppet
  • Shadow puppetry
  • Black theater
  • String Puppet
• Hand puppet


  Made of foam and cloth. The puppeteer's hand is inserted in the neck holding the flap to open the puppet's mouth, neck, arms, and hands
• Rod puppet


  Similar to that Japan's Bunraku where puppets are manipulated through a rod attached to the puppet's head, arms, and feet

  
• Giant puppetry


  Life-size puppets made of foam. Sometimes the head is made of fiber glass with the puppeteer inside doing movements life walking, dancing, and jumping
• Stick puppet


  Nursery-type puppets made of cardboard and sticks

  
• Shadow puppetry


  Made from animal skin and attached to sticks

  
• Black theater puppets


  Made from foam, rope, cloth, fake fur, wig, and stuffing, and their whole body can be manipulated
• String Puppet


  Puppets made of wood, rubber, steel, fiberglass, or polystuff. Manipulations are done through strings
• Puppets in the northern part of the Philippines are made of yarn and thread
• Dance Drama


  A drama conveyed by dance movements sometimes accompanied by dialogue
• Duplo


  A poetical debate held by trained men and women done on the last night of the mourning period
• Karagatan


  A poetical debate like duplo, but the amateur participants. Held in the homes that theme is about a ring that fell into the sea
• Bellaco


  The male participants in dance drama
• Bellaca


  The female participants in dance drama
• The first recorded drama staged in Cebu was comedia, written by Vicente Puche and was performed in honor of MSGR. Pedro de Agurto, Cebu's first bishop
• Moro-moro


  A traditional Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes
• Fr. Jeronimo Perez wrote the first moro-moro and was stages in Manila in 1637 to commemorate Governor General Consuer's victory over Muslims of Mindanao
• Sarswela


  A traditional Filipino dramatization of the life and times of Jesus Christ. It is done in singing (kantada) and recitation (hablada) forms
• Junto al Pasig (beside the pasig) is a sarswela written by Jose Rizal. Stages at Ateneo de Manila on December 8, 1880, to celebrate the feast day of the Immaculate conception
• Senakulo


  A traditional Filipino dramatization of the life and times of Jesus Christ. It is done in singing (kantada) and recitation (hablada) forms and is traditionally performed on a proscenium-type stage with painted cloth or paper backdrop called telon ad takes eight nights to present (from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday)