Photo Flash: DUP's New Take on Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET

Manila, Philippines-- Dulaang UP (DUP) celebrates its 40th theater season with the theme "20/20 Vision: Clarity . Originality. Perspective." For its premiere offering, DUP presents #R</3J, a multimedia hallucination on William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

#R</3J retells the star-crossed lovers' narrative transforming Verona into a concrete jungle at the heart of Metro Manila--teeming with corruption, revolt, advertisements, sex, social media, and condominium units. In this adaptation, the classic tragedy resonates within the present society's many forms of commodified love. Can genuine love exist in a world of alterations and foolery?

Exploiting our age of virtual reality--globalization, ultra-violence, internet novelties, generation gap--this theatrical piece seeks to dramatize the postmodern tragedy of our generation through a pastiche of movement, music, intertext, video, and design. Destroy the city, the family, the government--even Shakespeare--but never destroy the will to love.

The production is a collaboration of seasoned and up-and-coming artists. Dexter M. Santos (direction) heads the artistic team composed of Guelan Varela-Luarca (adaptation), Krina Cayabyab (music design), John Batalla (lighting design), Ohm David (set design), Winter David (video design), and Darwin Desoacido (costume design). It features the Dulaang UP Ensemble with Ricky Ibe, Mitoy Sta. Ana, and Leo Rialp. It also showcases the works of young choreographers, video designers, artists, and dramaturgs.

Not suitable for audiences under 16 years of age, #R</3J runs through Sunday, September 13 at Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theatre, 2nd floor Palma Hall, U.P. Diliman.

For tickets, call Samanta Hannah Clarin or Camille Guevara at (632) 926-1349, 433-7840, 981-8500 local 2449 or email dulaangupmarketing@gmail.com.