A class of high school students question the relevance of studying Shakespeare. The students express their problems, heartaches, and teenage concerns through rap and hip hop music. They eventually learn to appreciate how Shakespeare’s works, though from a different world and a long time ago, become relevant to their personal struggles as youths in the 21st century Philippines.
Writing and Adaptation:
Ron Capinding
Direction:
Maribel Legarda
Music:
Jeff Hernandez
Header image courtesy of CCP
Soundtrack:
Videos:
Reviews:
BBC features PETA rap musical ‘William’
by Bea Cupin | GMA News
The concept of the rap musical about Shakespeare was inspired by a Fliptop event — or Pinoy rap battle league — that Legarda attended. “[Rap] was bagay—in many ways, rap is poetry,” said Legarda.
Packaging Shakespeare in an art form that’s familiar to the younger set also helped move PETA’s goals forward: to make Shakespeare a “’relatable ‘peer’ whose works speak of issues which the youth can relate to,” according to the BBC report.
“Learning begins when fear is absent,” explained Legarda.
Photo courtesy of PETA
by Katrina Stuart Santiago | GMA News
Because it is able to actually give us a peek at current high school life, and the concerns of our youth, vis-à-vis how literature—Shakespeare at that—can allow an amount of understanding, if not an explanation, for what we go through and how we feel. Right here is its gift to literature and to teaching: it proves to us its relevance in light of our real lives in the everyday. – Santiago
Yes, this is stuff for soap operas, and here is where William proves an adept hand at turning the story into one that isn’t uncomfortably melodramatic. In fact what it does is tell an upbeat story with contemporary rap music and hip-hop dancing, at the same time that it melds this story seamlessly with having to learn the Shakespearean drama within the classroom. So as the classroom dynamic unravels given the personal relationships within it, the challenge of Shakespeare allows both a layer of unity and reason for disunity. More importantly Shakespearean drama becomes reason for understanding each other and understanding oneself. – Santiago
Understanding Shakespeare in William
by Bibsy M. Carballo
Among its many productions we have watched, William appears to be the bravest, the most experimental ó breaking ground, stepping into sacred territory. The choice of Ron Capinding as playwright was perfect with his experience as high school teacher, actor, director, with background from the classics to contemporary vernacular theater. He brings to William his passion for Shakespeare and belief in the Filipino. – Carballo
PETA’s William contemporizes Shakespeare for young audiences
by Gibbs Cadiz
In the process of studying, they not only realize the beauty of Shakespeare’s works but also discover themselves through Shakespeare’s characters. The class muse, Sophia, finds out what true beauty is through “Romeo and Juliet;” the bully, TJ, encounters humility and grace through “Hamlet;” the brainy OFW’s daughter, Estela, learns forgiveness, while the student council leader, Richard, learns self-acceptance through “Merchant of Venice;” and a timid lad, Erwin, finds his voice through “Julius Caesar.” – Cadiz
Fear no more: PETA brings back the award-winning Shakespeare rap musical “William”
by Marla Espiritu | When In Manila
The personality of each character in the story is very prominent. Yet though their individualities differ and at start they all seemed to hate the project and fear Shakespeare, they all found a line or two (or a stanza) in his works that they can most relate to. Precisely showing that there is no reason why we would hesitate to participate and take part in reading a bit more of literature, most especially William Shakespeare’s; we would all find one of his characters in ourselves.
Shakespeare in Groove
by Ren Aguila
Capinding uses Shakespeare’s work as a lens through which the cast works out these struggles. The key device he uses is familiar to anyone who has gone through Shakespeare in school: the memorized monologue. However, it is used in surprising contexts and in a refreshing and intriguing way. All but one or two of the monologues have been used in ways that are less “telling it straight” but more of an amplification and contextualization in the lives of the characters. The tactic works in two ways—it draws attention to how the monologue’s theme makes sense in a character’s life, but most of all it is a way of throwing those of us off who have grown comfortable with the material. – Aguila
by Portia Placino
William, a play that was much reported and written about is an exciting revelation. Shakespeare has been done so many times, in innumerable ways, that it is rare to be surprised by just another interpretation. But that’s just it,William, is not just another interpretation. Rap, hip-hop and flip-top are the dominating forms, but these are seamlessly combined with Shakespearean plots, that an unaware audience might not notice. This is a gem for the Bard’s fans, as the stories and references unfold right before their eyes. William spoke, both to the high schoolers that needed a Shakespeare 101 and to Shakespeare aficionados in the audience; no one was left out, there is something for everyone.
Elsewhere
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAWVZL0IjLt/?tagged=petawilliam&hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/p/_BShujojOT/?tagged=petawilliam&hl=en
https://www.instagram.com/p/7o99RrojLg/?tagged=petawilliam&hl=en
Shakespeare in the Philippines 