Bloody hell!

MANILA,Philippines - Kicking off local edge theater group’s, Sipat Lawin Ensemble’s 2012 Season Apocalypse, is the live-action game performance, Battalia Royale. The story follows a batch of high school students from the fictional Our Lady of Guadalupe High School Manila, who embark on a class trip only to be hijacked and forced in a kill-or-be-killed game. Only one survives the game, and each night presents a different winner of the game.

This shocking, critically-acclaimed performance first played out at the CCP Ramp last February 2012, and plays again this September 2012 due to insistent popular demand. In addition to a large 40-member cast that consists of Sipat Lawin Ensemble members, Mapua Tekno Teatro of Mapua Institute of Technology, and Dulaang Perpetual of University of Perpetual Help Delta; playing the game’s host entails the special participation of Bodji Pascua, alternated by Gabe Mercado on some shows.

Local indie bands and musicians get a cut of the action as they interpret the musical each weekend. The music line up is made up of local composer Teresa Barrozo (Thy Womb, Aparisyon, Zombadings), and indie bands Radioactive Sago Project, Brigada, and a special surprise act on it’s final weekend on September 22 and 23.

The Australian writing team behind Battalia Royale, playwrights David Finnigan, Georgina McAuley, Sam Burns-Warr, and Jordan Prosser, flew in for their first look at the show and to hold a forum on the writing process. The forum, called Symposium Royale, was held at CCP’s Dream Theater and attracted Battalia fans and young, budding theater fans and playwrights. The discussion brought forth the improvisation and device work used to get into the heads of teenagers desperate enough to want to live, while exploring the adaptation process, being based on the graphic novel by Koushun Takami and the cult Japanese film. “Does it go too far?” was the question of the night, lead by the playwrights themselves, and openly discussed with forum participants.

Perhaps no other local performance has ever had it this big. Be a part of theater history by catching

Battalia Royale on Sept. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23. Their premiere performances are on Sept. 14, 15, and 16 at Museo Pambata, at 7pm. Access passes to the performances are available at http://www.facebook.com/sle.tickeroyale

Battalia Royale is based on the Koushun Takami novel, Battle Royale, and the movie of the same name. Battalia Royale has not been granted an official license by either the author (Koushun Takami) or the film company (Toei Company, LTD).

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For more information on the show and company, visit Sipat Lawin Ensemble’s Facebook page at http://facebook.com/sipatlawinensemble and the Battalia Royale website at http://battaliaroyale.wordpress.com.