EU to stream classic European plays in PH

THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) is staging the first-ever Teatro Europa in the Philippines, a virtual festival of theater arts featuring seven classic pieces from Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain.  

The event, which will run from August to September 2020, features performances of theater groups from various universities in the country. Full performances will be streamed on Teatro Europa's Facebook page every Friday to Sunday next month.

MINT College representative Dennis Marasigan said the students had to be "very creative" when taping their performance since they still have to maintain physical distancing amid the pandemic.

"It is not exactly theater in the sense that the performers and audience are not in the same place unlike live theater performances, but we do wish and hope that the performance that you will finally see will at the very least communicate the intent and elements of the play," Marasigan told reporters during a virtual presser.

MINT College, one of the six partner universities of EU for Teatro Europa, will be featuring Tango by Polish dramatist Sławomir Mrożek.

The other universities and their featured European classics include: Rizal Technological University -- “The Green Room” by Arnošt Goldflam (Czech Republic); Mapua University -- “Robbers” Friedrich Schiller (Germany); The University of Makati -- “School for Wives” by Molière (France); University of the East -- “Servant of Two Masters” by Carlo Goldoni (Italy); “The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest” by Tirso de Molina (Spain); and Arellano University -- “Everyman” by Hugo von Hofmannsthal (Austria).

Chargé d’ Affaires Thomas Wiersing is optimistic the event could further promote European culture to the Filipino people even amid the global health crisis.

“It is inspiring to see how our partner university theater organizations enthusiastically selected from the roster of European plays to interpret and perform online. It is admirable to witness that due to the pandemic they had to become more creative in their performances utilizing online streaming and meeting platforms,” he said.

Alongside the plays, Teatro Europa will also conduct its educational component where several university theater directors will engage in dialogues with audiences. (By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora)