The Descent into Darkness: A Review of FEU Theater Guild’s “Bangaw”

For its 92nd season, the Far Eastern University Theater Guild presents a fractured paradise in “Bangaw,” a Filipino adaptation of Sir William Golding’s 1954 masterpiece, “Lord of the Flies.”

Under the sharp direction of Dudz Teraña, the production reimagines the classic descent from civilization into barbarism through a distinctly local lens, proving once again why the FTG remains a bastion of provocative student theater.

Co-written by Teraña and fellow Philippine Educational Theater Association artist-teacher Gold Villar-Lim, “Bangaw” transports the familiar tale of stranded schoolboys to a remote island in the Visayas. Following a plane crash that leaves a group of high school students without adult supervision or rules, their initial mission of survival quickly unravels.

What begins as an attempt to reconstruct order is soon poisoned by a growing fascination with bloodlust and the paranoia of a monster lurking in the forest. The play’s title finds its chilling physical form when a boar’s head is transformed into a primitive idol, marking the brutal collapse of their fragile civilization.

Sonic and Symbolic Storytelling

“Bangaw” is more than a straight play. It is a “play with music” that utilizes rhythmic storytelling and symbolic movement to heighten the emotional stakes.

The production features a haunting score by Vince Lim and Villar-Lim, supplemented by two additional songs by Teraña, a pulse of traditional and modern Filipino sounds that serves as a metaphor for a nation caught between “collapse and renewal” and raw, expressive choreography that illustrates the tension between the choir-like faction and the dwindling group of rational survivors.

Survival and Rivalry

The production is anchored by a talented ensemble of student actors who do immense justice to their complex roles. Sam Siasoyco portrays Raf as a fragile anchor of order amid growing unrest. The antagonist Jack’s (Aldin Covarrubias and Dave Bambang) descent into dominance and violence drives the group’s disintegration.

Simone (Heleina Li and Julia Nicole Ramas) provides a quiet moral compass, while the twins Sam (Dianne Andallo and Trisha Nilayan) and Erich (Maria Ysabel delos Reyes and Althea Sibulo) find themselves caught between reason and the raw instinct for survival.

Characters like Tiny (Marjorie Uson and Francine Galvez), Matty (Melenne Hokase and Margarita Barrameda), and Caleb (Julian Rafael Anabo and Lorenze Moral) represent the innocence that is inevitably sacrificed in the face of systemic failure.

Offering additional support are Jharelle Villalobos and Edrud Madalan alternating as Tabeks, Janae Dionisio and Ayessa Raymundo as Apple, Bjorn Pestaño and Charlene Libo-on as Pat, Zoe Sisam and Shekinah Resurreccion as Phil, Justin Abalos and Renz Dotillos as Robert, Kevin Ricaforte and Miguel Galpo as Morris, and Shawn Tarala and Kirstan Orbegoso as Roger. Marc Ducut, Kristian Samson, Johann Umali, John Andrei Cruz, and Cris Jay Cabides round out the ensemble with Cabides playing Baboy Ramo.

A Mirror to Contemporary Realities

Beyond the spectacle, “Bangaw” is a biting reflection on modern social issues. It uses the island as a microcosm to explore the transition from leadership earned to power taken by force, the fragility of a democracy that “dies the moment it is born” when ruled by fear rather than voice, and a nuanced look at bayanihan and resilience when pitted against moral decay and patriarchy.

“Bangaw” is a bold, multi-layered experience that challenges its audience to reflect on the fractured world we inherit and the responsibility we have in shaping what follows. FTG continues to honor its mission of reimagining theater as a space for truth and community, delivering a production that is as gripping as it is necessary.