Interest

Filipino Troupe Reenacts Battle Royale Novel/Film Outdoors

Filipino acting group Sipat Lawin Ensemble is collaborating with Australian playwrights David Finnigan, Jordan Prosser, Sam Burns-Warr, and Georgie McAuley, to adapt the 2000 Japanese novel-turned-film "Battle Royale" onto the outdoors stage. Battle Royale depicts a Japanese dystopian society in which every year, a middle school class is chosen to engage in a battle to the death with each other.

Sipat Lawin Ensemble's "Battalia Royale" features over 40 actors with former children's television host Luisito "Bodjie" Pascua (Batibot) playing the part of the homeroom teacher. The interactive performance debuted last week in the nation's capital of Manilla and was open to the public. According to a Facebook post, the SLE announced over 900 people came to watch the performance outside of the Cultural Center of the Philippines on its final day.

The group's next performances are scheduled for March 9-11, in the former capital of Quezon City. that this performance will be held in the abandoned Victoria high school in Cubao, Quezon City. Details are at the troupe's Facebook page. Details for the "students" taking part have also been posted.

Koushun Takami wrote the original Battle Royale novel, and Kinji Fukasaku then directed a flm adaptation in 2000. Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi's manga version spanned 15 volumes over the course of six years. The Tokyopop released the entire series starting in 2003 before shutting down its North American publishing operations.

Source: Inquirer Lifestyle

Update 2012-2-28: More details on the performance and Facebook links added. Thanks, Mia Marci!