Greased Man
This study seeks to unite Asian literature with Western perspectives and styles. In this essay, I will focus on the theatrical ways that the play will work through performance and staging. However, in order to fully understand the concept behind the play, “Asphalt Man”, we must first look at the playwright’s background and education, period setting of the play, and analyzing the characters. Moreover the details of its themes, design concepts, lighting and sound, costumes, audience positioning that helps to understand how the plays expected to be performed. Although, this analysis is limited to some specific ideas and possible techniques that can be useful for the process of working on the play (“Asphalt Man”).
A. Analyzing the playwright
Dr. Anton Juan Jr. is a Filipino drama professor and director who earned PhD in Semiotics from the University of Athens. According to the Notre Dame News (2006), he has written six plays, all of which received literary and playwright awards. He received honors and grants from organizations in France, Greece, Italy, Spain, the United States and the Philippines. Currently he is a full professor and theatre director at the University of Notre Dame de Luc in USA and in London. B. Period Setting of the play Before the playwright wrote the play, “Taong-Grasa” there was no word in the Philippines that best referred to the “fools” loitering around the city areas. This is because before the raid of economic crisis, there were only decent wanderers that were still part of the society. But when the economy crisis of the Philippines began in early 1980s, the country endured adversities due to unable to pay its billion dollars international debt (Solon & Floro, 1993). The government was unwilling and was incapable to take necessary actions to deal with economic difficulties on its own even after disposing the country’s dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Although after the crisis, i.e. Martial Law, the nation was still ascending
A. Analyzing the playwright
Dr. Anton Juan Jr. is a Filipino drama professor and director who earned PhD in Semiotics from the University of Athens. According to the Notre Dame News (2006), he has written six plays, all of which received literary and playwright awards. He received honors and grants from organizations in France, Greece, Italy, Spain, the United States and the Philippines. Currently he is a full professor and theatre director at the University of Notre Dame de Luc in USA and in London. B. Period Setting of the play Before the playwright wrote the play, “Taong-Grasa” there was no word in the Philippines that best referred to the “fools” loitering around the city areas. This is because before the raid of economic crisis, there were only decent wanderers that were still part of the society. But when the economy crisis of the Philippines began in early 1980s, the country endured adversities due to unable to pay its billion dollars international debt (Solon & Floro, 1993). The government was unwilling and was incapable to take necessary actions to deal with economic difficulties on its own even after disposing the country’s dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Although after the crisis, i.e. Martial Law, the nation was still ascending