ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

This 3-hour play is tough to watch mainly because the scenes are dry and dragging. There’s no climactic playoff and redeeming moment that can bring the play back to life. Direction is flat. Hindi nasala nang maigi ang mga eksenang isasama para sa dulang ito. Andaming pwedeng tanggalin at paiksihin.

There’s an effort to modernize a classic play, aiming to reach a new generation of people. However, those attempts are poorly executed. Kahit nagpapatawa na ang mga artista, antamlay pa ring panuorin. Hindi lubusang nagamit ang ilaw at tunog para sila’y alalayan. Sobrang tahimik at nakakabagot ang mga eksena. Paulit-ulit lang ang mga jokes. Nakakasawa na.

Hindi smooth ang transitions. Bigla-biglang napuputol ang sounds at papasok ang mga tao sa entablado. Hirap silang makabuo ng relasyon sa paggitan ng mga karakter. Hindi ka konektado sa pinaggagawa nila.

The production’s visual elements need improvement. The makeup is distracting; the costumes don’t convey nobility; the stage design doesn’t evoke royal ambiance.

The ensemble’s movements appear sluggish, sloppy and uncoordinated. Choreography is not in synced. The dialogues are overly dramatic and flowery, and they're mostly spoken without much conviction.

The King and The Countess deliver their lines with proper intonation, but their performances lack power and authority. Parolles' actions are attention-grabbing, but his words lack clarity. The Helenas’ individual performances are decent, but collectively, they're disjointed. Lafeu’s portrayal works fine.

Kiefer Jet Francisco possesses noble qualities, including charming stage presence and compelling performance, that make him worthy of attention and recognition. Unfortunately, His Excellency can’t save the whole show.

Given the title "𝘈𝘭𝘭'𝘴 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘌𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭," the show ironically didn't end well. A lot needs to come together to make it all well. The 3-hour runtime feels like an endurance test, leaving you feeling unwell.

If you wanna catch this student theater play,

see details below.

William Shakespeare’s

All’s Well That Ends Well

Directed by: Baby Jay Crisostomo

🗓️ April 4-12, 2025

📍 DLS-CSB (5F Design & Arts Campus Theater)

🎫 Regular ticket price is Php 400. Buy your tickets at https://forms.gle/u5644VzxwUMuvk349.

🔗 Visit Aninag Theatre for more details.