Jeremy Rafal tells his life story in The Boy From Bantay, tracing his own development as a musician and his journey from Bantay to the USA and across Europe, all from The Space’s (very hot in the middle of August!) Stephenson Theatre.
Rafal is an engaging performer, successfully carrying the audience through his story, bringing each character onstage to life with his physical acting, eliciting laughs during the comic moments and heavy silence during the dark ones. His show is heartfelt and authentic with some real moments of weight, particularly as it draws to a close. The choice to use Ilocano as the primary language spoken by a few Filipino characters, despite most of the audience being unable to understand it, is an effective one that pays off during an especially tense scene involving his brother around halfway through the show, as the audience anxiously waits for Rafal to step in and translate what has transpired.
His skill with the piano is remarkable, not surprising, given that he aspired to become a concert pianist and in fact earned a doctorate for his ability! The show is at its best when he is playing, and a particular highlight is when he accompanies the cartoons shown on the television on set, showing how he was first introduced to – and fell in love with – classical music.
The production is good, the sound design especially so – as indeed it needs to be for a show so focused on music! The backing tracks come in perfectly and the lighting design is effective at indicating both location and atmosphere. In addition, Rafal makes use of both a small television screen and a projector, both of which contribute meaningfully to the narrative and add colourful context to the story he tells.
This show is both entertaining and poignant all at once. Rafal may never have become a concert pianist as he had planned, but he is still an excellent performer and his show is a testament to his ability. With a few days still left of the run, I recommend seeing The Boy From Bantay while he is still around!
