If you like the book The Little Prince, you will also like its Filipino puppet play version, Prinsipe Bahaghari. It is shown in Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater, Circuit Makati, on January 19- 21 and 26-28, 2024. We watched the show last January 27, 3:38PM.

Prinsipe Bahaghari tells a story about the adventure of the Rainbow Prince as he finds his companion who would help him care for his flower, the Gumamela, and will keep her safe on his home planet. In this quest, he meets different characters and makes a friend with the Storyteller who proudly shares his joys and challenges in life.

It is my first time watching a puppet play. I am amazed how Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas gave life to the story, characters, and narration. Let me tell you more about this experience!

Stage Design

I like the simplicity of the stage design. It complements to the visual effects and the animations of the puppet play. How the production team maximized the wooden pallets, and the simple fabrics really amazed me. The gumamela flowers too are beautiful. They reminded me of my sixth grade project in Home Economics.

The Puppets

I really thought that the puppets were made of steel. But, upon asking the casts (who held and manipulated the puppets), I was informed that the puppets were made of rattan. Rattan is a flexible and natural material that can be weaved into many different things, including furniture. There were different puppets such as the cat, the snake, the Rainbow Prince, and the Storyteller.

The Translation

The original manuscript used rose, but the Filipino adaptation used gumamela. There are many kinds of gumamela in the Philippines. I love how this flower is chosen for this play. It look so Filipino for real. Also, the play emphasized that they maybe many of gumamelas but one is special because it’s chosen and it’s loved. The lessons in the original book are really translated contextually in its Filipino adaptation. I hope that the kids who watch the play with us learned a lot from it, too.

Overall, Prinsipe Bahaghari is really extraordinary. The puppeteers manipulated the characters well to deliver the emotions and to tell a heartwarming story. Prinsipe Bahaghari also has a perfect blend of humor. I specifically like the joke about a snake, eating the moon, and farting after. Is this a Bakunawa reference? This is such a funny part of the play. I really have a memorable experience. Looking forward to watch more plays this year!