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Ang Fraile Is The Good Laugh (And Slap In The Face) You Need

Ang Fraile Is The Good Laugh (And Slap In The Face) You Need

Ang Fraile stars John Lloyd Cruz, Jun Sabayton, Joel Torre, Cherie Gil and Ronnie Lazaro

 

 

On July 30, Globe Studios premiered Ang Fraile, starring John Lloyd Cruz, Jun Sabayton, Joel Torre, Cherie Gil and Ronnie Lazaro on its YouTube channel. The two-part comedy series is described as a satirical comedy about Filipino life in the Spanish colonial era. 

 

So who are our characters? We have the ruthless friar played by Sabayton, a rich mestizo couple that rules the rural town of San Edgardo in Torre and Gil. The local soothsayer is brought to life by Lazaro, and JLC is Pepito, the town’s “ugliest” inhabitant—though that thought alone is a little satirical, really.

 

 

Directed by RA Rivera, Ang Fraile has actually been in the works for five years now. “I’ve been a major fan of RA’s for decades now, and [producer] Erwin [Romulo] has always been one of my favorite collaborators,” says Globe Studios head Quark Henares in a statement. “The combination of both talents is fully showcased here, with its stellar cast, period setting, irreverent humor and social commentary. We’ve done historical films before, but I’ve honestly never seen one like Ang Fraile. The audience is going to have lots of fun!”

 

Meanwhile, director RA wants its audience to be both entertained and provoked. “Our history shows that we keep making the same mistakes,” he says. “There’s no fun in flagellating ourselves for previous errors. You can’t undo the past. But I think that if you can afford to laugh at the past, you have learned your lesson.”

 

RELATED: Review: My Amanda Doesn’t Quite Hit The Nail On The Head

 

But what kind of laughs are we in for with Ang Fraile? Think finding sarcasm in what used to be historical truths, the occasional recognition of our own historical insecurities, everyone calling JLC ugly and Cherie Gil reimagining her iconic “You’re nothing but a second-rate trying hard copycat” line—in Spanish, of course. 

 

But while you’re watching the scenes unfold and hearing the whispered gossip, don’t forget to pay attention to the narration. It might just be the best character in the limited series. 

 

Want to find out for yourself? Watch the full first episode below:

 

 

 

To watch Ang Fraile, visit the Globe Studios YouTube channel. For more info, visit Globe Studios’ Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

 

 

Art Alexandra Lara

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