He's the son of the great architect Juan M. Arellano. A true Manileño, introduced in 1931. Became famous, his friends were the famous stars of that time, both foreign and local. However, he was badly injured during the Liberation of Manila in 1945 but he survived it. Since then his famous friends forgot his existence and left him, only the slum people recognized his great past and made them his friends. The slum people called him, "Besa Boxing Arena". Luckily, President Marcos remembered him and saved him from disgrace in 1978. But even after his surgery he never did recover his former stardom. Until now, only a few still visit him in his sickbed. And, oh, by the way his full name is Manila Metropolitan Theater.
I finally made it inside this neglected theater. Our school's theater guild performed here a play entitled "Ehipto". Just the typical story from the bible about Moses and the Israelites. When I got inside the lobby (Conchita C. Sunico Hall), I saw beautiful paintings on the wall, and some statue of women. The ceiling was fine, blue-green in color.
I have not seen the full picture of the theater, it was dark. The paint inside is just the same on the outside. There's also a balcony, although not accessible.
The theater still looks good but certainly not the best. But it still can be the best if someone, probably our government, will bring back its former glory.
i shot this last year inside and out
ReplyDelete