REVIEW: The Boy from Bantay - A Monologue of Laughter and Tears

©️The Boy from Bantay Production

The Boy from Bantay, written and performed by Jeremy Rafal, directed by Josh Boerman, opens with the simple act of practising piano. A metronome ticks steadily, doubling as a clock, setting the pace for what could have been the performer’s path as a pianist. From the very first beats, we are drawn into a personal history where talent was evident; he could replicate music from TV cartoons by ear, his fingers instinctively finding the melodies. Those Saturday moments, spent watching television with family and then translating the soundtracks onto piano keys, became a source of joy. But time waits for no one, and life began to shift with age.

Alone on stage, Jeremy inhabits multiple roles with ease: mother, teacher, Carlo... each distinguished by voice, posture, and energy. Filipino culture and history are woven lightly yet purposefully into these portrayals, alongside reflections on the Asian upbringing: the expectations, the discipline, the unspoken weight of parental ambition. Smoothly integrated projections and visual storytelling provide context for the memories shared. But the tone shifts abruptly with Carlo’s death, a moment marked by white noise, creating a sonic void before the narrative moves to Hawaii. Here, the trauma surfaces quietly, framed by the displacement of being a Filipino Indigenous person in a foreign setting.

The monologue moves through the challenges of being Asian in the US: college life, the pursuit of a piano dream met with failures, self-doubt, and scepticism from teachers and family. It questions choices, wonders if they were right or wrong, and holds space for longing. The wish to return to a simpler childhood, contrasted with the inescapable momentum of life.

The piano, always present, takes on layered meaning: sometimes avoided, played hastily out of reluctance; sometimes embraced as a channel for expression. The piano's sound, however, was not amplified. A choice that left softer passages less impactful, though the final symphonic section regained some presence. In sequences paired with TV soundtracks, keeping the original television audio might have provided a clearer emotional connection.

Narratively, compressing a lifetime of turning points into a single hour results in a tightly packed story. While the transitions are skilfully handled, the central theme remains somewhat diffused. Audiences understand it is his story, but its core focus is not as sharply defined as it could be. Future works might benefit from isolating each thematic thread into separate, more concentrated explorations.

The Boy from Bantay is a thoughtful solo work that stands apart from typical one-person shows. Blending sharp humour, heartfelt storytelling, considered stage direction, and evocative set design, it invites audiences of diverse cultural backgrounds into a deeply personal life journey. By the end, one question remains: Can we steal the beat? As long as he stands here, telling this story, it is not yet over.

★★★1/2

This show is currently performing at Edinburgh Festival Fringe until the 16th August 2025, theSpace @Surgeon's Hall. For more information, please visit: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-boy-from-bantay

Credits

Writer and performer: Jeremy Rafal
Director: Josh Boerman