THE year?s almost over, and the University of the Philippines Diliman is ending its centennial year with a bang. One of the anniversary celebrations of the university included ?Anak ka ng Peyups! Live AIDS Silver: The UP Centennial Edition,? which ran last weekend at the UP Theater.

The show, staged by the College of Mass Communication?s UP Samaskom (Samahan ng Mag-Aaral sa Komunikasyon), was touted as one of the best Live AIDS (Ang Istoryang Dinibelop ng Samaskom) shows since its inception in 1983. The centennial edition featured performances by various Samaskom alumni who included comedians Giselle Sanchez, Ador, Gie Kinis and Tuesday Vargas, theater actor RS Francisco and Stonefree singer Miro Valera. Ned Legaspi directed the show.

As expected, the show relied on satire, spoofs and energetic dance numbers to entertain the audience that was composed mostly of UP students, alumni and faculty members. All the stops were pulled out as alumni and student members alike took to the stage and lampooned politicians, celebrities and other national personalities in the three-hour show.

A factor that endeared audience members to the show was the fact that the performers didn?t pull the same tricks in every show. Live AIDS, which combined the witty repartee of comedy bars and the high-level performances of noontime shows, managed to bring to the stage what the Philippines sorely lacks: smart comedy.

Of course, being written by UP students, the humor also tended to veer towards the left (but without being offensive).

?Live AIDS is a parody of life,? said director Ned Legaspi. ?It humorizes the struggles of everyday living and generates social awareness to the audience. It?s more than a laugh trip.?

E-mail the author at biancaconsunji@yahoo.com.