The Virgin Labfest 7 Experience Part 1

For the past couple of years, I’ve been wondering what it was about the Virgin Labfest that made people line up outside the Tanghalang Huseng Batute (CCP Studio Theater) to see it. Last year, some friends have actually tried to convince me to go and check this festival for short, one act plays so that I could see what the fuss is all about. But since this event was also part of the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Brave New Works season, there was usually another event happening simultaneously and I happened to choose to watch that other event instead of the VLF. I guess that what I’ve been trying to say is that in regards to the VLF, I am still a virgin. But I’ve been curious as to what this was all about and indeed have wondered when I will have my first taste.

Thankfully, I finally had my first taste this year which is the seventh staging of the Virgin Labfest. And not only did I have just a small taste, but I devoured and had my fill of almost everything that they had to offer since I managed to see all of the plays. And add to that the lunch that I had with some of the playwrights a couple of weeks before the start of the festival and I also was present at the after party that happened right after the last show. The only things that I’ve missed were the staged readings, the book launchings and the earlier on site performances. But for a virgin like me, it was indeed a very good first time experience.

I wasn’t able to catch the earlier dates of the festival and instead, I decided to see my first ever play/set during its second week and on my actual birthday. So I did find it quite amusing that the first play of the second set featured a character who was also celebrating his birthday. And since this was my first, the set and the plays included in it set the tone and the standard for the rest of the Virgin Labfest for me.

The VLF 7 after party

Set D

The Valley Mission Care

by Russell Legaspi

The premise of the play is that Florencio Manatili (Siegfried Sepulveda), a resident of the nursing home Valley Mission Care in California, wants to go out and fulfill a promise on the night of his birthday. Also one of the reasons why he wants to get out of the nursing home is the Doctor (Richard Cunanan) who, despite his good intentions, extreme politeness and enthusiasm, comes across as extremely annoying. Florencio, finds an ally in Filipina nurse Ashlyn (Mayen Estañero) and he forces her to join him in his schemes. For me, it was Ashlyn who stood out in the play. As I’ve said, the Doctor came out as an annoying character, which made me understand why Florencio hated the nursing home. Ashlyn’s roughness, her endearing provincial accent and her naïveté was a nice contrast to the Doctor’s extremely polished American twang whenever he delivers the Valley Mission Care’s scripted lines like an annoying salesperson. The plot near the end got a bit predictable and I saw the ending even before they got into it. But the character development and the relationship that was formed between Florencio and Ashlyn as the play progressed were high points for me.

Mga Lobo Tulad ng Buwan

by Pat Valera

Now, this one was difficult for me to get into. I’m not really used to this kind of play and I don’t think that I’ve seen something like this before. The play focuses on three women, the mother Lourdes Conchas (Mary Jane Alejo), the pregnant wife Enriquita Villacarlos (Katte Sabatte) and the daughter Kristina Fontanilla (Chic san Agustin) grieving over the loss of their loved ones that were lost during the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars. They tell stories about their loved ones, having brief moments of happiness until this was shattered by the reality of the tragedy and the finality of death. Conflict arose when the mother decides to move on with her life and take care of her other children who were still alive. The play spoke of metaphors with the title as a prime example, but I confess that I found it hard to see what those metaphors are. I wasn’t even sure if the two leads actually went into the sea and drowned themselves or if this was yet another metaphor. And I wasn’t able to connect much with the grieving women since I haven’t experienced a similar loss. This play was beyond my grasp and I believe that I have to educate myself further with the various forms of theater in order for me to appreciate this kind of play.

Bawal Tumawid, Nakamamatay

by Joey Paras

This play definitely has mass appeal. It is a comedy about Eva (Kiki Baento) who tries to cross a busy EDSA street. Her journey to get into her father’s funeral is delayed by hesitation brought about by the warning sign Bawal Tumawid Nakamamatay, the rainy weather and the lack of taxi cabs. And all of these force her to have a conversation with Mang Caloy (Leo Rialp) who is awaiting someone on the same busy EDSA street. The play did provide the laughs especially when some cast members who were relegated to the background butt in with their totally unrelated lines that somehow fit in and actually provided the punch line to the conversation of the leads. I felt that the play ran out of gas especially when things were starting to get serious. And in order to jolt people out of the possible tear jerker, the play had to resort to a happy ending with some shock value added. I’m glad that the set ended up with a comedy like this since the previous two sets were a bit depressing to watch back to back with tragic endings. The other cast members of this play were Gimay Galvan, Mark Jones Simbit, Vera Capiral, Jovanni Cadag, Rodel Bar Sumooc, Floiderell Zulueta, Chritine Joy Mangahis, Ramil Pauig and Biboy Ramirez.

Scenes from the VLF 7 after party

Set D finally got me devirginized to the Virgin Labfest but I wasn’t completely satisfied. Now that I’ve had my first taste, it’s time for me to taste more and watch the other plays.

Ian Lomongo during the VLF 7 after party

The Virgin Labfest 7 Experience Part 2
The Virgin Labfest 7 Experience Day 3