I’ve heard stories of people lining up to get tickets for the weekend performances at the Virgin Labfest but only end up getting disappointed. I initially hoped that I wouldn’t be one of them but Day 4 proved to be my unlucky day. I arrived early at the Cultural Center of the Philippines to secure my entry to Set C which happened to be one of the most highly anticipated sets. I, along with the people who formed the line at the box office, was no longer accommodated since the theater was already filled to capacity. There was nothing else left for me to do but go back to the Noli Me Tangere rehearsals and wait until it was time for me to head over to the MSO concert later that evening. Fortunately, I was able to secure my tickets for the last two shows (Sets A and C) happening on the following day. So despite not seeing any plays on Day 4, I was able to breathe comfortably since I knew that I’d be back for Day 5 with my entry to the two sets guaranteed.
Set A
Requiem
by Juan Ekis
This felt a little flat for me. The characters Alvin (Joel Parcon) and Mina (Frankie Pascua) weren’t as engaging as the previous plays that I’ve seen. Despite the best efforts of the actors, I wasn’t as moved as I thought I would be. Personally, I’m hard to convince whenever there’s a movie about a filmmaker or a song about a songwriter and they had to be really exceptional for me to make it work. And this play featured a character who was a playwright so it really had to deliver in order for it to get over my bias. The play centers on a brother and his adoptive sister seeing each other again when they go back to their home to visit their dying father. And in the course of their conversation, the true feelings between the siblings, and the secret relationship between the father and the adoptive daughter were revealed. I thought that having these two revelations in such an intimate play was a bit too much. As much as I want to like this play, it felt short for me and it also suffered because the two other plays following it were very well done.
Kinaumagahan
by Rachelle Rodriguez and Wennielyn Fajilan
Now, this play was both contemporary and smartly done so it was no wonder that this play was warmly received. Liz (Via Antonio) and Red (Noel Escondo) are a couple who meet only early in the morning while she is preparing to work as a nurse while he, a call center agent, is preparing to go to sleep. The conversation which touches relationship issues pertaining to work, studies, families and their physical need for each other was nicely handled in this play. The two actors were superb and I heard a lot of people asking if they were indeed a couple in real life (they aren’t). Most of the issues weren’t groundbreaking, in fact they were all too familiar, but watching the conversation unfold and ultimately end didn’t feel like watching a rerun of a news broadcast. This play really engaged the audience which the first play wasn’t able to accomplish.
Kafatiran
by Dingdong Novenario
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| RAd with the Kafatiran cast and crew |
With the level of energy and enthusiasm of the audience raised by the previous play, the stage was set for Kafatiran which has one of the most interesting premises for this year’s Virgin Labfest. The existence and role of homosexuals during the time of the Philippine revolution especially at the Katipunan is something that I’ve never thought of during my history lessons. And if one expects a serious treatment of this matter in this play, then he is mistaken. The story is about three members of a secret faction of the Katipunan namely Francisco “Ka-Kiko” Martinez (Acey Aguilar), Icasiano “Ka-Siano” Lirio (Ian Lomongo) and Roberto “Ka-Obet” Bauzon (Marco Viaña) testing a new recruit Antonino “Tonio” Corpus (Abner Delina) to see if he belongs with them. The recruitment process is littered with modern gay culture references like a YouTube video that went viral for example. And to see it in the midst of a brewing revolution during the time of the Spanish occupation proved to be absolutely hilarious. I felt that the manifesto getting altered with the inclusion of gay lingo was too predictable and would eventually fall flat as the play neared its end. But the serious delivery of this altered manifesto by the characters who were seemingly oblivious to the fact that this gay lingo in modern times is considered humorous, definitely became the climax of the play.
Set C
Streetlight Manifesto
by Mixkaela Villalon
A play with a corrupt police officer, a journalist lured into the dark side and a couple of killers for hire sounds like a page out of an issue of Gotham Central, a comicbook about the detectives in Gotham City were Batman lives and fights crime. And indeed the tone of the play with its dark humor and seedy characters were inspired by this comicbook which happened to be one of my all time favorite titles. The geek in me felt giddy when I got the references while I was watching and thinking that I’ve had an edge compared to the rest of the audience. I don’t know if I’d be able to appreciate this play if I didn’t become aware of the comicbook inspiration. But it felt for me like I was watching my favorite comicbook come to life. As I’ve said before, the play is about a police officer named Alejandro (Paolo O’ Hara) and a journalist named Trina (Ness Roque) trying to find out the truth behind the bodies left behind underneath a streetlight. And their quest to find the truth leads both of their fates to the hands of the hired killers Gillian (Adrienne Vergara) and Samael (Bong Cabrera) who were actually responsible for the dead bodies in the first place. This is indeed a wicked tale on how the quest for truth and ultimately justice is derailed and the line between the upholders and the breakers of the law becomes blurred as the two eventually crossover. And sadly in the play, only the streetlight knew the truth but it too was shut off in the end.
Kawala
by Rae Red
After a twisted play full of deranged characters, this play is a nice follow up with its simple yet charming premise of a young elevator boy named Alwin (Cris Pasturan) patiently awaiting the time when he could finally leave his dead end job. While going through his seemingly boring job, he gets to enter into the lives of the numerous tenants as they ride inside the small space of the elevator for a short amount of time. The concept of having all the main action happening inside an elevator may seem to be a limitation at first glance, but they managed to pull it off brilliantly. Add to that the quirky characters residing in the condo like Mr. Valdez (Jerry O’ Hara) and Mrs. Valdez (Peewee O’ Hara) and the spoiler of the couple’s marriage, Nadia (Tess Jamias), Angel (Regina De Vera), and Dante Del Rosario (Marco Viaña). But for a lot of people in the audience, it was the actor Jelson Bay who portrayed multiple roles who stood out. Alwin may seem to have found a way out of his uninspiring job, but he feels so attached to the residents of the condominium who constantly use the elevator that he eventually finds it hard to leave. The plot in itself is simple and not epic at all but the superb execution of all the technical elements falling into place coupled with the superb acting especially of Cris Pasturan, who is a natural, made this one of the hits of the labfest.
Evening at the Opera
by Floy Quintos
At first, when I was told that this play would have dialogue in English, I did worry a bit since it may not work. But Floy Quintos crafted a brilliant play wherein the manner in which English was used even defined the characters. Now that was absolutely exquisite. The play is about Miranda (Anna Abad Santos), the governor’s wife who is staging a full length opera as her birthday gift to her impoverished province. This opera doesn’t sit well with her husband Governor Bingo Beloto (Jonathan Tadioan) who believes that the money spent in this endeavor is better served to projects with more mass appeal. And added pressure is brought upon to Miranda by the haunting presence of her deceased mother Mamang (Frances Makil Ignacio). The play was set inside a bedroom as the couple prepare for the opening of the opera. As she puts on her makeup and fixes her hair, and as he dresses up formal clothes he can't stand to wear, the conversation between the couple ranges from his affairs, her allegations of corruption against her husband and his refuting of his wife’s misguided aspirations for the province. And while this was all happening, Mamang lingered on although she could do nothing but accept what has happened to her daughter despite her best intentions. Tempers flared, egos were trampled on and dreams were proven futile but the couple still went to the opening, dressed to the nines with smiles for their constituents as if the opera would indeed herald the prosperity of their province. It was such an exquisite play and I really appreciated it knowing how close I was to not seeing it had I not secured my ticket for this last show.
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| Food at the after party were more than just Skyflakes |
I can’t help but smile when I think that the first ever play that I saw had the main character celebrating his birthday. The last play that I saw also happened to have the main character celebrating her birthday as well. And my birthday also fell on the duration of the Virgin Labfest. No wonder I felt good during the five straight days that I went to the CCP despite the heavy rain and some mishaps. And as an added bonus, I was also able to be at the cast party afterwards wherein I saw some of the cast and crew act all crazy and then get drunk. I know that missed some events related to the labfest like the lunch with the other playwrights, the staged readings, the earlier Fragments and the book launches but as a first timer, what I was able to experience was truly amazing and I sincerely hope to be back next year for the Virgin Labfest 8.
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| VLF Actors Abner Delina and Olive Nieto |
Hi! We do hope to see you again next year for VLF8! :)
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