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REVIEW: ‘Dick Talk’ explores what being a man is really all about

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Rhea Manila Santos

<p>By the title alone, you might automatically assume that the stage play <em>Dick Talk</em> involves stories revolving mainly around sex and other issues associated with male genitalia.</p><p>But director Phil Noble is aiming for his audience to learn and discover so much more than just that in the debut production of V-Roll Media Ventures this year.</p><p>The show opens with five men of different ages enjoying a drink together while welcoming the audience by normalizing saying the word “titi” (penis) without malice. With society not usually so open with it comes to discussing male genitalia, <em>Dick Talk </em>shares intimate monologues from five very different male perspectives throughout its two-hour run. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-14" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/Co9mCxuvIIq/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=511&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fent-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A14%2C%22os%22%3A3848809.1999999993%2C%22ls%22%3A2498292%2C%22le%22%3A2498407.1999999993%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="717" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-14" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2023/3/8/jake-cuenca-plays-a-male-escort-in-new-stage-play-1140" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>READ: Jake Cuenca plays a male escort in new stage play</u></strong></a></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-12" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CpXUHOWB0Fl/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=511&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fent-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A12%2C%22os%22%3A3800055.8000000007%2C%22ls%22%3A2498292%2C%22le%22%3A2498407.1999999993%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="844" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-12" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Jake Cuenca headlines the show as a 35-year-old male escort named Peter North Teves. Even though he has built up his name in his industry, he is forever hounded by the shadow of his parents, who are Hardy “Hard Dick” Teves and Poquita Diaz, who are considered legends in local porn in the country.</p><p>Despite his buff physical exterior, Peter grapples with a unexpected challenge that makes him question his masculinity and what it really takes to live like a man.</p><p>After making his theatrical debut in the 2018 The Sandbox Collective play <em>Lungs,</em> Jake continues to show his passion for the stage in this play which has him doing actual push-ups and other exercises while doing his monologue. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-10" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrEXhNsgR4T/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=511&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fent-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A10%2C%22os%22%3A3779583.4000000004%2C%22ls%22%3A2498292%2C%22le%22%3A2498407.1999999993%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="844" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-10" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-8" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrGL59IBrHY/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=511&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fent-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A8%2C%22os%22%3A3757643.4000000004%2C%22ls%22%3A2498292%2C%22le%22%3A2498407.1999999993%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="844" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-8" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>After winning a Best Actor award for <em>Metamorphosis</em> in the Cinema One Originals Digital Film Festival in 2019, Gold Aceron makes his theatrical debut as 16-year-old high school Junjun Salvador who tells the story of how he is dealing with puberty and all the new sensations he is experiencing that goes along with it.</p><p>As the first monologue of the show, Gold starts off with a masturbation scene while watching porn in his room using his father’s old VHS player. His struggle to understand the expectations of his father to “act like a man” and actually learning how to be one are struggles every man can relate to while growing up. </p><div><a href="https://push.abs-cbn.com/2018/8/8/photos/jake-cuenca-stars-in-the-philippine-premiere-of-th-104603?photoId=E531F892-AD13-4D2E-9CDA-E873A2293EA4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong><u>LOOK: Jake Cuenca stars in Philippine premiere of the theater play Lungs</u></strong></a></div><p>In the next monologue, another first-time theater actor Nil Nodalo helps educate on the topic of being a transgender as he plays the role of 30-year-old transgender patient Dayanara May Robles, who is currently in the hospital waiting to undergo bottom and breast removal surgery.</p><p>His character, born a woman but slowly discovers his real gender identity growing up, talks about what the true sign of manliness really means, whether or not you own a penis. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-6" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrK4VrxuxjS/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=511&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fent-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A6%2C%22os%22%3A3668216.5999999996%2C%22ls%22%3A2498292%2C%22le%22%3A2498407.1999999993%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="494" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-6" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Actor Mikoy Morales starts off the next monologue as a 27-year-old nurse who happens to be named Maria Cecilio de Jesus.</p><p>The only male among a brood of five, he shared his frustration at being judged all his life, not only because of his female sounding name, but also because of his beliefs in life, choosing to “make love” instead of “having sex,” and having being strict with hygiene which makes his dick smell like flowers.</p><p>He wonders why women assume he is gay based on society’s standards of what it takes to be a man. And he asks the question, “Is having a penis really the true basis of what makes me a man?”</p><p>Rounding off the monologues is the most senior cast member, veteran film and TV actor Archi Adamos who plays 65-year-old Rodolfo “Doodz” Mortiz.</p><p>Doodz is heard negotiating on the phone for prices of an escort service but he swears he truly loves his wife of four decades. It is eventually revealed that Doodz’s predicament which has led him to considering spending for sex is his erectile dysfunction.</p><p>As the head of his household, he does not want to lose what he feels is the true sign of his manliness. Having played a variety of roles onscreen, Archi visibly has fun with his live performance, giving life to the horny senior citizen he plays.</p><p><em>Dick Talk</em> stars Jake Cuenca, Mikoy Morales, Gold Aceron, Archi Adamos, and Nil Nodalo. Directed by Phil Noble, it runs at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium (RCBC Theater), Makati City until April 23. Tickets available at Ticketworld. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>Jake Cuenca, Gold Aceron, Mikoy Morales, Nil Nodalo, and Archi Adamos headline director Phil Noble’s latest stage production that talks about manlihood and so much more.</p>

Jake Cuenca, Gold Aceron, Mikoy Morales, Nil Nodalo, and Archi Adamos headline director Phil Noble’s latest stage production that talks about manlihood and so much more.