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Theater review: 4 must-watch plays in Virgin Labfest 13

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Vladimir Bunoan, ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA – Change has come to Virgin Labfest, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ annual theater event for “unpublished, unstaged, untested and untried” plays, which is now on the 13th year.</p><p>The 12 one-act plays in the 2017 edition of Virgin Labfest are now being staged at the much bigger Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater). Meanwhile its former venue, Tanghalang Huseng Batute, is reserved for the “revisited” set -- featuring three plays from <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/life/07/06/16/review-4-must-watch-plays-in-virgin-labfest-12" target="_blank">last year’s festival</a> -- which now has a full run of 12 shows over three weekends.</p><p>The 12 plays were selected from 192 entries, according to festival director Tuxqs Rutaquio, who also co-directed Eljay Castro Deldoc’s &quot;Pilipinas Kong Mahal With All the Overcoat&quot; with Roobak Valle.</p><p>Deldoc’s play about two friends who write historical fiction for fun but are now publishing “fake news” on their website for clients is among several entries this year whose subjects echo today’s political headlines. Joshua Lim So’s “Boses ng Masa” revolves around an election campaign, while Adrian Ho’s “Sincerity Bikers’ Club” tackles the government’s war on drugs. Even the comedy “Hindi Ako Si Darna” by U.Z. Eliserio and Maynard Manansala, which imagines the Pinay superhero as a much older woman, has riding-in-tandem hitmen as the villains.</p><p>This year’s festival also features several high-profile performances led by Tetchie Agbayani as the aging Darna opposite John Lapus as her rival Valentina; singer-actress Celeste Legaspi in Layeta Bucoy’s mother-daughter play “Si Dolly Dalisay at ang mga Ladybugs”; and Cris Villongco and Bernardo Bernardo in Carlo Vergara’s historical fantasy “Dear &amp; Unhappy.”</p><p>Here are four plays in this year’s Virgin Labfest, which I personally liked (in order):</p><div><strong>“Sincerity Bikers’ Club”</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/life/07/06/theater-review-2017-070617.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">A scene from “Sincerity Bikers’ Club.”<cite>Photo from the Facebook page of Virgin Labfest</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Among the plays this year that deal with current events, it is this ensemble drama by Adrian Ho that truly captures the divisions and growing sense of paranoia among Filipinos. Even better, it achieves this without resorting to the usual partisan politicking.</p><p>The play opens with the five original members of titular club taking a rest stop. They also welcome a newcomer, Louella, a young widow who had just moved to their provincial barangay from Manila after her husband died. The light banter takes a serious turn when one of the members reveals that Louella’s husband was a pusher who was killed as part of the government’s war on drugs, as she warned the members that their lives are at risk because of her association with them. </p><p>Ho’s sober approach in tackling this dilemma humanizes the situation and makes it even more compelling and ultimately moving with Louella’s touching monologue at the end. Director Jenny Jamora keeps the drama in check and comebacking actor Soliman Cruz supplies it with a touching voice of reason that’s comforting in these troubled times. </p><div><strong>“Boses ng Masa”</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/life/07/06/vlf-2.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">A scene from “Boses ng Masa.” <cite>Photo from the Facebook page of Virgin Labfest</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Joshua Lim So’s election drama may be set in 2004 but it remains relevant, perhaps even more so, in this age of social media and “hokage” pastors. The two-character play (the other actors appear only on video) is about Chris and Hector, two staff members working on the campaign of a senatorial candidate who is lagging behind his rival. But when they discover a sex video showing their rival’s son raping a woman, Chris and Hector suddenly find themselves at moral odds with each other.</p><p>Directed by Guelan Luarca and starring Renan Bustamante and Jerome Dawis, “Boses ng Masa” is a riveting and taut political play that forces the audience to ponder on the dilemmas So poses. The use of multiple screens throughout the performance space was both functional and symbolic and the ending was rightfully disturbing, forcing the audience to dig deep into their soul and question their own sense of what’s right and wrong. </p><div><strong>“Ang Bata sa Bus Stop”</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/life/07/06/vlf-3.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">A scene from “Ang Bata sa Bus Stop.” <cite>Photo from the Facebook page of Virgin Labfest</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>This two-character play by Sari Saysay is the simplest and the most quiet of these year’s entries. A man waiting for a bus at a station is joined by an inquisitive young boy. It turns out that the man had just left the priesthood, and the boy has many questions about this decision as they discuss their dreams in life.</p><p>Topper Fabregas once again shows his light-handed directorial touch, giving this play a very natural feel, anchored by the charming performances of Jojo Cayabyab and Omar Uddin. “Ang Bata sa Bus Stop” is affecting without being overly dramatic, wistful and ultimately inspiring. </p><div><strong>“Ang Mga Puyong”</strong></div><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/life/07/06/vlf-4.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">A scene from “Ang Mga Puyong.” <cite>Photo from the Facebook page of Virgin Labfest</cite></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>Ryan Machado’s two-character drama is reminiscent of 2015’s “Kublihan,” which was also about two boys, and last year’s “Ang Bata sa Drum” but with a much darker tone. Set in a rice field in Romblon, two young boys are scheduled for circumcision that afternoon. At first, their conversation centers predictably on their mixed feelings of fear and excitement about this rite of passage. However, their discussion takes a more serious turn and their secrets are revealed, opening up old wounds that refuse to heal.</p><p>The play could benefit from further editing but what really drives “Ang Mga Puyong” are the realistic performances of the two young actors Ahmed Maulana and Reynald Santos, delicately directed by Ricardo Magno. </p><p>Virgin Labfest has performances from Wednesday to Sunday until July 16 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.</p>

<p>Change has come to Virgin Labfest, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ annual theater event for “unpublished, unstaged, untested and untried” plays, which is now on the 13th year.</p>

Change has come to Virgin Labfest, the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ annual theater event for “unpublished, unstaged, untested and untried” plays, which is now on the 13th year.

Theater review: 4 must-watch plays in Virgin Labfest 13

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Theater review: 4 must-watch plays in Virgin Labfest 13

Vladimir Bunoan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 06, 2017 11:17 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 06, 2017 11:18 PM PHT

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