Vlad Bunoan

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VLF XX

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<p>MANILA -- As far as milestones go, Virgin Labfest XX: Hinog is a fitting celebration of two decades of bold, untested, and unapologetically raw storytelling.</p><p>The annual festival of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has become a fixture in the local theater calendar — an anticipated reunion of artists, fans, and creative cliques, all converging in a shared space of mutual admiration and discovery.</p><p>This 20th edition could’ve easily gone the route of an all-star reunion. But instead of stacking the lineup with familiar names, the selection committee made a bold choice: to spotlight emerging voices over seasoned veterans. Of the final 12, more than half are “virgin” playwrights. The most recognizable in this batch is Eljay Casto Deldoc, whose “Minating ni Mariah ang Manto ng Mommy ni Mama Mary” offers a wickedly funny and unflinching critique of the religious hypocrisy woven into our vibrant yet contentious church traditions. Also in the mix is Ryan Machado, who finally delivers his most emotionally resonant VLF piece to date with “Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona” — a layered work that found added depth in Angelica Panganiban’s luminous stage debut.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750752395978509741443_1140551201440007_3612596016922192232_n.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner">Angelica Panganiban and Peewee O&#x27;Hara in &#x27;Don’t Meow for Me, Catriona.&#x27; <em>Photo from the CCP&#x27;s Facebook page</em></span></span></span>But was this gamble worth it? For the most part, yes. Only three plays felt underwhelming, and even then, the issues lay more in the direction than in the writing. That’s a solid showing for a festival of unproven material.</div><p>The remaining nine plays were engaging — some for their themes, others for their execution. Narrowing it down to my top four proved harder than expected. There may be no runaway winner this year, no single piece that commands unanimous praise, but that’s also part of the charm: this lineup offers something for every kind of theatergoer.</p><p>Since VLF is, at its core, a celebration of the playwright, I’ve focused more on the writing itself rather than direction, technical design, or performance. Here are my four personal standouts, in order of impact:</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>1. ‘Unang Araw’ by Ivan Gentolizo</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750752657399506758267_1134213295407131_698461593838649303_n.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Photo from the CCP&#x27;s Facebook page</em></span></span></span>I&#x27;ve been waiting for a play like this since Guelan Luarca’s “Mga Kuneho” (from VLF 8). Ivan Gentolizo’s “Unang Araw” is an electrifying, claustrophobic thriller set mostly inside a getaway car after a hit didn’t go as smoothly as planned. Cinematic in its pacing and tone — think Erik Matti by way of the stage — it benefits from Cholo Ledesma’s taut direction, Io Balanon’s stylized car-skeleton set, Arvy Dimaculangan’s tense soundscape, Loren Rivera’s moody lighting, and a fierce ensemble performance.</div><p>But it’s more than a stylized crime drama. Beneath the machismo is a scathing takedown of the culture of violence that long predated the Duterte-era drug war. It’s visceral, confrontational, and — most of all — indignant.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>2. ‘Polar Coordinates’ by Ade Valenzona</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750752969823508490593_1139161841578943_1879845932827199521_n.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Photo from the CCP&#x27;s Facebook page</em><br/></span></span></span></div><p>What initially felt like relief after two lackluster plays slowly revealed itself to be something special. Ade Valenzona’s cerebral coming-of-age drama uses mathematics as the fulcrum for an adolescent’s emotional crisis. A high school student (played by a promising Jack Denzel) must pass a final exam to graduate, but the academic challenge soon spirals into a deeper exploration of identity, acceptance, and societal expectations</p><p>It’s a risky conceit, but once Valenzona and director Paolo O’Hara lay out the math (aided by effective video graphics), you can’t unsee it — and you can’t help but appreciate how clever and moving the play truly is.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>3. ‘Presidential Suite #2’ by Siege Malvar</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750753272144506731915_1134214238740370_6211754487253389770_n.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em> Photo from the CCP&#x27;s Facebook page</em><br/></span></span></span></strong><strong></strong><em><strong></strong></em></div><p>VLF never lacks for ensemble comedies, but Siege Malvar’s biting political farce stands out this year. A senator collapses during a televised hearing, and his three children must quickly pivot — driven by social media metrics, poll data, and public optics. What follows is a brisk and biting satire of Philippine dynastic politics that echoes sitcom classics like “Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata.”</p><p>With Andoy Ranay leading a superb comic cast, the play expertly walks the line between absurdity and reality. The laughs are plenty, but they come with a sting — because beneath the wit and humor lies a depressingly accurate portrait of how power is inherited, preserved, and manipulated in this country.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>4. ‘The Late Mister Real’ by Rolin Migyuel Obina</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750753455568505575438_3986891651575721_2965486692152558928_n.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner"><em>Photo by Erickson Dela Cruz</em></span></span></span></strong></div><p>Choosing the fourth spot was the toughest. In the end, Rolin Migyuel Obina’s intimate COVID-era marital drama edged out the rest. Two former partners find themselves isolated in adjacent rooms in a quarantine facility — trapped physically, but more importantly, emotionally. </p><p>With sparse staging and restrained direction by Maynard Manansala, the power lies in what’s unsaid: halting conversations, moments of resentment, flickers of tenderness. Roi Calilong and Shé Maala deliver grounded, aching performances that make the pain feel real, not performative. </p>

<p>Virgin Labfest XX celebrates 20 years of raw, risky, and resonant new plays — with this year’s standout pieces offering thrills, satire, and deeply human moments.</p>

Virgin Labfest XX celebrates 20 years of raw, risky, and resonant new plays — with this year’s standout pieces offering thrills, satire, and deeply human moments.

Theater review: 4 must-watch plays from Virgin Labfest 2025

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Theater review: 4 must-watch plays from Virgin Labfest 2025

Vlad Bunoan,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 24, 2025 04:36 PM PHT

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