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Romnick Sarmenta and Elijah Canlas in ‘About Us But Not About Us.’ Facebook/The IdeaFirst Company

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772705881494AUBNAU 1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Romnick Sarmenta and Elijah Canlas in ‘About Us But Not About Us.’ Facebook/The IdeaFirst Company</div>Jun Robles Lana’s &quot;About Us But Not About Us&quot; returns, this time on the stage in a compact and intimate production that offers a slightly different experience from the original 2023 film. Staged at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater only until this weekend, the play immediately places the audience inside the tension of the story. Seating surrounds the stage on three sides, which creates an up-close staging where the audience is almost within the characters’ personal space.At the center of the stage sits a single table, the restaurant where English literature professor Eric (Romnick Sarmenta) meets his former student Lancelot (Elijah Canlas). Like the film, the story unfolds through long conversations between the two men. It is a dialogue-heavy chamber piece, filled with literary references and exchanges that slowly reveal the complicated relationship between teacher and student — professional, personal, and possibly something more.Director Tuxqs Rutaquio makes effective use of the small black box space. The stage floor rotates slowly throughout the performance, subtly heightening the sense of dread and psychological pressure between the characters. The evening show that I saw last week ran for one hour and forty-five minutes without intermission, allowing the tension and mystery to build steadily.Rather than a traditional mystery, the story unfolds as a psychological thriller about manipulation, ambition, trauma, and the need for validation.  All three central characters are gay men whose lives are tied together by the memory of Marcus (Epy Quizon), a celebrated writer often described within the story as a “modern-day Nick Joaquin.” In the film, Marcus only exists in memory. On stage, however, he appears in the flesh.Quizon’s Marcus emerges from behind a sliding mesh wall that separates the stage from the past. Through lighting and sound, the production moves fluidly between present conversations and memories of Marcus. The mesh wall also functions as an entrance for the waiter, whose heavy Tagalog accent provides brief moments of attempted comic relief in an otherwise English-language production.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772705977194AUBNAU 2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Romnick Sarmenta, Elijah Canlas and Epy Quizon in ‘About Us But Not About Us.’ Facebook/The IdeaFirst Company</div>Among the three actors, Quizon delivers the most commanding performance. Without microphones, his voice booms with clarity and force. His portrayal captures the volatile temperament of a brilliant writer struggling with loneliness, reputation, jealousy, and the fear of losing the person he loves. Marcus ultimately becomes the most compelling presence in the play.Sarmenta and Canlas, both strong actors, appear somewhat restrained in the stage version compared with their performances in the film. Cinema allowed the audience to appreciate the subtle shifts of expression and subtext through close-ups. On stage, those nuances are harder to capture. Sarmenta’s delivery occasionally feels overly formal, with a distracting accent reminiscent of a Mid-Atlantic, old Hollywood style, while Canlas brings a slightly conyo tone to his character. Still, both performers effectively convey the shifting power dynamics between professor and student.Visually, the production remains minimalist but atmospheric. Rather than relying heavily on video projections, it uses practical lighting, shadows, and silhouettes to create mood. These elements reinforce the play’s sense of psychological tension and emotional unease.At its core, the story functions as a character study. It explores the fragile egos of artists, the emotional cost of ambition, and the complicated dynamics of long-term relationships. The narrative also touches on the loneliness of writers and their deep need for connection and recognition.The play moves quickly despite its length, with the 105-minute running time passing almost unnoticed as the story unfolds through layered conversations and shifting revelations. While it may not be a groundbreaking theatrical work that lingers long after the curtain falls, it remains an engaging and well-crafted psychological drama.For audiences who loved the original film, the stage adaptation offers a new way to experience the story. Its intimacy, minimalist staging, and strong direction make it a compelling watch, particularly for viewers who enjoy dialogue-driven theater.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772706012596AUBNAU 3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Romnick Sarmenta, Elijah Canlas and Epy Quizon in ‘About Us But Not About Us.’ Facebook/The IdeaFirst Company</div><div>‘About Us But Not About Us’ closes on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theater in Circuit Makati.</div>

Jun Robles Lana’s ‘About Us But Not About Us’ moves from screen to stage in a minimalist black box production that highlights the story’s psychological tension and dialogue-driven drama.

Jun Robles Lana’s ‘About Us But Not About Us’ moves from screen to stage in a minimalist black box production that highlights the story’s psychological tension and dialogue-driven drama.

Theater review: ‘About Us But Not About Us’ finds new tension in intimate stage adaptation

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Theater review: ‘About Us But Not About Us’ finds new tension in intimate stage adaptation

Stephanie Mayo

Published Mar 05, 2026 06:25 PM PHT

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theater review

About Us But Not About Us

Romnick Sarmenta

Jun Robles Lana

Elijah Canlas

Epy Quizon

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