Intimate plays, with a dash of coffee
So there I was, thinking that one-act plays were alive and well only at the Virgin Labfest (VLF) of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Not quite. There’s Trick Creatives Production (TCP), a tight gathering of young, hardy and dedicated theater artists now celebrating their first anniversary.
TCP’s president and artistic director is Patrick Libao, an alumnus of Vincent Tañada’s Philippine Stagers Foundation. It was where he honed his ability to act, sing and dance, thus becoming a triple threat, in theater parlance—and to write and direct.
The company stages one-act plays regularly at their hangout at Buklod Kapé (the second level is called TCP Space), a cozy coffee shop frequented by young people, many of them theater buffs, at Visayas Avenue in Quezon City.
It is expected that those who will see the shows will first kill time at the café, partaking of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, a beer and pulutan (bar chow) or pastries. Then, before 6 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on the time of the shows, the signal is given and the café denizens troop upstairs, and become an expectant theater audience. If you’re seated in front, you can almost reach out and touch the actors.
There were two plays presented that evening: “Babae Po Ako” by Jordan Ladra, and directed by John San Antonio; and “Bala at Krus,” by Patrick Libao, who also played one of the two leads. Direction is by Mc Win Llanes.
Madcap comedy
“Babae Po Ako” is a madcap comedy which owes much to the LGBTQ+ movement. Its underlying premise is that love should not be confined to one gender and that one’s love life should be colorful (makulay). It is a ménage à trois of sorts. The three characters—Yvonne (Dyn Altiche), Biboy, (Aira Igarta) and Noel (JP Basco)—are not what they seem at first, and suddenly, unexpectedly reveal themselves in laugh-out loud fashion. There is rapport between players and audience.
The set is simplicity itself, although it looks like an anteroom in some casa. We see Yvonne, a garishly dressed woman, I think, hoping and wishing for some man to love her. Macho Biboy appears, wants to make love to Yvonne, then starts sashaying and acting like the queen of Sheba. A second attractive male (Noel) materializes, asks for Yvonne’s hand in marriage but behind her back makes goo-goo eyes at Biboy.
Oh my goodness.
Heavy drama
In stark contrast is “Bala at Krus,” a duel of sorts between a kindhearted nun, Sor Rebecca (Leona Danque) and a tulisan, a bandit, Arman (Libao, the playwright). The set design is striking, with an image of the Blessed Virgin surrounded by glowing candles. On the left are loaves of bread and native baskets.
Arman comes charging into the room, wounded and all bloodied. Sor Rebecca takes pity on him and gives him the bread, which Arman wolfs down hungrily. It is the early 1940s, the beginning of the Japanese Occupation. Bataan has fallen. It is not clear what Arman represents. Is he a Japanese spy, or a guerrilla torn between pro-American forces and pro-Communist Huks? He is angry at the world and takes it out on the nun. He indicates he has suffered, dialogue mingling with gestures and action.
Stung, Sor Rebecca reveals that she too has suffered. She has been abused and raped. This is also done through words and movement, until finally some kind of peace descends upon the two tormented souls.
After the show, video excerpts of Trick Creatives Production’s latest play “Hoy the Musical,” were shown. “We would like to explore new areas and reach out to the communities,” said Libao. And in pursuit of this goal, “Hoy the Musical” will be shown first here and then go on tour. Break a leg, TCP.
Call 09605041985.
