VIRGIN LABFEST XXI: Set B - Kapit Tuko

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HARAM - Cris (Jude Hidumdum) has been going steady with his partner Jan (Rey Correjado) for quite some time now but he can’t admit to him that he is muslim, considering how the latter is still traumatized by the death of his older brother at Mamasapano. Ommi (Joann Yap Co) drives her son Caim (Eshei Mesina) out of Iraq hoping for a safe passage to Lebanon where he could live a relatively safer life as a homosexual. Thania (Phil Noble) puts on a strong face, operating his parlor in Marawi where he has been repetitively harassed by the overtly religious to pack up or face violence.

My interest quickly waned when I found out that religion was going to be the topic of HARAM. Watching the three vignettes has been an emotional rollercoaster, though. Such stories definitely have to be told, no matter how uncomfortable it makes one feel. Because, seriously, there are still places on this planet where you can be persecuted for your sexual orientation. But then again, organized religion has always been about control and a minority that you can collectively hate and oppress. My only disappointment was the expectation that the three storylines would converge, but then again maybe that is too much to ask for in a one-act play.

VIRGIN LABFEST XXI: Set A - Tengang Kawali

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PASSWORD123, PILIPINAS321 - Three “technical support representatives” prepare a cyber attack in their cramped office. Jae (Nicole Manlulu) is in her final days, tendering her resignation after securing a tourist visa for her and her family. Nix (Earvin Estioco) is mostly functional, even though yet to fully recover from a nervous breakdown. Gado (Miguel Delos Santos) is still his usual jokey-jokey persona. Their supervisor Bert (Noel Rayos) walks in and introduces the company owner’s son Andre (Gio Gahol) who will be taking over the operations. High profile client Mr. Garcia (Gie Onida) follows later on, eager to witness their operation.

PASSWORD123, PILIPINAS321 tries to be funny but neither delivery nor punchline lands. It starts to make sense after you realize that it is a narrative about scam call centers and troll farms. Surely, not a laughing matter. It is educational, though, supposing the material is grounded on research and insider interviews. I didn’t like how it tried to humanize the agents who carry out the operations. Such people should be in jail. Even so, the play gives you a good overview on how such scam centers operate as well as their links to high profile politicians and businessmen to whom such morally bankrupt practice comes as naturally as having breakfast or taking a dump.

VIRGIN LABFEST XXI: Set D - Pusong Mamon

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BUHAGHAG - Phoebe’s (Krystle Valentino) life is in disarray, which also manifests via her hairstyle. Now shaggy and unkempt, her hair has also transformed to represent the voices inside her head, led by their gang leader she christens as Lala (Adrienne Vergara). Lala becomes a fixture in Phoebe’s day-to-day life and even suggests some radical changes and methods, which Phoebe tries hard not to succumb to. As she is constantly stressed out by the perpetual barrage of things to do at work, she also can’t find the time to organize her house. As she drowns in anxiety, Phoebe has to make a choice, once and for all.

There is always a weird entry every year. I believe BUHAGHAG is shaping up to be THAT entry this year. It is strange and you really don’t know what you are watching at first, but the general theme uniting all three plays in this set does give you a hint. Mental Health. Using that as an anchor, my interpretation is that the giant humanoid hairballs represent the stress and pent-up emotions that Phoebe has “collected” through years of neglect. Again, the visual is kind of weird but creative. Best Costume, I’d give them that. Moral lesson: taking care of your mental health is not optional; it requires constant care. Luckily, this play ends on a good note.

VIRGIN LABFEST XXI: Set C - Balat Kalabaw

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ELEHIYA - The Narrator (Yan Yuzon) introduces a play about what it means to be a Filipino male. He introduces two fathers and two sons, both with recurring issues affecting their relationship. Ed (John Sanchez) is raised by his father, security guard Mang Gardo (Dennis Marasigan), to base his masculinity on force, giving him some serious childhood trauma concerning violence. Gardo’s boss, Nick (Carlos Siguion-Reyna) finds it hard to relate to his son Kulas (Rafa Siguion-Reyna), the latter thinking that their relationship as father and son will always be damaged because his mother died giving birth to him and believing his dad still blames him for it.

Whether ELEHIYA is autobiographical or not, it just feels so personal, to the point that I felt as though I were intruding in somebody else’s daddy issues. Daddy Issues. Toxic Masculinity. Those could’ve been appropriate titles but I love how they settled for Elegy. After all, we live in an ever changing world that now frowns upon beliefs and practices that were once universally embraced. I also love the closing remarks where the narrator suggests that whoever has daddy issues should just watch this play together with their dad, and that understanding and recognition would come automatically afterward, perhaps better accompanied by a few bottles of beer. Overall, a poignant tribute and a beautiful ode to failed father-and-son relationships.

Mabining Mandirigma (Tanghalang Pilipino)

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Brains have always been the weapon of choice of Apolinario Mabini (Shaira Opsimar), proving from such a young age that his intellect would one day help shape an ideology that will help spark a revolution. That revolution comes in the form of the Philippine resistance in a war against three centuries of Spanish colonial rule. What they probably never expected was the arrival of the Americans at the scene. While acting revolutionary president Emilio Aguinaldo (David Ezra) courts the ilustrados to fund his government and support the country’s fight against foreign invaders, Mabini warns of a congress infested with representatives that only represent the interests of an economic elite. As the tides of war go against them, Mabini is sent to exile on Guam for a few years before returning to a country that now seems comfortable with American rule. Old allies resurface and declare that the revolution still lives on. Will their efforts be enough to grant the country the independence they’ve all been fighting for?

Gregoria Lakambini (Tanghalang Pilipino)

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To say that Gregoria de Jesus (Marynor Madamesila) had been through a lot is an understatement. Her love story with Katipunan’s supremo Andres Bonifacio started at a young age and the lovers had to deal with her parents’ disapproval before tying the knot. However, marriage is not all rainbows and smiles when your husband is fighting a revolution to free the country from its colonizers. It also doesn’t help when your lives are put in constant danger not just because of the foreign invaders you are trying to boot out of the islands, but also rather due to infighting among other groups that also happen to be your countrymen. And yet Gregoria survives, flourishes, and gets to live long enough to witness the country’s independence with her own two eyes. And now she tells her forgotten story through the choreography and beats of Pinoy pop. Because Gregoria Lakambini is Mother.

Pingkian: Isang Musikal (Tanghalang Pilipino)

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Young general Emilio Jacinto (Vic Robinson) is given the nickname Pingkian by his fellow members of the KKK. The term refers to flint or tinder, a type of rock that gives off sparks when rubbed together. The moniker is appropriate considering his role as the brains of the revolution. But battles are not always won. Getting closer to the tailend of their struggle, General Pingkian is shot during an encounter in Majayjay, Laguna. Captured by the authorities, he spends most of his time in captivity engrossed in a fever dream where he meets personalities that hold relevance in his life such as: his mother Josefa (Tex Ordoñez-De Leon); Andres Bonifacio (Paw Castillo); and Dr. Jose Rizal (Kakki Teodoro), among others. He survives execution by pretending to be a KKK member who turned out to be a spy and was executed by them, only for him to die of Malaria a few years later.

VIRGIN LABFEST 20: Set A - Bubot

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ANG BATA KAG ANG ILAGA - Orphan boy Isaac (Rigel Hechanova) is always teased by his playmate Dom (Kizabelle Lopez Aromin) for not having parents. He was left at the orphanage one evening and has lived there ever since. Isaac considers Sister Mercy (Ina Azarcon-Bolivar) and Joana (Aubrey Savet) as his mothers. Life at St. Jerome’s Home for Children is simple and the children make do with what they have. While exploring the basement, Isaac finds a little rat that he wants to take in as his pet, even though he knows that nobody would agree. He spends most of his time at the basement with his new friend, until one day it is nowhere to be found.

And then there is always one entry that is just so unique. The main character of ANG BATA KAG ANG ILAGA is a puppet controlled by three women: two puppeteers and a voice actor. The dialogues are a mix of Hiligaynon and English, and there are no subtitles, which I find fascinating. The pet rat, along with flashback scenes, are depicted via shadow play using an overhead projector, which gave me serious high school nostalgia. Overall, this entry is a work of art and easily stands out. Just don’t expect much from the storyline, though, because the premise is that of childhood innocence and how harsh realities of life are processed by a child by virtue of imagination. The play is far from exciting, but poignant and original nonetheless.

VIRGIN LABFEST 20: Set D - May Asim Pa

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ANNIVERSARY - Lesbian grandma May (Bibeth Orteza) visits the grave of her wife Anne Marie every year, bringing some beer cans along with her. After all, she is in her 70’s, so who’s going to stop her? This year is different as she is scandalized by Rob (Jamie Wilson), the husband of the woman buried next to her wife, pointing a gun to his head as she arrives for her annual visit. What could’ve been a suicide is prevented and the two strangers become once-a-year friends, relishing the memories of their departed loved ones. However, Rob still brings his gun with him year after year. Will the next one be the time he finally shoots himself?

Death is a predominant theme in this year’s Labfest. I thought ANNIVERSARY would be another May-December story, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it is more of a narrative about friendship, the kind you never expect to find. At a cemetery, of all places. This play sticks out like a sore thumb because the dialogues are in English, with just a mild smattering of Taglish here and there. The play is well-acted; the ending, poignant but predictable. The narrative enters philosophical territory but does not delve deep, which is good, because the audience seemed appreciative. Just the right amount of feels and prompt for reflection.

VIRGIN LABFEST 20: Set C - Kinalburo

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MGA MAGINDARA SA SIYUDAD - Maureen (Raf Pineda) and Maylene (Donna Cariaga) are taken in as children by the owner of a traveling circus. The duo form part of a spectacle, both of them portraying mermaids singing in costume as people in search of momentary distractions pay to get entertained. Decades later, Maureen is tired of the life they’ve always known and plans to sneak out to join a singing contest in the city. Maylene does not agree and reiterates what she considers as a privileged existence within the premises, with enough food despite the questionable lodging arrangements. Is it right for one to wish for more by leaving the other behind?

This is one of those dramas masquerading as a comedy. To be fair, MGA MAGINDARA SA SIYUDAD tries to be funny but the punchlines are few. Somehow, this works because it helps shift the focus to the gravity of the duo’s dilemma. I never really found out whether Maureen and Maylene were siblings, but the obvious theme here is that of choosing between pursuing one’s dreams and fulfilling an unwritten obligation toward someone. The ending suggests that abandonment was the choice, Maylene now being a solo act. And then the moral question: Was Maureen wrong to choose to live his life over taking care of Maylene?

VIRGIN LABFEST 20: Set B - Manibalang

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MINATING NI MARIAH ANG MANTO NG MOMMY NI MAMA MARY - Once a scammer, always a scammer? Mariah (Lian Silverio) makes a living by scamming Americans until he repents and decides to adopt some kind of religious devotion by participating at a Lenten exhibit where he designs Mary Magdalene’s costume, with the aid of his fling/boyfriend Mentong (Esteban Mara). Trouble finds them when fellow devotee Monang (Mosang) claims that the costume was stolen from their parish’s own Mama Mary idol. Parish priest Mijares (George de Jesus III) arrives and tries to mediate.

There always seems to be an obligatory slapstick entry among the three entries in a set and this is definitely it for Set B. I don’t usually appreciate slapstick, but what MINATING NI MARIAH ANG MANTO NG MOMMY NI MAMA MARY also manages to do is initiate a discourse about religion. If everyone in a religious denomination is considered equal in the eyes of their god, then why do some of them feel “more worthy” to deem others “less worthy” of practicing their faith, in a way they see fit? It’s a good debate hidden not so deep beneath the kanal humor on the surface.

Kisapmata (Tanghalang Pilipino)

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When aspiring doctor Mila (Toni Go-Yadao) finds out that she is pregnant, she tells her mother Dely (Lhorvie Nuevo-Tadioan) right away, even though she is really hesitant to let her father know. Dadong (Jonathan Tadioan) is a retired police officer who runs his household under strict scrutiny, like Martial Law and house arrest combined. When the cat is out of the bag and Mila introduces Noel (Marco Viaña) to the family, everything seems to be going well. The two get married and agree, upon the insistence of Dadong, that they reside in the same house with them. What seems to be a harmless request turns out to be a power move from the patriarch to exert control on the newlyweds and manipulate the two to do his bidding anytime he wants them to, as long as they are under one roof. As tensions flare and patience runs thin, Mila and Noel hatch a plan for their escape, but will they succeed?

VIRGIN LABFEST 19: Set B - Bingit

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SENTENARYO - Lolo Dencio (Ekis Gimenez) has reached a milestone in life as he celebrates his 100th birthday. His mistress-turned-wife Tonette (Gold Soon) welcomes his eldest grandson Joel (Chunchi Cabasaan) and eldest daughter Carmen (Madeleine Nicolas) for a mini celebration. All of them have a hidden agenda, though, being fully aware of a new law providing a 100,000-peso cash incentive to new centenarians. As they quarrel over who should be getting a bigger share of the money, they almost fail to notice that the old man has seemingly passed away in his sleep, putting the cash they are wildly anticipating in jeopardy.

Slapstick is the best term to describe SENTENARYO, from the sound effects to the physical comedy involved, all that was missing was a laugh track. The interesting thing is how it actually came across as funny watching it live. Perhaps it has something to do with the communal reaction in the theater, although those actors deserve a big kudos for pulling this off which, I believe, was a big gamble considering how this style of comedy has been more or less passé for quite some time now. I enjoyed it, and based on the audience reaction I’m sure they did, too. Let’s see if it makes it to the Revisited set next year.

VIRGIN LABFEST 19: Set A - Dilema

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VENGEANCE OF THE GODS - Ifan (Jel Tarun) is a lawyer on a mission to convince a superstitious old man to testify against the owner of the company he is working for that is guilty for polluting the town’s sources of water. Despite his child being one of the victims and almost succumbing to death, Manong Odie (Jonathan Tadioan) won’t hear any of it because aside from the belief that what happened to his kid was a case of paranormal possession, he also doesn’t want to bite the hands that feed him. What follows is a long discussion of what really happened, seen from both the perspective of science and religion.

The philosophical entry. One of these always ends up at the Virgin Labfest and this is where your ears have to work overtime because the essence of the narrative is all in the dialogue. While overtly religious and superstitious people annoy the heck out of me, somehow I am getting closer to a conclusion that despite the advances in knowledge made available to society as it progresses, there will always be those who will choose to rely on faith as a way of coping with life. Perhaps nothing is wrong with that, until it overlaps with a non-believer’s beliefs that are grounded on law and science. This play had me thinking profoundly. Amen.

VIRGIN LABFEST 19: Set E - Sagad

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DOMINADOR GONZALES: NATIONAL ARTIST - There are rumors that this year’s National Artist Award will be given to Dominador Gonzales (Joel Saracho), who could be the first openly homosexual recipient should all the gossip turn into reality. He is visited by his former student and mentee Oliver (Bong Cabrera), a flamboyantly gay writer who has left his craft to stagnate, trading it off with a BPO job that guarantees fixed monthly income. Hearing about his mentor’s impending award, he intends to use their relationship so he could go back to the limelight. Unfortunately, “Dmon” has other plans.

New to the Virgin Labfest? Always choose Set E. This is a set of three plays that were the best and most popular from the previous year, meaning these are basically reruns. One can easily see how DOMINADOR GONZALES: NATIONAL ARTIST fits the mold. Expect a lot of laughs via self-deprecation and snappy comebacks when you have a gay storyline. This play guarantees that and also manages to tackle ever relevant topics in the LGBTQ community, particularly in the Philippines. A theme discussed that I really appreciate is divorcing the artist and the art which seems like a big issue lately, what with Cancel Culture and the like being ever so rampant nowadays.

VIRGIN LABFEST 19: Set D - Di-Tiyak

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SI HESUS NA’A SA US - Separated husband and wife head to the airport in his taxi to wait for the arrival of her boyfriend that will take her to America. Pregnant, Luna (Sheryll Ceasico) is excited to fly to Illinois not just to be with her boyfriend but also to look for her mother Corazon (Kiki Baento) who abandoned them when she was young. Navigating the traffic along EDSA, Marlon (Roi Calilong) pesters his wife with stories of their past. Some are happy memories while others are tragedies better left forgotten. Will they make it to the airport?

This one didn’t quite connect with me and if I were to rate it separately, I would’ve just given it a mere three stars. Most entries in the labfest are dialogue-heavy. The difference almost always lies in the diverse themes tackled and the backdrop that serves as a distraction. In terms of themes, what this play talks about are normal soap opera storylines that you could watch on TV at home for free. As for the distraction, they do have a skeleton of a taxi on the stage but that’s about it. Some quips were funny and the actors were great but I ended up bored. Maybe there just isn’t much to unpack as far as the plot is concerned.

VIRGIN LABFEST 19: Set C - PuTim

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PAGKAPIT SA HANGIN - Nurse A (Elora Espano), Nurse B (Wenah Nagales), and a Doctor (Timothy Mabalot) are trapped by their profession in a government hospital at the height of the COVID pandemic. Aside from the fatigue and lack of manpower, the trio are hounded by a dilemma which is a shortage of oxygen tanks that they must distribute equally to the 60 patients under their care. Not expecting any outside help, the three decide to select which patients have less chances of surviving, turning off their air supply. A Watcher (Gold Villar Lim), whose father is among those deprived of air, discovers the anomaly.

Most of us had the luxury of getting bored in our homes as our biggest dilemma during the pandemic, while others were not as lucky and ended up at crowded hospitals either as health workers or patients. Many of them died. PAGKAPIT SA HANGIN relives the horror and the drama at hospital halls that we’ve only ever heard about but never got to experience. It is harrowing. While deciding who has a good chance of survival seems like normal everyday occurrence in hospitals, the moral question of such a difficult decision, multiplied many times over during a pandemic, is just so unprecedented. The toll on mental health must have been traumatic.

VIRGIN LABFEST 17: Set B

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LIBERATION – An Old Lady (Neomi Gonzales) in a wheelchair narrates the bittersweet conclusion of World War II in the Pacific Theater as the Americans corner the last remaining Japanese troops south of Manila. Three Japanese soldiers: commanding Daiki (Bong Cabrera); naïve Jiro (Karlo Erfe); and unhinged rapist Haruto (Chrome Cosio) enter an empty house and find a Young Girl (Ericka Peralejo) hiding in a water container. As the three mull over the possibility of not surviving, they reflect on what to do with their last remaining prisoner.

Blood, gore, a prosthetic severed head, and lots of cursing make Liberation hard to watch, aside from the fact that it’s a narrative unflinching in its depiction of the atrocities of war. Perhaps the difference is that we see it mostly from the POV of the three soldiers. Excellent acting from all five actors. If the objective was to remind all of us of the horrors of war, then this play succeeds. I don’t recommend it to those who are easily offended or grossed out by violence, as the trigger warning already states before the start of the show.

VIRGIN LABFEST 17: Set A

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MGA BALO – A writer, Manunulat (Alon Segarra), argues with two of her characters Balo 1 (Pau Benitez) and Balo 2 (Skyzx Labastilla) about how to tell their stories but through her voice. The two have been widowed due to EJK involving their husbands: one from the city’s urban poor; the other in a provincial hunt for insurgents. While the Manunulat is in it for prestige and purpose, the two widows just want their stories told and for their husbands to get the justice they deserve.

Mga Balo is fun from a frustrated writer’s POV because it gives you an interesting glimpse inside a writer’s thought process. How do you craft a story? How do you frame it? Aside from these technicalities, you are also introduced to specific dilemmas unique to the trade such as the chase for recognition and peer validation as well as virtue signaling, to some extent. In the end, a tricky compromise between the writer’s clout and easy accessibility to the public and the preservation of the story owners’ truth remain to be the end goal not always achieved.

VIRGIN LABFEST 17: Set D

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HULING HARAYA NINA ISCHIA AT EMETERIA – Emeteria (Kiki Baento) is busy packing her daughter Ischia’s (Jovy Vieja) luggage as they both prepare for her relocation to Manila to attend university there. The teenager’s last night at her mother’s sari-sari store brings back a lot of memories, many of them not so good from previous horrors she experienced there. Afraid of what will happen to her mother, she begs a higher power to spare her from harm.

Huling Haraya Nina Ischia at Emeteria starts off with boring banter between mother and daughter, slowly opening up and introducing points of conflict from the past that we can only try our best to guess. The supernatural angle which concludes the play is hinted upon several times but only acknowledged close to curtain call. This is perhaps the downside of the Virgin Labfest. The runtime allotted for each play is just too short to develop a story. Hopefully, this play gets picked up for production so we can explore the storyline even more.