Virgin Labfest 12: The Touching Story of Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng mga Tala

One of the plays from Virgin Labfest 11 that were restaged this year is Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng Mga Tala by Eljay Casto Deldoc.

If you missed it last year, it's part of Set E this year and I understand fully why they decided to restage it this year.

It's probably one of the best children's plays I've ever seen that was written for an adult audience. I shed a tear or two in the end as the story is about unrequited love and how as human beings, we look for love in all the wrong places when our true love is just in front of us.

The script is like poetry and there are many Filipino words here that I'm sure you'll be hearing for the first time - it's like a Botany lesson done in Filipino. To put that in context -all those terms are needed to build the kite that Maria Isabella needs.

I won't give too much of the story since I'd rather you take your time and watch it for yourself. It's a must-see and probably one of the most memorable theater memories of my life.

There was even a bit of a props malfunction in the end but the lead actress cleverly ad-libbed making the audience laugh even more!

There is really nothing like live theater - actors have to be on their toes all the time!

Another Day With the Playwrights of CCP's Virgin LabFest

Another strong set of one act plays was presented today in Set C of the Virgin Labfest at the CCP. The material presented in each play was really pretty interesting and fresh and since the venue is so intimate, you feel that you are a bit involved in the whole process.

It's very hard to pick favorites for this batch but the first play Mapagbirong Haplos by Kevin Tabora was the one that touched me emotionally since the central figure was a father. I like the way the back story unfolded with the audience wondering why the daughter was so hostile to the father in the first place. Like all the plays here, it was well-acted and the information given to the audience was enough to sustain their interest towards the end.

The second play, Last Ten Minutes by Joy Icayan was just as interesting considering that the first scene was a sex scene! The play would surely connect to anyone who has drifted through life looking for intimacy - especially now that the Internet has taken casual sex to a whole new level - making it even easier for women to has as many partners as the men. The play was written and directed by women and the other main character is a woman who in the eyes of society, is acting sexually like a man - a very naughty premise.

Ang Goldfish ni Prof. Dimaandal by Eljay Deldoc belongs to the comedy set which I think has drawn audiences to the Virgin Labfest. Every year, there are several plays here which are so riotous and so out and out funny that it's such a joy to watch! This play could be easily transported to a sitcom medium, with enough wacky characters to fill up the TV screen. Like any good comedy, the play exaggerates the absurd things sane and professional people would do when faced with a simple dilemma. The absurdity of it all just builds and builds until everything boils up into a stupendous climax!