For me, the best theater event in Manila is the annual Virgin Labfest presented by the CCP. Introduced to me just 3 years ago by my friend Em Malinis, I've tried my best to watch it annually but since it coincides with the Wimbledon tournament, finding the right dates can be difficult.
I had to miss the women's semi's last night since I had tickets to yesterday's show. Anyway, it was Serena and Venus once again.
The plays I watched though did not disappoint. As usual, it was the comedy plays that really brought the house down! I swear the writing here is much fresher than what you get from local TV.
The trend though now is still the proliferation of hugot lines and since its usage is ubiquitous, I'm not surprised that it has surfaced even in the serious plays.
I also, always sit in the front row since the venue is very intimate. It's fun to be so near the actors. Today, a stuffed owl fell just a half meter away from my seat. In a plate throwing scene, I felt very relieved when the actor caught the plate being thrown my way.
The plays are written by new playwrights that's why the ideas are quite original but possessing of a certain naivete and simplicity. They are also short enough to sustain your interest since some of the themes are very heavy.
If you are free next week, they have extended the playdates by another week, showing that the demand for seats have certainly increased through the years.
