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Screen Log 20: BuyBust; Mary Poppins; Blockers; Isle of Dogs; Succession...
"Isle of Dogs."So let me just rank the most recent Erik Matti films in order. Number one, by a mile, is his Iglesia-ni-Cristo parable "Honor Thy Father." Then a far number two is "On the Job," minus...
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PDI Review: 'Ze Papu and Mamu Show' - Juliene Mendoza and Stella...
The Triple Threats concert series is back at the CCP this year (theme: theater couples), and I caught and reviewed the first one--the Inquirer website version of my piece here. The next evening is set...
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PDI Review: 'Desaparesidos' at the Ateneo Areté
I've started listing down my picks for the expected best-of-the-decade list next year. This production at the Ateneo, running until Sept. 2, is more or less a sure bet. The online version of my article...
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PDI Review: 'Gee-gee at Waterina, Ang Musikal' by Artist Playground
A post-run review in today's paper--the website version here.* * * * *'Gee-gee at Waterina, Ang Musikal': Flamboyance with a dark streakIn the 2000 Metro Manila Film Festival, Dolphy...
View ArticlePDI Feature: Red Turnip Theater and 'A Doll's House, Part 2'
I wrote my first advancer feature, on the return of my favorite theater company in Manila (bias!), for the Inquirer--the website version here. "A Doll's House, Part 2" runs Sept. 15-Oct. 7.* *...
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PDI Review: 'M. Butterfly' by Jhett Tolentino and FrontRow Entertainment
Yep, this was bad. The website version of my review here.* * * * *This 'Butterfly' fails to seduceWhen David Henry Hwang's "M. Butterfly" premiered on Broadway in 1988, The New York...
View ArticlePDI Feature: Banaue Miclat-Janssen, incoming DUP Artistic Director
The last of my university theater trilogy is out in today's paper--here! Read the first two installments: Dexter Santos and Glenn Mas' departure from DUP and TA, respectively; and Guelan Luarca's...
View ArticlePDI Review: 'All Out of Love' by Toohey, Harrison and Siegel/Resorts World...
What an endurance "All Out of Love" was. The website version of my review here.* * * * *When ingenious design, splendid singing don't always make for terrific theaterIt's 2018--one more...
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My 2nd Published Short Story
I'm one of 12 authors in "Fantasy: Filipino Fiction for Young Adults," a short-story anthology edited by Dean Francis Alfar and Kenneth Yu. The book comes after "Science Fiction" and "Horror," both...
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Six Poems in Likhaan 12 (!!!)
What a dream! I have six poems in the 12th issue of "Likhaan: The Journal of Contemporary Philippine Literature" by the UP Institute of Creative Writing. As far as literary journals in this country go,...
View ArticlePDI Review: 'Alyas July' by Dulaang Filipino
I caught two shows at the St. Benilde campus this week. This one's the better one. Link to the Inquirer website version of this review here.* * * * *'Alyas July': Writer Deldoc could...
View ArticlePDI Review: 'Larawan ng Pilipino Bilang Artist(a)' by St. Benilde Theater...
I thought "M. Butterfly" was already the year's worst production. Until this unqualified disaster came along. The website version of the shortest review I have written here.* * * * *A...
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PDI Review: 'Manila Notes' by Tanghalang Pilipino
The last show I saw for 2018 turned out to be one of the best. The website version of my review here.* * * * *'Manila Notes': Fitting finale to 2018 theater sceneNothing of magnitude...
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The Best of Manila Theater 2018
So Gibbs left. Gibbs Cadiz, our former theater editor and longtime pillar of Manila theater. Gibbs, who sees everything, as I used to jest (though it was never a jest; he did see everything, or almost...
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PDI Feature: Bobby Garcia and 20 years of Atlantis
So this was my first time doing a live interview. Like talking and eating and recording and stuff. It was fun. The website version of this interview here.* * * * *Bobby Garcia and a...
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PDI Feature: 2019 theater calendar--so far
My last piece for the year is a straight-up news piece of sorts. There's a calendar that accompanies this piece, accessible through the website but more visually appealing, I think, in the print...
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The Year in Film (2018)
What a great year for the movies! No, really, it was a terrific year. I thought I'd come up with the usual top ten plus ten additional titles, but even a top twenty looked like an injustice. Let's get...
View ArticlePDI Review: 'This Is War: Staged Readings' ('A Great War'; 'The Lion in...
This is my second piece in today's Inquirer (it's actually the page headline). The fourth and final reading takes place tomorrow! See the website version of this review here.* * * *...
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PDI Review: 'Silent Sky' by Reine Productions/Repertory Philippines
I have two reviews out today in the Inquirer. This one is about a rerun of a great 2018 show. The website version here.* * * * *'Silent Sky' worth your second glimpseMy blurry photo of...
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PDI Review: 'Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!' by 9 Works Theatrical/Globe Live
Another rerun--in fact, the second of 10 lined up for the year so far. When Rachel Weisz tells Olivia Colman in "The Favourite" that love has limits, she may as well have been talking about APO,...
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