Spike: Review of JONAH: Vexing Visitations

September 5, 2026

Ana (Chelsea Nikole Apolto) studied in a boarding school on a scholarship. One night, while she was trying to sneak in a bag of gummy worms, there was a boy her age who followed her around. He introduced himself as Jonah (Riel Celi) and confessed that he liked her. With his repeated visits to her room, they soon became good friends. Their conversations dealt with regular kid stuff at first, until later they would also talk about more intimate topics. 

From this cute and innocent beginning, we will eventually see Ana also interacting with two other boys in her room, ostensibly from different periods of her life. One was Danny (Johnny B. Maglinao), her step-brother who sought Ana's relaxing head massage when he suffered injuries inflicted by his abusive father. The other guy was Steven (Edward Solon), a big fan of a book written by Ana and who wanted to pick her mind about how she wrote it.

Playwright Rachel Bonds had come up with a complex trigger-filled memory play about a young woman's coming-of-age by way of three boys/men who had visited her rooms.  Bonds segued from a scene with one boy to a scene with another boy seamlessly with nary an explanation and just let her audience form our own interpretations as to when each boy was in which part of Ana's life. Bonds did clear Ana's whole story out before the play ended, very satisfying.  

Edward Solon and Johnny Maglinao 

Director Edith Garcia should be commended for being able to motivate her cast of young actors for coming up with very raw, honest portrayals of their challenging roles. They were all fascinating to watch as we get to know their characters better, especially since this is the first time I am seeing any of them onstage. They were all perfectly cast, very confident in their performances and rapid-fire delivery of their long intricate lines in unaffected English.

With his curly hair and boy-next-door looks, Riel Celi was a delightful Jonah who had this easy rapport with Ana as her first love. The parts with Danny were most intense, uncomfortable and even scary to watch, and Danny Maglinao was remarkably convincing in his dark obsession. At first, you'd think Edward Solon's Steven was comic relief, but it was due to his palpable sincerity that Ana opened up and shared her most personal insights.  

The bravest actor on that stage was no other than Chelsea Nikole Aploto as she literally bared body and soul in her heart-wrenching performance as Ana. As harrowing as her story was, it was only Ana who had a complete character arc, and Aploto was impressively consistent believable as a girl whose resilience tided her over even as she was weighed down by emotional trauma that had pervaded her teenage years to her adulthood.  

Riel Geli and Chelsea Nikole Apolto 

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Spike Theatre's maiden production "Jonah" runs at the Dance Royalties Studio, Pavilion Mall, Mandaluyong from August 29 to September 6, with shows at 3 PM and 7 PM. Tickets prices range from P1500 (Patron) to P1000 (Regular). The show runs for one hour and 35 minutes, with no intermission. The sensitive nature of the play makes it appropriate only for viewers from 16 years old and above. 

Director Edith Garcia's creative team includes Satya Edilo for lighting design, Malaya Tolibas for sound design, and Dylan Lopez for production. Owing to a number of scenes of a sexual nature, a key role is played by Intimacy Director Regina de Vera. 

Mad Child: Review of MGA BINAGO NG ARAW: Tales of Teenage Trials

 August 22, 2026

The Intergalactic Space Balanghais was a rock band composed of 14 year-old high school students. Joms (Zoe de Ocampo) was on lead guitar, Ferdie (Rafael Jimenez) on drums, Rage (Vin Mabalot) on bass, and his girlfriend Jill (Maliana Beran) on lead vocals.  New to their gang was Nia (Jam Binay), Jom's new girlfriend. It was the summer of 2005, so  they hung out a lot at the Beach -- the pool with artificial sand at the house of Lobregats, Ferdie's family.

One day, the kids were playing football, when Nia tripped and twisted her ankle. Joms was massaged her foot with his naturally warm hands to make her feel better. They wound up in the music room of Joms' late father, where he kept his collection of LP albums. When Joms learned that George Harrison was Nia's favorite Beatle, he began to play the record of his solo hit song "My Sweet Lord." They started to dance, and, as they say, one thing led to another.

This coming-of-age play was written by Guelan Varela Luarca, so we know we can expect intense dialogue of rich emotional depth. But since they were supposed to be 14 years old, their worldviews can be quite childish and nonsensical, like how the sun was the most dangerous invention of God. However, the way Luarca wrote them, they had a precocious brand of wisdom that can only come from the mouth of babes. 

Music was a major part of this play. The band performed one full original song number live. Ferdie composed and growled a very angry song he called "Nero" out of frustration with his family.  Aside from the George Harrison, I recognized "Semi-Charmed Life" (Third Eye Blind) and "Stand by Me" (Oasis), although they were not hits from the aughts. Joms' half sister Trisha (Francesca dela Cruz) delivers a heartfelt "Chiquitita" (ABBA) to start Act 2. 

With an angelic face reminiscent of Julie Vega's Anna Liza, Jam Binay's portrayal of level-headed Nia was very natural as the play essentially tracked her teenage memories.  Zoe de Ocampo's diminutive height made his Joms convincingly kid-like, especially with his wide range of facial expressions. Maliana Beran imbued Jill with a relatively mature point of view. It may need more suspension of disbelief to see hefty Vin Mabalot or Rafael Jimenez as kids at first, but later, they do settle in as alpha kid Rage and spoiled rich kid Ferdie respectively. 

This play did not pull any punches, opening right off with a scene about sexual awakening. This was a very tense topic since the characters involved were only 14 years old. It will be replayed in its entirety later, this time with proper context of how the situation came about, like how haunting memories are often relived. The first watch of this play will be more about the feels. You will probably need a second watch to savor all the pithy lines Luarca had to say. 

This was the first full play directed by Monty Uy. With some pretty sensitive scenes to execute, he had some pretty nifty ideas that involve pantomime and dance movements. A highlight of staging was the swimming scene with all five kids at the Beach, with those lighting effects to represent water. Another well-devised scene was that Act One climax where the three boys wore goggles and banded together to "destroy" the sun's core (whatever meaning you give it).

The young cast at their curtain call

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"Mga Binago ng Araw" runs for 2 weekends, from August 14 to 23, 2026 at the Old Communications Building in the Ateneo de Manila University campus in Quezon City. Ticket prices at P1,800 each. 

YPC Stage: Review of MAPANAKIT: Hurting Heartbeats

July 25, 2026

YPC Stage is a new theater company, so it stands to reason that we talk about them first. This company was founded in the city of Binan, Laguna, an offshoot of their Binan Youth Performance Council (YPC) Inc. They have been producing plays with local talent for the past 20 years, so now they feel they are ready to bring Binan talent beyond their city limits into Metro Manila, and allow them opportunity to work with professional actors. YPC Stage was borne with these noble aims, and "Mapanakit" is YPC's very first show.

The three one-act-plays in "Mapanakit" were written by prolific playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc. These were the same three plays they staged last December 2025 during their annual Telon event. Director BJ Borja, being an alumnus of Dulaang UP, thought it would be good to stage these plays in UP Diliman as the inaugural presentation of YPC Stage. The Binan cast and crew were already familiar with Borja's staging of the plays, but this time some choice roles were offered to professional actors, affording platform for sharing talents and trust. 

Each one act play was roughly one hour long each, presented one after another, with a 15 minute intermission in between, like a set in the Virgin Labfest.  The three one-act plays of "Mapanakit: Mga Dulang Bittersweet ni Eljay Castro Deldoc" were stories that dealt about romantic love, but all of these relationships were unduly challenged by difficult circumstances and prickly issues of morality. Here are my thoughts about each of them: 

1. ANG LIKNAYAN NG ATING MGA KATAWAN

Hershey Mae (Jury Sanchez) was a brilliant high school student. For her final research paper, she reported about a topic so controversial that it resulted in the major issues affecting three of her classmates and their significant others. One day, she went to the chemistry lab to confront their teacher Mr. Banakon (Ross Pesigan) why he decided that her paper was dangerous and was not based on scientific evidence. Hershey stood her ground that her methodology was sound, and her conclusions about the physics between two bodies were valid. 

I just learned that "Liknayan" is the formal Filipino word for "Physics." This two-hander was not that easy to get into at first.  Ross Pesigan and Jury Sanchez were spouting scientific jargon with so much confidence in their rapid-fire arguments, you'd be second-guessing yourself if any of this mumbo-jumbo actually made any sense or not, until it became obvious what this "physics between bodies" was all about. Nevertheless, science majors will enjoy all those name-drops, from Kepler to Newton to Darwin, their laws and theories. 

2. ILIHAN AT KALINGAW

As the historian of the Buringkantada tribe, Ilihan (Gab Pangilinan) was only allowed to write about the stories that her Elders assign her to record for posterity. However, during moments of inspiration, she would write love poems dedicated to her love, the warrior Kalingan (Euden Moje), carving them onto the trunks of bamboo in the forest. When he learned that the elders are coming to arrest her, Kalingan went to help her evade punishment. However, Ilihan remained steadfast on her belief that their love story was part of their tribe's history. 

This for me was the best one-act play in this set. Deldoc's language here was poetic, mostly Tagalog, with some lines were in another local tongue. The story was intricate, with elements of mythological beings and strict traditions. The graceful ending was an elegant full circle moment that clarified the beginning. The bamboo forest set and the local woven costumes evoked an air of rustic mystery. Gab Pangilinan's Ilihan was a potent symbol of fortitude on matters of freedom of expression, as Euden Moje held his own as her submissive consort.

3. GANITO ANG PINANGARAP KONG KASAL

France (Phi Palmos) and Kris (Loudette Barias) had been best of friends since childhood. Kris had a crush on one of France's classmates in math named Emmanuel "Noel" (Kokoy de Santos). However, Noel turned out to have a crush on France, and soon became his boyfriend. Despite the awkwardness, France and Kris still hung out together with Noel as good friends for several years, even beyond college.  Everything was going well until one night, a distraught France called up a radio advice show to consult about a big problem.

Judging from the rousing laughter from the viewers, this play was easily the clear audience favorite. Phi Palmos owned the show, with his witty hilarious banter with Loudette Barias, and cute, coy and flirty interactions with De Santos. The transitional shift of the play's mood from riotous comedy to serious drama was also squarely balanced on Palmos's shoulders and he certainly delivered the goods. The scenes where France was defining the alternate meanings of wedding symbols was the best-written and best-executed sequence in this play. 

Congratulations to director BJ Borja for conceptualizing YPC Stage and successfully transporting your maiden show all the way from Binan to UP Diliman. Kudos to his production crew led by John Carlo Pagunaling (Production Design), Gabo Tolentino (Lighting Design), Arkel Mendoza (Sound Design). The rest of the acting ensemble, proudly Binan natives all, include: Sheena Gonzales, Joy Angeline Orzo, Rus Dale, Rozel Ancheta, Danica Samson, Jenver Mallete, Rinoa Lockhart and Jamir Alzate. 

In Play #2, the guest role of lead Elder Pay Dalumat was played by veteran stage performer Nazer Salcedo, who made a strong impact. This role will be played by a different guest artist in future shows, including Ge VIllamil, Bayang Barrios, Baha Vergara, Adrienne Vergara, and Katte Sabate. In Play #3, the guest role of radio DJ Papa Jack was played by YPC member Jenver Mallete with his full deep modulated voice. Those in line to play the DJ in following shows are Charm Aranton, Arkel Mendoza, Gabo Tolentino, Jules dela Paz, and Carlo Cannu. 

The director and the actors after the show.

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MAPANAKIT runs from July 25 to August 9, 2026 at the IBG-KAL Theater, UP Diliman, Quezon City, with shows at 2pm and 7pm. There will be a Gala Show on August 7, at & pm. Tickets at P1,500 each from Ticket2Me at this LINK. 

9 Works: Review of ON YOUR FEET!: Epiphany of the Estefans

July 19, 2026

Since Gloria Fajardo was a young child (Althea Ruedas), she lived in the Little Havana district of Miami with her grandmother Consuelo (Pinky Marquez), her mother Gloria (Ayen Laurel) and her sister Rebecca (Anyah de Guzman). She was well-known in their neighborhood for being a good singer and her loving grandmother liked to show it off. However, her strict mother did not encourage her musical talent, believing it was just playing around. 

When Gloria was in her late teens (Molly Langley), her grandmother introduced her to a young man named Emilio Estefan (Jason Canela), who was a member of a local band called Miami Latin Boys. He invited Gloria to sing with them at a club gig one night, and she wowed everyone with a song she wrote herself. Since then, Gloria and Emilio were inseparable partners in their musical pursuits, which soon also turned romantic. 

Act 1 began with child Gloria recording a song for her father Jose (Vien King), who was then a soldier stationed in Vietnam, and singing for the neighboring washerwomen. There was also a flashback to Havana 1958 to reveal why her mother was against her dream to be a singer. We hear hits "Anything for You," "1-2-3," and "Here We Are" in this first act, which ended when their infectious song "Conga" finally launched their career into the big time. 

Act 2 began with lively numbers that Gloria sung in her international concerts. However, it was the darker moments that drew me in more, specifically the fateful accident of their tour bus that left Gloria with a serious injury. The songs sung during this harrowing time and its aftermath included "Don't Want to Lose You Now," "Reach" and of course, "Coming Out of the Dark." When the ensemble turned into her backing choir, the effect was glorious. 

For me, act 2 also contained one of the best original songs Gloria wrote for this musical, and this was not even sung by her. This was the song "If I Never Got to Tell You," which was sung while Gloria was bedridden in the hospital after her accident. This was a beautiful duet of reconciliation sung between her mother and her husband, who had been at serious odds with each other beforehand. This was the best vocal performance of Laurel and Canela.

From where I was seated in the front row of the balcony, the resemblance of Molly Langley's face to the real Gloria Estefan was truly remarkable, especially with that wig of big curls. She was also able to approximate Estefan's rich and versatile singing voice. (Kayla Rivera alternates as Gloria Estefan.) Jason Canela is an American actor of Cuban descent, with a heavy Latin accent which may make some of his lines or lyrics not so easy to understand, but you always felt the sincerity in his love for Gloria. 

Pinky Marquez surely stole her scenes with her singing, dancing, and her wacky grandma antics. Ayen Laurel had the thankless role of a mother who did not support her daughter's dreams, but she delivered so well, such that her change of heart later would have deep emotional connection. At first we only knew Athea Ruedas as an actress in films like "Doll House" (2022), but here she proved that she was a triple threat in her tender age. (Reese Ito alternates as young Gloria.)

Vien King only had a few lines as Gloria's soldier dad Jose, but his tenor can really soar. John-Joven Uy surprised me with his multiple roles, singing and dancing as member of the ensemble ranging from serious to comic, from Gloria's older dad afflicted with multiple sclerosis to a mustachioed combanchero in a sombrero singing for tips. I've seen Elian Santos once before as one of Sisa's sons in "Liwanag sa Dilim." Here he got to show off more of his dance skills, on top of his acting skills. (Manolo Villalva alternates as young Emilio.) 

The way the story of the Estefans was told was rather uneven, with the pacing inconsistent. There were scenes can feel too long or too slow, like those about the recording business negotiations. Some "funny" bits did not land, but some smaller jokes unexpectedly did, like that bit about the nurse who was a big fan. Some songs were unfamiliar, yet some big hits of MSM had not been included and are missed, like "Words Get in the Way" or "Bad Boy." 

Momentum between songs was certainly not a problem anymore in Act 2. The urge to stand up and dance was very much stronger when the mega-mix medley finale came on -- which included major bangers like "Rhythm is Gonna Get You," "Turn the Beat Around," "Everlasting Love," and "Get on Your Feet." Accompanied by a percussion-heavy live band, the percolating rhythms of these songs will really make you want to get up and dance. Those raised in the pop music soundtrack of the late 1980s and early 1990s will surely get their money's worth. 

The cast at the curtain call

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'ON YOUR FEET" runs from July 10 to August 2, 2026, at 8:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, at the Proscenium Theater, Rockwell Center in Makati City. Tickets cost P6,695 (Orchestra Center), P5,974 (Orchestra Center Back & Side), P5,459 (Orchestra Side Corner), and P3,605 (Dress Circle) and are available via TicketWorld and at the Power Plant Mall Cinema.

"On Your Feet!" features a book by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris, and music produced and recorded by Emilio & Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine. This current 9 Works production is directed by Robbie Guevara, with musical direction by Daniel Bartolome and choreography by Nunoy van den Burgh. The rest of the technical crew include: Mio Infante as scenographer; Gabo Tolentino as lighting designer; Aron Roca as sound designer/engineer; Justin Santiago as video and projection designer. 

The ensemble includes: Meliza Reyes Uy, Neo Rivera, Antonio Valdez, Altair Alonzo, Roxy Aldiosa, Rica Laguardia, Matthew Barbers, Carmelle Ros, Winchester Lopez, Cheska Quimno, Richardson Yadao, Macel Dofitas-Yadao, Gerhard Krysstopher, Lord Kristoffer Logmao, Jacqui Jacinto, Gianna Hervas, and Roni Paderes. 

Porvenir: Review of EL FUEGO DEL ALMA: Pressurized Passions

July 18, 2026

Alma Ortega (Opaline Santos) was the daughter of the local minister (Rolando Inocencio). Her mother (Sheryl Ceasico) had mental issues that caused her to act like a child, so Alma lost her own youth to take over her mother's duties.  Alma became very stern and impatient as a person, and she kept pretty much to herself. Despite this, Alma was still able to teach singing voice lessons, and her current student was young Nelia (Ingrid Joyce). 

Alma's closest childhood friend was her next door neighbor Juanito Yago (Sandino Martin). He had to leave and go to the city to take up Medicine to be like his father. After several years, when Joselito came back home after his studies, the flame between Alma and Joselito in their youth soon got rekindled. However, when Alma kept Joselito at bay, he sought company from Rosa (Hariette Mozelle), the loose daughter of the gambling den owner. 

"El Fuego del Alma" is a Filipino adaptation of "Summer and Smoke," a full-length play by American playwright Tennessee Williams that first debuted on Broadway in 1948. All the tropes in William's signature style of Southern Gothic are in this one, from the sweltering heat to the repressed sexuality. From its original setting in Mississippi, this story was seamlessly adapted into the Filipino language and context by Eljay Castro Deldoc. His adaptation of the story was so astute, you will not feel that this was a foreign story.

Opaline Santos and Harriette Mozelle alternate with each other in the role of repressed Alma and flirtatious Rosa. Nour Hooshmand only alternated as Alma. Similarly, Sandino Marin and Vincent Pajara alternated with each other in the roles of Juanito and shoe salesman Archie. The minor characters also have alternates: Sheryl Ceasico and Madlen Nicolas alternate as Mrs. Ortega. Rolando Inocencio and JP Lopez alternate as the two father characters -- Mr. Ortega and Dr. Yago. Ingrid Joyce and Janna Cortez alternate as Nelia.  

Johnny Maglinao and Dolly Dolot were the "Chorus," two gossipy guys who dish out the inside dirt around their town to keep us updated. In the climactic part of the play, we see Dolot pick up a banduria and started to play it, together with another Chorus alternate Tristan Bite on guitar. Their fiery string musical accompaniment felt very in sync with the tumultuous spirit of those heated scenes, in perfect execution of the director's vision. 

I have seen Opaline Santos in various roles in Dulaang UP and Virgin Labfest. This is the first time I am seeing her in a full-length lead role, but I am aware that she has done a one-woman show before. Alma's arc stretched a stage actress's range, and Santos was certainly up for that challenge. Santos's big eyes did a lot of the internal talking for her Alma, and in the intimate venue where this play was performed, we see every little nuance. 

From the first time we see Sandino Martin's Juanito outside just silently looking at Alma, we already feel the sexual tension his role carried. With his dark brooding looks, Martin effortlessly smoldered throughout the first two acts of the play by the sheer physicality of his stage presence. The burning passion building up in his Joselito would finally reach such libidinous ecstasy at one point -- a scene that the intimacy of the venue made bolder. 

Harriette Mozelle never broke character as her character Rosa was a sly temptress through and through. Rolando Inocencio represented two kinds of strict father figures -- one based on science, the other on religion. Sheryll Ceasico portrayed Mrs. Ortega's madness with childlike glee. Ingrid Grace had a clear lilt in her voice that represented her innocence well. Juanito alternate Vincent Pajara makes a cameo here to tease what he could bring to that part.

As may be surmised, the extraordinary venue was very much a character of its own in this production. I have been to Sine Pop for special film screenings before, but this is the first time I have seen the first floor coffee bar area converted into a performance venue. To extend his stage, director Mark Mirando made full use of the wide pane glass window that allowed us to see the peaceful bamboo garden outside, which, along with the glass door and side wall, as well as the stairs to the second floor, were all integrated into the scenes. 

Joyce, Ceasico, Martin, Mozelle and Santos

at the curtain call

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El Fuego del Alma runs July 17–19, July 31, August 1–2, and August 21–23 at Sine Pop, Cubao, Quezon City. Shows are on at 7 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with 4 pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are priced at ₱1,800 through Ticket2Me, or onsite. 

GMG: Review of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: Fantastical Family Fable

July 10, 2026

Willy Wonka (Michael Dalke) was a master chocolatier who was well--known for producing the best chocolate bars in the world. One day, Wonka felt that he was getting old, and needed to find someone to take over his factory. He would like his heir to be someone like him, someone who loved chocolate and had the imagination to create with chocolate. To find someone, Wonka decided to open a chocolate shop in town, but he did not reveal his real identity. 

Charlie Bucket (Oliver Wong) as a kid who lived with mother (Karylle Tatlonghari) and his four bedridden grandparents Joe (Michael Biren), Josephine (Mykall Philipps), George (Brett Cole Young)and Georgina (Emma Casertano).  Chalie loved chocolate, but they were so poor, he was only able to eat a chocolate bar once a year on his birthday. He idolizes Willy Wonka, and longed to win one of five Golden Tickets in order to be able to take a tour inside his factory. 

This story was first published in 1964 as a novel for children by Roald Dahl. Like most of his other books, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" also had elements of dark comedy and even the macabre that distinguish his work. While Charlie's poverty and kind heart was treated with sentimentality, the other kids who won the Golden Ticket represented cardinal bad behavior common among kids, and were punished accordingly in dark scenarios.  

The first film adaptation "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (Mel Stuart, 1971) starred Gene Wilder, with a screenplay by Dahl himself. It was not a box-office success, but eventually became a cult favorite. A second film version released in 2005 under the original title was directed by Tim Burton and starred Johnny Depp. A third film, "Wonka" (2023, Paul King) starred Timothy Chalamet and gave Wonka a more fleshed-out backstory. 

A musical version, with book was by playwright David Greig and original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, first opened in the West End in 2012. The touring production brought by GMG to Manila was the 2017 reworked Broadway version, that incorporated popular songs by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley from the 1971 film. Local actress Karylle was cast as Charlie's long-suffering mother Mrs. Bucket.

As expected, the audience reacted warmly to the classic songs "The Candyman" and "Pure Imagination." "Oompa Loompa" was as irresistible an earworm as ever, to accompany the innovative puppetry technique used for them. Among the original songs, "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?" and "Vidiots" were the catchiest, while Mrs. Bucket's "If Your Father Were Here" and Wonka's valedictory  "The View From Here" were effectively sentimental. 

The show is definitely rated PG, as it dealt with excessively entitled brats and how they were punished, quite disturbing for very young viewers. What happens to Augustus Gloop (Sam Nackman), Violet Beauregard (Giselle Watts) and Mike Teavee (DJ Plunkett) can still somehow be considered funny. However, I felt they went a bit too far for Veruca Salt (Allison Gann). Her fate at the hands the giant squirrels was very shocking and downright scary. 

Of all the actors, it was the youngest cast member -- 10 year-old Oliver Wong as Charlie -- who really captured everyone's heart with his spirited acting and winsome smile. The way he delivered his lines was clear and delightful. The way he sang his solo songs like the adulatory "Willy Wonka! Willy Wonka!" and the wistful "Letter from Charlie Bucket" was soaring and endearing. Cohen Toukatly alternates in the role of Charlie.

The colorful projection backdrops brought the audience into Wonka's magical factory in 3D visual illusions. There were a number of simple magic tricks included in the narrative to keep the kids fascinated. There were some mature jokes to keep the adults entertained, especially in the character of beer-guzzling, pill-popping Mrs. Teavee (Kelly Brandenburg). In fact, a sip of her "lemonade" made Willy Wonka belt out an unexpected song with a surprise twist! 

The Colorful Cast at the Curtain Call

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"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: A New Musical" runs at the Theater in Solaire from July 8 to 26, 2026. 

Tickets available on Ticketworld (LINK). Ticket prices for weekday shows (Tuesday to Thursday) range from P6877 (Orchestra Center, Premiere Gold Center), P5078 (Orchestra Sides Front, Premiere Gold Sides), P3703 (Orchestra Sides Back), P3174 (Balcony Center and Sides Front), P2645 (Balcony Center and Sides Back), P1587 (Balcony Center and Sides from Row SS back). For weekend shows (Fridays to Sundays), ticket prices range from P7406, P5819, P4232, P3491, P2962, and P2116. 

The director of this touring production is Matt Lenz, with choreographer Alison Solomon, and musical directors Nate Patten and Greg Jarrett. The creative, design, and production team includes Mark Thompson (set and costume design), Christine Peters (tour scenic design), Jeff Sugg (projections), Rory Beaton (lighting), Mike Thacker for Orbital Sound (sound design), Basil Twist (puppet design), and Tim Clothier (illusions). 

PETA: Review of ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK 4: Chaotic "Cheter" Comedy

June 25, 2026

One night, Eugene Domingo invited a select group of special theater friends to her house for dinner and a major project proposal to celebrate her 37th year as a theater actress. They were director Marlon N. Rivera, producer Melvin Lee, fellow actors Stella Canete-Mendoza, Andoy Ranay, JC Santos, and Meann Espinosa. She originally had writer Rody Vera in her guest list, but since he could not make it, Lee brought in up-and-coming talent Joshua Lim So. 

Eugene wanted something big and impactful to celebrate her career milestone. For this new project, she did not want to follow popular "fads or fashion." She wanted it instead to be derived from "urgency and involvement."  With this motivation in mind, she wanted to do a grand production of Aurelio Tolentino's 1903 nationalistic classic "Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas" as Inang Bayan, to be staged on a ship's deck in the middle of the West Philippine Sea. 

The original Cinemalaya film "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank" (2011) was an inside look into the process of indie film making. The sequel "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: ForeverIsNotEnough" was an inside look into mainstream film making. The third iteration, "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 3: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken," was a 7-episode mockumentary series that gave us an inside look into film directing and historical revisionism in mass media. 

There were three constants in all these projects -- writer Chris Martinez, director Marlon N. Rivera and of course, the inimitable star, Ms. Eugene Domingo playing an exaggerated version of herself in all of these films within films. She was never afraid to make a fool of herself as a superstar actress whose out-of-control inflated ego put her into hilarious self-aware situations, as only Rivera and Martinez can conjure them. 

This fourth and latest reincarnation -- with the lengthy title of "Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 4: Oh Sh*t It's Live sa Cheter!" -- brings us inside the process of theater production, from the pitch, to casting, to rehearsals, all the way to opening night. Chris Martinez is still the genius writer, delivering razor-sharp Pinoy comedy as expected. This time, PETA veteran Maribel Legarda directs, with Marlon N. Rivera now onstage as an actor, playing the director of the play within the play. 

And then there is is Eugene Domingo. It was one thing watching her as a larger-than-life personality on the big screen, but it was a totally surreal experience watching her megalomaniac version of herself in the flesh -- and I mean that in the literal sense. She was such a delightfully annoying diva the whole time, especially when she was going overboard with all her eccentric "notes" that drove writer Lim So and director MNR up the wall. 

This must be the craziest that I have seen acclaimed actors Andoy Ranay, Stella Canete-Mendoza and JC Santos ever. Ranay was reveling in unbridled skin-revealing gay-ness. Canete-Mendoza was fully-committed in playing a male warrior character in various versions. Santos unleashed his performance versatility full blast -- effortlessly transitioning from classic Filipino to archaic English to hiphop Taglish, folk-dancing and tap-dancing along the way.

At first, PETA President Melvin Lee was grumbling about jukebox musical rehashes. But as Domingo's producer, Lee could not help but sacrifice integrity of the historical material to maximize its money-making potentials. Marlon Rivera tried to fight for his directorial vision but could not help but acquiesce to the absurd wishes of his star. As a last-minute replacement, Joshua Lim So was an awkward fish-out-of-water at first, but his casting soon proved to be astute.

Meann Espinosa was ever-reliable as Domingo's girl-Friday and intimacy coordinator. She was also the one who gathered a gang of street urchins to serve as the ensemble in Domingo's passion project -- calling them the "Ugeng-gengs." They are: Kiki Baento, Carlon Matobato, Roi Calilong, Nyla Festejo, James Lanante, Reggie Ondevilla, Ada Tayao, Pio Viola and Mico Esquivel, with alternates Ron Alfonso, Jay Cortez, Eli Namoc and Air Paz. 

Theater practitioners and fans will surely enjoy the whole meta-ness of this self-critical romp very much, with countless in-jokes about fellow actors, writers and directors. The "schools of acting" joke in the first film was expanded to acting styles of various theater companies. Like previous PETA shows, there was current pop culture references galore, from Alex Eala to Goldwyn Reviews, which had the audience in stitches from start to finish. 

Nothing will prepare you for how they executed that out-of-this-world ending. Simply calling it "wet and wild" would be selling it short. If you thought that Ms. Eugene Domingo had already given it her all in her past "Septic Tank" movies, she just managed to still outdo herself here, revealing more than she had ever revealed before. If you thought that that "Oh Sh*t" part of the title was purely an exclamatory expression, think again. 

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"ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK 4: OH SH*T, IT'S LIVE SA CHETER" runs from June 19 to August 16, 2026 at the PETA Theater Center in Quezon City. Ticket prices range from P3,500 (VIP), P2,800 (Orchestra Center, Balcony Center), P2,500 (Orchestra Sides) and P1,800 (Balcony Sides), from TicketWorld (LINK) or Showbuyers (LINK). 

Artistic Staff is led by Director Maribel Legarda, and Assistant Director Johnnie Moran, with Gino Gonzales (Set and Costume Designer), Barbie Tan-Tiongco (Lighting Designer), Angel Dayao (Sound and Music), Michelle Ngu Nario (Lyricist), Raflesia Bravo (Choreographer) and 

Bene Manaois (Video Design and Mapping).