REP: Review of UNPLUGGED: SOLE SURVIVOR: Narcissistic Neighbor

March 28, 2026

Nina (Gabby Padilla) and Anton (Markki Stroem) are fraternal twins raised in Poblacion, Makati, children of a British father and a Filipina mother (Ring Antonio). When they grew up, they were able to migrate to live and work in New York City. One day, one very expensive designer shoe fell from above onto Nina's terrace. When the shoe's owner Katie (Becca Coates) came to inquire, Nina outright denied that she had it. 

This play is the first play written by Fil-British writer and psychologist Patricia Manuel Go, who wrote "Sole Survivor" as a short story first in 2021 before developing it into a play in 2024. It was pure serendipity that her maiden play landed on the lap of Cara Barredo, who had been originally pegged to be one of the directors in Rep's experimental Unplugged series of staged readings this year, alongside the 100-year old "Private Lives" by Noel Coward. 

Gabby Padilla and Markki Stroem

I knew Gabby Padilla first as an intense internal film actress, like her quiet, restrained performance in "Gitling." On stage, this is the first play that I am seeing her play the lead. She really played obsessively narcissistic Nina with all-out delusional wickedness with that posh British twang, as she held on to that precious left shoe with gloating glee as Gollum did to the Ring. When Nina instinctively reverted to Tagalog in shock, the play hit a peak.

Markki Stroem's character Anton is one of those too-good-to-be-true type of guys. It was from his sharing with his colleague at the charity that we learn their tough family history. I felt this scene was practically a lengthy expository monologue. Being somewhat static, it suspends the satirical momentum of the play at that point. Also I wish the mom had another past occupation than the one mentioned, so as not to perpetuate negative Filipino stereotypes. 

Katie is wealthy by birth and position, so designer stuff for her were all par for the course. Becca Coates played Katie kooky, careless, with an endearing gullibility. The other actors went through a number of different funny accents to play various minor characters. Ring Antonio was a Filipino mother and a Guatemalan maid. Naths Everett was a Cockney tita and a Queens tita. Chesko Rodriguez was an AI app voice and NYC photographer.

Director Cara Barredo, Gabby Padilla, Chesko Rodriguez, playwright Patricia Go, and Markki Stroem. 

This particular staged reading was the very first time this brand new play is being performed in public, so it really felt like a true experiment, as Rep Unplugged was envisioned to be. I am pretty sure this is is not the final version of the play yet. After this maiden show and Q&A, Go, along with her director and actors, will surely make appropriate edits to make the show tighter, or develop certain parts more for a smoother flow of the storytelling. 

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REP UNPLUGGED: SOLE SURVIVOR will have one more staging tonight at 7 pm at the Rep Theater in Eastwood Citywalk. The show is in mainly English, with occasional Filipino expressions. It lasts for 45 minutes, with no intermission. Tickets at P1500 each.