Are you ready for a stage performance of razor-sharp social commentary, self reflection (and self-rejection) at the cost of side-splitting humor, and are you ready to delve into what moving on, politically, entails? Don’t miss the chance to get tickets for the return run of Floy Quintos’ "The Reconciliation Dinner" at the PETA Theater Center, from Aug. 5 to 20, every weekend. Shows run at 3:00 p.m and 8:00 p.m on Saturdays and Sundays. Directed by the masterful Dexter M. Santos, I can assure you that the play is an incisive snapshot of the Filipino’s conflicting tendencies to take political affiliations too seriously on one hand, and to act nonchalant and save face over every issue on the other hand. The result is an internal mess and Quintos brilliantly brings out how each of us, as Filipinos, are walking, talking cauldrons of contradictions. The narrative centers on two families, the Medinas and the Valderamas, as they get together for a dinner. The Medinas are pro-Duterte and pro-PBBM supporters, while the Valderamas are loyal to the yellow or pink brigade. The play, first staged in November 2022, has been updated for its May 2023 run and might have some added material by the time it hits the stage next week. The Medinas’ daughter has a data analyst boyfriend who is always around, while the Valderamas’ son is gay. The cast is a dream ensemble that plays off each other with impressive familiarity and comfort. Kudos to Dexter Santos for bringing this out and making the dialogue hit home with a punch. Stella Cañete Mendoza and Frances Makil Ignacio, as the matriarchs of the two families, are the most impressive with their unforgettable lines. They are supported well by Randy Medel Villarama, Jojo Cayabyab, Mica Pineda, Phi Palmos, and Nelsito Gomez. Someone asked me if it’s a companion piece to Quintos’ "The Kundiman Party," and I like to think they’re standalone works. You could say the common thread running between the two is how both provide trenchant commentary on how politics and everyday living co-mingle in the Philippine scenario. If "Kundiman" had the Titas of Manila pontificating on the midterm elections: here in "The Reconciliation Dinner," it’s the national elections of 2016 and 2022 acting as launching platforms for the emotions and sentiments released in the course of the dramatic comedy. These are complete narratives in their own right, and I loved how the wry humor of the play will make members of the audience feel a tad uncomfortable, no matter what political persuasion they may be. And that is part of the genius of the "The Reconciliation dinner" - how as a play, it doesn’t choose a side, but just argues that we’re all human, we’re all Filipinos, at the end of the day. It’s pithy humor, its drama that’s honest, its ensemble acting that operates like a well-oiled machine, so what’s not to love about this rerun for those who haven’t watched it yet? And as an opportunity to enjoy it all over again!