Dedma from Theatre Titas starts weekend runs from March 29 to April 13 at the Mirror Studio Theatre 2, on Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati. It’s a twin-bill of two short plays from the pen of Chesie Galvez-Cariño - and they are both wonderfully written dramas with strong shafts of humor and irony. That the subject matter has to do with the milieu of our Titas of Manila is the supreme bonus, as it isn’t easy to find material that depicts this strata of Manila society with authenticity and fairness. 

Why do I say this? Because more often than not, when portrayed on teleseryes and in movies, these denizens of exclusive villages and subdivisions are so one-dimensional, put into a world of blacks and whites, and they’re turned into caricatures. Just last MMFF (December 2024), I watched a film where all the blue-collar workers were compassionate, honest, well-meaning, and generous to a fault, while all the rich and powerful, both men and women, were mean-spirited, callous, perpetually high on drugs or alcohol, vain, and/or venal. 

And don’t get me wrong, several in those villages possess all those negative values, but it’s too easy to generalize and say that holds true for everyone in that demographic. Chesie brilliantly reminds us that they’re still people with weaknesses and frailties, often tone-deaf but also well-intentioned - if just inept at expressing themselves properly. They’re also prisoners to social conventions, status, and a unique set of interpersonal dynamics. Chesie strips these conventions bare and puts a light on their inner thoughts and workings, and that’s the magic of these two dramatic vehicles.

Let’s Do Lunch opens with Bebang (Ash Nicanor as the maid/cook) preparing the table for her Mistress Val (Naths Everett), and Val’s good friend Issa (Issa Litton). Directed by Maribel Legarda (who was at the helm of the film Melodrama Negra and countless PETA productions), the 35-minute whirlwind of a play takes us through a gauntlet of tested friendship and camaraderie as former bosom buddies are now contending with the proverbial ‘fall from grace’ of one of the friends. Her husband was implicated in a financial scam and is awaiting trial. 

Pride, hubris, dogged determination not to lose face, empty empathy, and a severe tone-deafness are all seen in the play as the two engage in a metaphorically vicious game of one-upmanship. Recriminations fly like mosquitoes as the best sans rival is served, and Earl Grey tea is poured. You must watch this to appreciate how much this original material works and hits home. If there’s an audience of Titas, I’m sure they’ll be uncomfortable, laughing nervously - seeing friends they have acted out in front of, seeing their silly habits and behavior exposed, or even seeing themselves like a mirror held to their faces. 

With Foxtrot, you have a drama that earned unanimous admiration at the last Virgin Labfest. Here, Chesie writes about a middle-aged Doña, Anna (Jackie Lou Blanco), and her Dance Instructor, Diego (JC Santos). Directed by Paul Alexander Morales, former Creative Director at Ballet Philippines, this one has luminous choreography coupled with high drama, as the two leads clash in a last rehearsal right before an amateur competition. 

We often hear naughty whispers about how matronas take that added step with their DIs, and it’s usually the husband oblivious to all this. Here, Chesie acts on that ‘tumor’ but smartly explores the dynamics of what happens when such a thing does occur. Who is the proverbial ‘on top,’ and who’s playing ‘bottom’ - and are these roles even fixed, or are they a dynamic, ever-changing element of the relationship? 

The answers to what goes on in these ‘Titas’ lives will only be revealed when you watch these two plays. I strongly support these dramatic vehicles as they’re original Filipino material; they’re not your usual ‘hit songs’ musicals or a musical/drama from abroad that we’re staging for the umpteenth time. I have nothing against those, but I’m always game for what’s different, well-staged, home-grown, and ‘real.’ Dedma ticks all four boxes. Watch it! Head to teeq.live to book your seats.