On Seeing Eyeball

My friends heroic_ and zany saw two plays from Eyeball with me at the CCP last Feb. 5.

“Doc Resureccion: Gagamutin Ang Bayan” was written by Layeta Bucoy. It won a Palanca and I can see why. The debate within the play was great, and the last scenes were killer. It took a while to get there, though. And it relied on curse word after curse word to keep the audience entertained in the meantime. I guess that worked because the audience didn’t seem used to profanity.

Plus points for Lou Veloso on stage.

“Bakit Wala Nang Nagtatagpo sa Philcoa Oberpas” was written by Carlo Pacolor Garcia. This play is close to my heart for many reasons—one being that I got to read this in its earlier forms. I think some aspects of the staging were too much, though. The ad billboard projected things that went from snarky, to corny, to historical. Sometimes, they felt like extra devices to tell people what the scene was about, in case it wasn't obvious enough. The songs were inaudible too. And the heart of the matter: a reconciled petite bourgeoisie couple, a victimized law enforcer, and a lumpen proletariat family calling the shots, got drowned out.

That makes for the score of 6.7/10 for each play.

Leave your electronic devices once in a while and hit a theater. It may even make for a great Valentine’s date.