Breakups and Breakdowns.

I had seen excerpts of Joel's Breakups and Breakdowns back in 2004 during the National Theater Festival in CCP. So I was really excited to find out that it was part of Virgin Labfest 5's staged readings. It was finally a full play! Well, so it's just a staged reading, but the play is finally complete, hahaha!

Even though the show started at 6pm, I had arrived at CCP by 4:30. Hahaha, I wanted to get there early, maybe hang around and run into some friends who aren't watching the matinee show in Batute. After a quick bite at the buffeteria, I ended up hanging out in the prop room (conveniently adjacent to the Conference Room) with Jo-Ann, Fats and Kuya Jun. Ahehehe, pare-pareho lang na naglalabas ng angst. The cast of Breakups and Breakdowns (Joel, Caisa, Emy, Reuben and Teenee) plus Rony the music man, started trickling in, so Fats, as DSM, had to scurry around to oversee things. I tagged along inside the Conference Room, sometimes listening to the cast rehearse their songs, sometimes just chatting with Fats.

Joel and an usher about reserving seats for Joel's parents...
Joel: (gesturing to seats in the 3rd row) Eto, pa-reserve ito para sa parents ko.
Usher: Yes, sir. Pero sir, ipapamigay po yung seats na yan sa mga late pag hindi po sila darating after ng chimes.
Joel: OK, sure naman na darating sila eh.
Usher: Sure po?
Joel: Oo, sure yan. Magulang ko yan eh. Pag hindi sila darating, magda-drugs ako.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Was the first to fall in line to take a ticket, even though Jo-Ann had allowed me to hang inside the Conference Room prior to the show. Syempre, mabait ako eh, hehehe. Anyway, I decided on taking 2nd row seats instead of sitting in the first row, because I don't want to strain myself looking up the whole time, even though the platforms were only a foot high. Yay, Nikki had arrived a few minutes after open house, and she settled in the seat beside me. It wasn't long until the seats started filling up with familiar faces. They were mostly friends of the cast, people I've worked with and became friends (though mostly just acquaintances) with as well. They totally outnumbered the usual Labfest crowd for this show, ahehehe.

Breakups and Breakdowns intertwined the stories of four individuals and their love/dating lives. Of first dates, serial dating, exes, awkward moments, getting back together or staying friends, and "perfection." Once I listened to the music, I can't really explain, but it's as if you really know that Rony was the one who wrote those songs even if you didn't know it beforehand. And the script was filled with witty repartee, that you can't really help but laugh out loud. Even the music was cleverly written. I love this play that I can't wait for it to really be staged. Congratulations to Joel, Rony, Caisa, Emy, Reubs and Teenee!


I had earlier mentioned that the audience was composed of mostly "non-Labfest goers." Hahaha, the crowd was totally different compared to most of the other shows I had seen in that very venue. Yesterday evening, people were greeting everyone they knew. Loudly. Going everywhere where they found friends. If this was a show by another company, sure, people would still be pretty social, but in a different way. Not naman subdued. Just different. I don't know how to explain it. Basta iba talaga. Maski yung ingay iba eh. Iba yung "chaos," and the performers were different, malamang. That evening, they were mingling with the audience before the show and during intermission. Pag ibang performers ito, most likely they'd be quietly waiting backstage.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing or a good thing. Just different. It's just a weird observation. Hahahaha.