Dulaang UP stages the rare one-woman show that you should not miss! #DUPDalagita #DUP42HonoringDefiance

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Skyzx Labastilla as the Dalagita during the opening night
Currently being staged at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero theater, Dulaang UP's Ang Dalagita'y 'sang Bagay na Di-buo is a perfect production for their 42nd season's theme, Honoring Defiance.
A bit of a warning, Dalagita is an immensely heavy piece that throughly tackles grief, cancer, rape, depression, empowerment, sexuality, and brokenness. The depth of the material may require a trigger warning for some. There is none given at the theater so consider this it. It may not be blatantly graphic but the intensity of the one-woman performance grips you tightly for almost 2 hours. It will not let you go until the last second of light gives in to the darkness of the minimalist stage. With all the themes present, I commend Dulaang UP for including articles that discuss rape and depression in the souvinir program.

Maybe it was me being tired from my workday but the first few minutes had me a bit confused. Having just a solo performer on stage, it was natural that the Dalagita act as all the characters in the tragedy. Your only visual clues were the sudden change of posture and the shifting of clothes, the voice would change too but I was initially unable to catch the changes. As the story progresses, however, you'll be comfortable in identifying characters. The script, in its fragmented beauty, frames the whole story while you sit in awe in how there is only one person on stage and the only prop is a chair.

When you are able to take in the magnitude of the unfortunate tale, you will be treated well by the lights, graphics, videos, and sound. I was able to feel the sensations of wading through a river, riding a bus, a train, even hear the pain, cringe from objects that are not even there. This is the magic of Dalagita, you do not just witness it, it is an experience.
Ang Dalagita'y 'sang Bagay na Di-buo will run until 11 March (Wednesdays to Fridays at 7:00 pm; Saturdays and Sundays at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm) at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, 2nd Floor Palma Hall, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

Don't worry if the play gets too heavy. Dulaang UP's partner counselors from the UP College of Social Work and Community Development conduct debriefing sessions after the play.

#DUPDalagita
#DUP42HonoringDefiance

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