VLF entry ‘Dapithapon’ brings back ’90s student life
“The theater community is very much alive in this pandemic.” These are the words of thespian Quiel Andrew Quiwa, who stars in Virgin Labfest 2020 entry “Dapithapon” being streamed online via the Vimeo account of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
“Dapithapon,” written by Jay Crisostomo IV and directed by Sig Pecho, is a coming of age story of three graduating high school boys set in the late ‘90s. It tackles the issues surrounding their friendship paired with their own individual issues as the audiences are taken to a trip down memory lane with nostalgic student life vibes.
In this production, for streaming live again on June 27, Quiel plays Yani, a brave and energetic lover boy who puts his heart into everything he does and says.
More than the entertainment, Quiel hopes the show will serve as invitation for their audiences to reflect on where the generation of ‘90s kids are coming from that redound to their disposition on current issues.
“To understand how our current society works, it’s really important to at least have a peek at what was going on with different kinds of people at different points in time. This material tackles the youth and I believe it’s an important story to tell,” he said.
Quiel cited some of the “extra challenges” involved in performing an ensemble piece online.
“We’ve been acting individually in our own homes, talking to wall markings for precision in our gazes, and trying to connect with each other through the online medium. Without the element of physical touch and the direct connection between our eyes, we’ve been relying heavily on listening to our coactors,” he said. “I believe it takes a lot of trust between actors, directors, and production teams, to pull this off and I am grateful to be working with a loving and hardworking team in this festival.”
Get to know more about Quiel and “Dapithapon”:
What were your thoughts about the story of “Dapithapon”? The sexual references?
“Dapithapon” is a unique coming of age story about three graduating high school boys in the 90s. It’s interesting because even if the story is unique, we get to see pieces of our childhood selves and nostalgic memories of the ‘90s in the play.
“The script really blended the sacredness of friendship with the profanities surrounding it. Personally, I was not too concerned about the sexual references in the script because it was part of the playwright’s work and I respected it throughout the process. I must admit that some of my family members found my lines uncomfortable, but I’m the type of actor who stays true to the message of our script.”
HOw difficult were the preparations?
“It was difficult and challenging for everyone, and it required a lot of patience from the team since we had to deal with third world internet connection problems in addition to adjusting the form of the performance. This online format really challenged us to adjust our style and theatrical approach. For ‘Dapithapon,’ we tried our best to keep it theatrical by performing ‘Anime’ reactions for our characters and adding extra audio-visual media to support the ‘90s vibe. Other VLF featured works went for their own unique approach to the online and camera set-up, and even if we all had different processes, I think we can all agree that our preparations involved a lot of experimenting and breaking conventions.”
With so many things happening in the country today, how can an actor or storyteller make himself even more relevant to the times?
“An actor needs to genuinely engage with our society’s issues. It is not just about making the storyteller relevant, but also making the story itself relevant. There are so many narratives that need to be told, and we have a huge responsibility to tell these stories truthfully.”
Tell me about working with the cast and crew of “Dapithapon.”
“Team Dapithapon is a loving family that poured a lot of creativity, patience, and willingness into making this performance.”
What is the message of “Dapithapon” to the ‘90s kids, to kids of today, and to future generations.
“Echoing our playwright Jay Crisostomo’s
sentiments, we hope people don’t forget their childhood or even their inner childlike-ness despite facing the challenges of growing up, handling responsibilities, and letting go of deep friendships.”
What’s your favorite part in “Dapithapon”? What do you like most about the character you play? How do you relate to him?
“The confrontation scene between Yani and Dens is my favorite part because it really allowed the two characters to express their feelings. I think it’s rare for people their age to actually confront and discuss their issues with each other. In ‘Dapithapon,’ it even took a fist fight for them to actually settle their barkada’s problems.
“I like Yani’s energy and his lover boy nature because it reminds me a lot about my childhood. He doesn’t hold back with his words, feelings, and actions, but in everything that he does, he stays true to his intentions.”
What are your insights from the performance last Sunday that you think will have an effect on the next one? Are you the type who reviews your work?
“We have to be careful with our synchronization as actors, especially with respect to our facial expressions. We were able to develop the sound of our performance through the consistency of delivery lines and listening, but it’s extra challenging visually because we’re just talking to wall markings and we can’t really see each other throughout the performance. We need to visually connect better in our next performance.
“Yes, I’m the type who reviews my work because I want to improve as an actor. I believe it’s necessary to scrutinize my own work and develop new techniques for my next performances.”
How do you feel whenever it’s brought up that this might be how acting and theater will be from now on, until a vaccine is made?
“I’m hopeful that someday we can all gather again and share our energies in a real theater venue, but the challenge to keep live performances and acting work alive until that day comes still keeps me motivated.”