Directed by Benildeans Jack Denzel Gaza and written by playwright Janji Gamboa, Bago Dumilim sa Labas transports you through a virtual theater experience, produced under Sining LABinsiyam (SiLAB), a production house under De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's Theater Arts program.
The online production portrays the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic on families as a tribute to the forthcoming Mother’s Day celebration.
Clockin’ out against the dim of life
What happens when the mother一the light of one’s home一slowly declines? With flickering hope, sacrifice, and challenged morality, Bago Dumilim sa Labas follows the lives of two siblings一freelance artist Juan (Michael Hilao) and medical frontliner Pablo (Ethan Wong)一as their beloved mother is in a critical state at the hospital.
Seeing through the lens of the country’s inadequate healthcare system, an underrepresented Filipino narrative will unravel a story beyond resilience. It also explores the detrimental effects of the ongoing global economic crisis on Filipinos such as the deterioration of people’s mental health.
Upon watching the 30-minute virtual theater production, symbolism and allegories are to be found—from fighting individual battles to dealing with the two-sided reality of the pandemic. Some face online classes with exclusive vacation tickets on the side, while others decide to not enroll in school to deal with a pile of pending hospital and utility bills instead. It also echoes the whimpers of most Filipinos trying to survive even on a daily basis that most privileged people masked-up with “fun times” and resiliency.
People may tend to look at the bright side and try to paint life with colorful hues, yet the sacrifice and melancholic blues caused by the pandemic will be an enduring adjustment time of healing for years.
After the success of their first online puppet show that breaks gender stereotypes, Ang Red Dress Ni Makisig, Sining LABinsiyam’s latest offering is surely another must-watch that public audiences can relate to in these trying times. With a snap of a finger, everything could be different. The uncertainties and fleeting truth of life will always linger, yet it reminds us that acceptance is the first step in relinquishing the encompassing gloom.
Don’t let the darkness of hesitation stop you. Grab your tickets for only ₱150 via Ticket2Me. The production runs until April 13—on demand and at the convenience of your home from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
For Benildeans, this is a CSBLIFE ACCREDITED event. You may purchase your e-tickets here.
