Tanghalang Pilipino's Terrific Twinbill

Wooden chew wonna wotch cumdeez???

Please watch Tanghalang Pilipino’s latest offering, J. Dennis C. Teodosio’s Gee-Gee at Waterina and Chris Martinez’s Palanca-winning Welcome to Intelstar, at the CCP’s Tanghalang Huseng Batute. The twinbill will have a matinee performance later today at 3 p.m., as well as on January 27 (8 p.m.), 28 (3 and 8 p.m.) and 29 (3 p.m.). This marks the second time the plays have been staged: Gee-Gee at Waterina won raves at last year’s Virgin Labfest, while Welcome to Intelstar had the audience laughing hard at the last Palanca Awards ceremony.

I finally got to watch them yesterday afternoon, and I’m happy to report that both plays are as fresh and funny as before. Under Martinez’s direction, Eugene Domingo gave a vibrant performance as Chelsea, Intelstar’s engaging call-center trainor who conducts a hilarious orientation for successful call-center applicants. And Roobak Valle’s deft helming elicited first-rate performances from Lou Veloso and Paolo Cabañero as Gee-Gee and Waterina, two longtime friends who, prompted by the arrival of a check, reflect on their lives and their gayness as they engage in side-splitting, witty banter. In both plays, language played a powerful role.

Go ahead, give yourself a treat by watching TP’s terrific twinbill. It’s worth it.