A small intimate production

By Camille Anne M. Arcilla

Theater
Happiness Is A Pearl
Written by Rody Vera

Presented by Artist Playground
June 9 to July 3
Wednesdays to Fridays at 7 p.m.;
Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The Little Room Upstairs, unit 1701, Landsdale Tower,
86 Mother Ignacia Ave., Quezon City

Rody Vera’s Happiness Is A Pearl is a one-act play will make the audience question what is worth fighting for in the name of love.

The story begins with Mari, a Japanese prostitute abandoned by her wealthy businessman husband after she fell in love with a male gigolo, Kenji. Kenji, who brought “happiness” to Mari when they made love — especially because of the pearl stitched under the skin of his penis — eventually meets Maria, a poverty-stricken Japayuki. The story revolves around the three leads’ struggle to fight for love and find happiness.

“Sir Rody [Vera] thought it wouldn’t be possible to stage it [which is] the reason why we were challenged to do it. We wanted to prove that we can do it here in Artist Playground,” said the play’s director Paul Jake Paule, who is best knows as an actor in the films Kapatiran, Mula sa Kung Ano Noon, and Hele sa Hiwagang Hapis, among others.

Artist Playground decided to open its 2016-2017 season with Happiness Is A Pearl.

Mr. Paule said the original script was much too short, taking them only 15-17 minutes to read through. “Now, it went farther than what it was before, as we switched some lines, and changed some. We thought the audience may not be satisfied with that short production, so we made a device that would lengthen it and would translate better to the audience,” he said.

Vera wrote the play during a workshop in Japan many years ago. “He mentioned that there is a real story behind it. There was a Japanese actress, I think, named Mari who was the inspiration of one of the lead characters,” said Mr. Paule.

Alternating in the role of Mari are Ruth Alferez, Cath Go, and Camille Tiu; as Maria are Ira Ruzz, Shiela Espina, and Mary Grace Saldo; and as Kenji, Tomas Miranda and Jerome Rosalin.

Also in the cast are Jacelle Escanan, Princess Tuason, Rowena Jarito, Kimberly Claire Somoza, Coleen Lanit, Dayana Dancel, CJ Tiongson, John Racho, Jr., Joseph Navarro, and Jayson Batoto.

As the show will be staged at The Little Room Upstairs, a small and unconventional venue, Ms. Ruzz admitted there are a lot of restrictions when it comes to space.

“Our first and foremost concern is the audience’s safety. In our past rehearsals, we used to fall down or trip over,” the 21-year-old actress said.

Choreographer Leslie Dailisan said they considered the limited space they have for a stage, which divides the intimate 30-seat venue.

Mr. Paule said they sought help from Talent Factory, Artist Playground’s sister company, when casting the show. “We also tapped Ricky Gallardo, project director for Artist Playground and we looked for talents that would suit the role. Ricky suggested Tomas [Miranda] to us,” he said.

The indie film actor (Dayang Asu, Kapatiran, Ned’s Project, AWOL) is making his stage debut in this production, and said he realized that theater has “no room for mistakes.”

“You have to be aware of the presence of your audience. Unlike in television, [where] you can retake the scenes,” said Mr. Miranda. “I underwent a workshop and studied how it is done. This is my first time to act in a theater production so I really wanted to do my best.”

Ms. Go tried to put herself in Mari’s shoes. “I try to understand her even if I’m not like her. [I would think] that ‘No, this is my happiness. I don’t care how shallow or nonsens[ical] this is. For even a little bit of happiness, I will do everything,’” she said.

Ms. Go concluded: “I know all of us will do anything crazy when it comes to love, and that’s true.”

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