VLF5, Set-C, Play #1: KITCHEN MEDEA

Production: Virgin Labfest 5
Set C – BLOOD SPORTS (TRILOHIYANG DINUGUAN)

Theatre Companies: TANGHALANG PILIPINO & WRITER’S BLOC, INC.
Show Dates: June 23-July 5, 2009
Date Watched: June 25, 2009 (Thursday, 8:00 pm)
Venue: Tanghalang Huseng Batute, Cultural Center of the Philippines

Play #1: KITCHEN MEDEA
[Genre: TRAGEDY/ DOMESTIC DRAMA]
Playwright: Kiyokazu Yamamoto
Director: Toshihisa “Yoshi” Yoshida
Stage Manager: Bryan Manantan
Translators: Rody Vera/ Jina Umali
Sound Designer: Tokoha Utsumi
Actor: Mailes Kanapi (Babae)*

Ratings: Lowest – 0.0; Highest – 5.0; * - Outstanding

Production : 5.0 *
Stage Direction : 5.0 *
Story/ Script : 5.0 *
Production/Stage Design : 5.0 *
Costume Design : 4.5
Lighting Design : 5.0
Sound and/or Music : 5.0
Theatre Performance : 5.0 *

Average Rating: 4.94

Comments:

Kitchen Medea was originally written for a famous actress, Hiraizumi Hisa, who unfortunately passed away even before the play was staged. The play is making its World Premiere at the Virgin Labfest in Manila, Philippines. Kitchen Medea was translated into English by Jina Umali and then translated into Filipino by Rody Vera.

Kitchen Medea takes place in a dismal kitchen in a small Japanese home. The play is compose of dialogues of just one character portrayed by a Filipina married to a Japanese. Eventually, the Japanese husband left her for another woman. The main character talks to herself and what normally remains in our mind, she would say it as if the mind speaks. Her mental self becomes her alter-ego. She reproach her frustrations, anger and sufferings on her unfaithful ex-husband. The ex-husband left her with two lovely daughters. The woman is saying that she doesn’t deserve to be abandoned – of all the love and sacrifices she has to endure, she cannot accept the fate that has befallen her.

The director (Toshihisa Yoshida) gave a creative treatment to the text. Lines can be realistic, ironic, funny, poignant and weird. The voice over was utilized to represent the main character’s subconscious. I also love the use of hanging objects as symbols of her relationship with her ex-husband and her two daughters and how these symbols can change or fade away after the divorce. Objects hanged were 2 dolls, ketchup bottle, sandok and a mug. The play develops as she plans to get even with the other woman. Mailes Kanapi did a moving and powerful performance. Her portrayal was intense and effective. She articulated her Japanese lines with ease and control. “Kitchen Medea” is a must-see play!

My favorite line:
- “Naging dekorasyon lang ako sa buhay mo. Ang tawag sa akin: ASAWA…”


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