V is for Victory: V-DAY 2008

Happy Independence Day to all! Dahil kalayaan rin naman ang usapan, magsusulat na rin ako tungkol sa isang palabas tungkol sa isang uri ng paglaya. Only got to write about this now due to the preparations for the first sem.

Last June 1, some friends and I watched the one-night-only celebration of V-DAY 2008 at the RCBC Theater. Produced by New Voice Company, the event featured two sets of monologues: A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer (MMRP), and Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues.

MMRP featured selected monologues from the book of the same title. The book, edited by Ensler, is a compilation of writings generally speaking of violence against women. The entries are by renowned men and women in their fields like Carol Gilligan, Kathy Najimy, and Edward Albee, to name a few. Though different in tone and points of view, the entries demand the world to act against such violence or, at the very least, be aware of it.

The selection of monolgues in VDAY2008 was a great mix: funny, angry, tragic, and hopeful. A memorable one was "Maurice" (performed by Juno Henares) where Kathy Najimy shared her experience with the most popular guy in school. "True" by Carol Michelle Kaplan (performed and translated into Filipino by Rody Vera) was about a heartfelt testimony that turned tragic. The delivery Filipino only made Kaplan's point more poignant. The set ended with Ensler's "Fur is Back", wonderfully delived by NVC and V-Day luminary Monique Wilson. This was my favorite monologue of the lot. My JVP friends who watched empathized with Ensler's experience of being the socially-concerned "party-killer."

When I looked at my seatmate at the end of the set, she was in tears. Sobrang naka-relate daw siya sa karamihan ng monologues. The writings were indeed powerful. That week I was with Missy Maramara at the Loyola Schools TFI (Teacher Formation Institute) and told her I watched the show. She had a few monologues in the show as well. Sila rin daw, nadala that afternoon where most of them heard the monologues for the first time during the single major rehearsal. Bigat!

The second half was the lighter set of select Vagina Monologues. As usual, the monologue that got the wildest cheers was "Reclaiming the Cunt," delivered perfectly in its Filipino form, "Pagbawi ng Puki," by Mads Nicolas. She had the RCBC audience applauding and shouting "Puki!" at in the end. Cherie Gil (elegant in her deep pink backless dress) ended the show with "I was there in the room," Ensler's recount of childbirth.

At that moment another play, Marisol, came to mind. In Marisol, there was a scene where a man was shown pregnant and says something like, kung alam lang ng kalalakihan ang kapangyarihan ng pagdadalang-tao.

The night also forwarded the cause of the Filipina Comfort Women. A good number of them were there that night and took the final bow with the cast. I couldn't help but be thankful that my lola didn't experience the horrors these brave women faced. Marami pa sanang sumuporta sa kanilang pakikipaglaban sa karahasan sa panahon ngayon. (The organization is Lila Pilipina, 4877649, lilafcw@pworld,net.ph)

I do hope they do a full Filipino version of both sets of monologues again someday.


Last April, V-DAY celebrated its 10th Anniversary in New Orleans. Part of the star-studded cast performing Ensler's work was our very own Monique Wilson. New Voice Company has a video of the complete performance of "Reclaiming the Cunt" (done in English, Mexican, Italian, and FILIPINO!) also available at the vday website. Check it out!