Reaction Paper

PETA’s Rated PG
The play introduces us to the lower middle class family of enterprising Joselle (May Bayot) who
has a "conveniens" (sic) store in the form of a big biyahera's bag, a store she opens at her
convenience, selling bras and slippers. She has two kids: a feisty teenager Rosalie (Joan Bugcat)
and a hyperactive little boy Tonton (a very cute Arthur Castro). Her hard-working husband
Romy (Jack Yabut) is a deliveryman (I think). We also get to meet Joselle’s mother as well her
colorful neighbors. Also playing a big part is the teen gang of Rosalie (or Ozie), the Jejesters.
One day, Joselle gets an offer to work in Barcelona, Spain, and this situation sets the whole play
into motion. As time constraints with her visa and working papers set in, she vents off her
frustrations against her kids and husband either in straight dramatic scenes, or in seriously
dramatic songs. We effectively see realistic family conflicts portrayed onstage as the script tries
to touch on every major issue about family dynamics in our local setting. We see everyone doing
their own things, yet these activities can result in much tension when it comes to the homefront.

Throughout the play, parents receive tips on how to deal with our kids. Listen to each other. Set
and agree on a daily schedule. Discuss and explain plans and problems. Show your love. Set and
obey house rules. No spanking. No cursing. No scare tactics. Be ready to say you are sorry. Set a
good example. We learn these lessons in nice little song production numbers which the cast does
with gusto. In its last song, this play tells us that children are already whole human beings when
they were born. While we should give them the freedom to fly on their own, they also need us,
our guidance and our love.

The actors who play the central family of Joselle were all pretty solid in their acting. I have heard
of May Bayot before, and this is the first time I have seen her in action. She plays a very strong
Joselle. I am glad that the dad Romy was not written as a useless bum, like most Filipino shows
tended to portray the father character. The teenager Ozie was very realistically written and
portrayed, in all her teen angst. The young kid who played Tonton was very cute and malikot.
The way Ms. Bayot and company lived the roles onstage, it was like looking into a mirror at
certain home situations we are all too familiar with.

The script is very sharp, yet it has the requisite humor and pop references to appeal to the
younger audience. The use of a projection screen as backdrop with colorful animated images was
also very imaginative. The moving set pieces which was composed of two big wooden boxes and
stairs were very well used and re-arranged to represent different venues. The props were very
imaginative too, like using rubber bands to represent pansit.

I do have some comment about the songs. The tunes were not really too memorable for me, but
they were appropriate to the mood and story. The singing was quite uneven also. The acting was
better than the singing. But more importantly, some singers were chewing the lyrics. I felt a lot
of vital messages are lost to the audience if the lyrics were not enunciated very clearly, and the
cast should take more care in this aspect in future stagings.