Exclusive interview: BOGT Philippines on ‘13th of September’

Above all else, it is courage that BOGT Philippines clings to. They make no pretence about profit or glory; for them, the only reward is a work well done. As Andoy Ranay puts it, bravery is the price of entry into any art form, the first step towards truly being ‘seen’.

“Kapag wala kang tapang, sa kahit anong klaseng art, hindi ka makakagawa [Without courage, in any form of art, you cannot create],” he says. “Bravery is needed because it fuels the fire that drives you towards what you want to achieve in life. With that strength, you find ways to be seen, to share what you feel must be expressed and to learn what you need in order to become a true artist.” 

Ranay adds that the discourse that follows, whether the work resonates or falls flat, whether it is praised or dismissed, is what keeps the craft alive. Every kind of feedback, in one form or another, helps push the work forward.

“If you are not bold enough to face the hurdles life throws at you, it will be impossible to advance. Art becomes art because it leads to a meaningful discourse afterwards. Conversation, whether positive or critical, is valuable both to the artist and the audience.” 

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Lao Rodriguez notes that the advantage of working with an independent company lies in its sheer audacity, where art is placed firmly on the pedestal and commercial success lingers only as an afterthought.

“The great thing about this production is that, as an independent company, we aren’t burdened by commercial pressures,” Rodriguez says. “When we create purely for the sake of creating, it becomes, literally, a union of artists. All three of us actors are collaborators; in a sense, there is no single ‘genius’ here.”

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Drew Espenocilla, for his part, notes that in this project, BOGT Philippines shows its true courage by refusing to be tethered to the usual formula. “One should never be confined by conventions,” he says.

“Both artists and theatre-goers often arrive with a certain set of expectations, but through this rehearsal journey, even my own assumptions have been broken.” 

Espenocilla says that a ‘courageous craft’ goes hand in hand with openness and willingness to engage with weightier material. “I believe it is important to nurture openness [on what’s to come], for that is where dialogue takes root. In the end, it is about keeping the material close, and approaching what we witness with that spirit of acceptance.” 

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While 13th of September remains faithful to Lanie Robertson’s The Insanity of Mary Girard, what distinguishes Carlos Palanca awardee Eljay Castro Deldoc’s adaptation is the striking decision to cast three actors in drag.

Several factors may be cited for this decision, but as Benedicto reveals, one is rooted in the many personas Mary Girard fashioned during her 25 years of imprisonment in a mental institution.

“Historically, Girard’s confinement was paid for; she endured that suffering for more than two decades, and in the process, she created a new persona,” Benedicto explains. “What we portray is that persona; we never want her to be seen as a victim because that would be a disservice to her, to women and to drag.” 

Ranay and Rodriguez, who have both portrayed Girard in separate staging, respect this choice as professionals, yet admit it remains one of this project's greatest challenges.

“What’s striking here is that Lanie Robertson, a man, chose to write about the oppression of women, an experience he never lived through directly. That becomes a challenge for us actors stepping into these roles,” Ranay confesses. “For me, playing Girard meant asking ‘how do I embody the weight of oppression without stepping outside her story?' I am no woman, nor a mother. And with this version in drag, it demands real emotion, there were so many layers I had to grasp before I could deliver it truthfully.”

For Deldoc, it is the twist of drag that ignites the actors’ passion. He remains open to the conversations it may provoke, though he hopes audiences will not misinterpret this daring choice as anything other than essential to the play.

“Earlier, I found myself wondering, why are we, as queer artists, so audacious in telling the suffering of women? The playwright is a man, the director is a man, the performers are men [biologically]. Yet I realised that the bravery of these artists lies precisely in that choice,” Deldoc says. 

“I will not claim we are beyond criticism, but there is courage in taking risks, knowing that audiences may receive it negatively. We remain open to that response,” Deldoc clarifies. “Speaking for myself, I welcome whatever conversations may follow. Was our choice the right one? Would it even have been possible without Riki’s bold decision to place the actors in drag? We would never have discovered the answer had we not taken the leap.” 

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At its core, BOGT Philippines has always envisioned showcasing more Filipino theatre on international stages, a vision carried forward by its production and stage manager, Katreen Dela Cruz.

“The mission of BOGT Philippines is to create productions for international theatre. I always say, ‘there is so much joy in learning’, in being able to witness and experience how artists abroad practise their craft,” Dela Cruz shares, adding that on the global stage, the learning is profound and conversations with artists awaken a genuine hunger for knowledge.

“BOGT exists to learn, to bring Filipino talent to the world, and to come back with lessons that can be shared here in turn,” she stresses. 

Dela Cruz, who has staged 13th of September in Germany, Canada and now in Monaco, observes that performances abroad often give rise to immediate intellectual exchange. What she finds most compelling is how these conversations, whether with students or seasoned scholars, create opportunities to explain, listen and learn. For her, it is in these dialogues that the true richness of theatre lies.

“We are able to create something that stretches us equally, where each of us contributes to one another through discussion. There is no notion of a single genius. Everyone has a role to play. No one can claim ownership over the work, because its evolution changes daily, and in that growth, everyone stands on equal ground.”

Although relatively young, BOGT Philippines holds fast to the belief that anyone can step onto grander stages, provided they see that others have done so before them. For Deldoc, this is precisely the value of bringing Filipinos to foreign stage: it affirms possibility, dismantles hesitation and reminds us that courage, once witnessed, is courage made contagious.

“You would expect that the groups travelling abroad are the institutionalised ones, yet it is rare to see a small independent Filipino collective daring to step out. I feel that if young Filipino creators witness this today, they will find it inspiring to realise that we do not need to be large to create and to show the world what we are capable of.”

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On a more personal note, Espenocilla sees this global representation as a humble gift to the next wave of young artists. The actor, who hails from Sorsogon, sends hope especially to people from far-flung provinces who might doubt they can match the pace of peers in Manila.

“I took a courageous step in joining this project. As someone striving to cultivate the theatre scene in Sorsogon, moving to Manila may seem straightforward, but in reality it carries many layers and nuances. I was afraid because I was among seasoned actors, and here I am, a young artist from the province, travelling to the capital to rehearse a play that will ultimately be staged in Monaco. It is a big deal for me,” Espenocilla shares. 

He reveals that the first time he truly felt the weight of his work was when he began receiving feedback from the theatre kids back in Sorsogon. “It suddenly sank in how significant this was. I realised you don’t need to belong to a major institution for your art to be valid. As a Sorsoganon, I carry the message: ‘You can do this too, if you approach your craft with dedication.’”

As for Rodriguez, representation is a chance to display the fiery passion and sharp intellect of Filipinos to an international audience. “More than anything, this play is a representation of what Filipino creatives can offer the world. I want them to see that we do not think in a linear way. We are capable of being a forest, diverse and multifaceted. This is how rich and varied the theatre scene in the Philippines truly is.”

The most striking moment of the play is perhaps the ending, where Mary Girard reclaims her so-called insanity. She mocks those who once sought to provoke her and hurl false accusations at her mind. She reverses her circumstance, for what was once displayed to shame her is now revealed on her own terms. One cannot help but ask, who is truly mad if we are all just one step shy of insanity?

As a writer, Deldoc encourages audiences to embrace their own madness and channel it into their craft. As he explains, “Our insanity, as human beings and as artists, is a form of power. It is so often seen as something destructive, yet when shaped into a force that empowers both oneself and others, whether through artistic creation or simply through living, it becomes a gift rather than a burden. That, after all, is the path the play follows: recognising madness not as weakness or illness but as something to be embraced and understood.”

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