Cover Today, we highlight the other four “virgin” playwrights showcasing their works at this year’s Virgin Labfest (VLF)
Today, we highlight the other four “virgin” playwrights showcasing their works at this year’s Virgin Labfest (VLF)
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Completing the extraordinary lineup of debutant dramatists introduced in our previous feature, here are the final four ‘virgin’ playwrights of VLF XXI
The journey of a playwright is a rigorous test of dedication, a process that frequently demands immense vulnerability as creators attempt to translate their deepest daydreams into tangible stage realities. Since its inception in 2005, the Virgin Labfest (VLF) has served as the country’s premier festival for untried, untested and unstaged one-act plays, providing a vital platform for both budding and veteran theatre practitioners. Now in its 21st year, the festival adopts the theme ‘Hubo’t Hubad’, transforming the stage into a sanctuary where narratives expose layers of identity, memory and the universal longing to be seen and celebrated.
This edition focuses heavily on the raw honesty of its creators. Among the standout newcomers are four ‘virgin’ playwrights—Faith Ferrer Lacanlale, Gerald Manuel, Jerom Canlas and John Lapus—whose work exemplifies this fearless commitment to storytelling.
Above Poster for this year’s Virgin Labfest
Poster for this year’s Virgin Labfest
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For these debutant writers, constructing their scripts meant navigating distinct emotional landscapes and personal hurdles. Copywriter Faith Ferrer Lacanlale recalled her high school days when she used to hide her creative writing inside a private folder on a shared family computer, completely unaware of where her words would eventually lead. Reflecting on her entry into the festival, she noted that the wider theatre landscape initially felt intimidating due to her lack of a formal background, though she quickly found solace in the supportive, unhurried environment of the community.
Gerald Manuel, who drew upon his previous experience in directing and acting, took a deliberate and measured approach to building his script. He observed that taking one’s time brings distinct creative benefits, admitting he initially worried the technical and logistical demands of his play might hinder its selection.
Above Faith Ferrer Lacanlale
Faith Ferrer Lacanlale
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For actor, director, and producer Jerom Canlas, the writing process became an explicitly therapeutic endeavour. In 2023, Canlas publicly shared the heartbreaking passing of his youngest brother, JM, due to mental health struggles. Channeling this profound grief into his script allowed him to explore his own internal state, discovering new facets of himself as he brought the narrative to completion.
Industry veteran John Lapus, who possesses years of on- and off-camera experience, also makes his playwrighting debut in this festival cycle. Lapus credited a 2018 lesson from National Artist Ricky Lee, who advised him to always ground his writing in real-life experiences. Remembering a period of personal depression years ago, Lapus recalled a conversation he had with a worker at an Isdaan restaurant in Tarlac. Returning to the venue in 2024 to retrace those emotional wounds, he managed to pen his entire script in a focused 40-hour window, meeting the festival submission deadline exactly.
Read more: Virgin Labfest (VLF) XXI bares the human soul with 12 provocative works
Above Gerald Manuel
Gerald Manuel
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The narratives presented by these four authors offer distinct, unfiltered perspectives on human struggle and connection.
Taksyapo! by Lapus is set directly within the walls of a Tarlac rage booth. This play follows two complete strangers who uncover an unexpected connection. By choosing absolute candour over self-preservation to evade judgment, the characters exchange tales of love and disappointment. Lapus noted that rewriting a painful memory into an entertaining piece for the public provided immense personal catharsis.
Above John Lapus
John Lapus
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Manuel’s Buhaghag follows a young lady haunted by a long-haired enigma that forces her to choose between self-preservation and self-destruction. The playwright utilises these supernatural elements to offer a grounded commentary on mental health, intentionally highlighting the quiet, immobilising states of depression that make it difficult for individuals to simply get out of bed.
Betamax by Lacanlale follows a woman who begins to see ‘human pigs’ following a minor road accident. As she descends into madness, she struggles to convince her siblings to believe her, exposing the deep darkness surrounding her family. Lacanlale explained that this absurdity serves as a metaphor for the real-world scepticism and vulnerability faced by victims of sexual abuse when they choose to speak out.
Above Jerom Canlas
Jerom Canlas
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Centred on a grieving family that attempts to turn back time using a virtual archive of memories, Canlas’s Footprint depicts the harsh truths exposed by unspoken feelings following a tragedy. Canlas described the piece as an expression of lifelong mourning, noting that carrying the memory of a lost loved one is a testament to enduring love.
Stepping into the VLF lineup marks a significant professional triumph and a deeply personal milestone for each artist. Canlas is no stranger to the festival, having previously trodden the boards as an actor in Rick Patriarca’s Birdcage (2017) and Anthony Kim Vergara’s Student’s Handbook (2022). However, experiencing the festival from the perspective of a writer brought a completely different sense of fulfilment, letting him feel as though he was becoming a part of theatrical history.
Manuel, who participated in the festival’s Writing Fellowship Programme back in 2017, praised the event’s unique structure as a playwright-centric festival that gives writers an uncompromised voice. Lapus shared similar sentiments regarding the surreal nature of the experience. After his initial involvement in 2018 through a staged reading of Bagyolanda, seeing his fully realised production make the mainstage provided an entirely new level of excitement and nervous anticipation.
Lacanlale also experienced a full-circle moment. She originally showcased an early version of Betamax as a festival fellow in 2021 and later rewrote the piece four years later with an evolved perspective. She expressed immense gratitude for the behind-the-scenes collaborative environment, noting that despite her initial lack of experience, the struggle to defend her story was fully validated by the audience’s eventual appreciation.
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Audiences can experience Taksyapo!, Buhaghag, Footprint and Betamax alongside the rest of the festival’s diverse lineup during VLF XXI: Hubo’t Hubad. The festival runs until June 28, 2026, with performances scheduled daily at 2pm and 8pm at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Blackbox Theatre).
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Before assuming the Art and Culture Editor position, Franz has always had a penchant for visual and performing arts. He is passionate about exploring and writing about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright.
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Franz earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas. He writes about local visual and performing artists and their craft; drinks wines, liquors, and spirits and talks about the creativity of their respective winemakers and master blenders; tries to learn more about business and investments; respects the tradition and artistry that go behind the making of watches and jewellery; and appreciates the genius of architecture and creative design.
As head of Tatler Philippines’ pool of writers, he helps them bring impactful and socially relevant stories to light.
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