REVIEW: Egg Theater Company’s “Schism”
Egg Theater Company stages its second production since its company launch last year. Based on Moliere’s The Misanthrope, Schism is a satire that shows an art-imitating-life depiction of hypocrisy in the theater industry. Just like the company’s pioneer production Maniacal, which had its inside jokes about real theater practitioners, this too has its share of jabs. But instead of focusing on actors, Schism focuses on playwrights and how different people in the industry react to their work.
L-R: Ron Alfonso (Don), Tuxqs Rutaquio (Alex), Angeli Bayani (Helen)
(READ: Egg Theater Company Stages Art Imitates Life Satire Schism)
Alex, a Palanca-award winning playwright, is bothered by the hypocrisy in the world, particularly on how peers and critics behave when they’re in front of the artists as opposed to what they say behind their backs. He discusses this with his actor, Helen, who believes that it is just right to feign a little honesty and be polite. When Don, the playwright of the adaptation of Moliere’s The Misanthrope, approaches Alex to get his opinion on the material, the latter reveals the truth about how badly he thought the adaptation was executed. Don, irate about the criticism, goes to Facebook and bashes the man who was once his idol. As soon as this happens, all of their colleagues suddenly have something to say. Everyone who initially loved Alex’s body of work somehow has a different opinion now. To add further insult to injury, Alex discovers acts of backstabbing and betrayal from one of the people he cares about the most.
L-R: Renante Bustamante (actor Eli), Jojo Riguerra (actor Jim), Chini Concepcion (actress Drea), Kyla Rivera (actress and blogger Casey), Angeli Bayani (actress Helen)
(READ: TFM Review- Entertaining and Witty: Egg Theater Company’s Maniacal)
This dramedy is as entertaining as it is reflective. In this golden age of technology, the play challenges us to think, “When is it okay to be honest? What is the proper social media etiquette? And how do we keep ourselves motivated amidst the backlash?”
Tuxqs Rutaquio (playwright Alex) and Roence Santos (veteran actress Arnie)
The talented cast of actors are led by Tuxqs Rutaquio (Alex), Angeli Bayani (Helen), and Ron Alfonso (Don).
Have you seen the show? What did you think?
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