‘Sopranong Kalbo’ Rolando Tinio Translation to be Staged this August
Teatro Meron stages its first production with Sopranong Kalbo, Rolando Tinio’s Filipino translation of Eugène Ionesco’s The Bald Soprano, a classic of the Theatre of the Absurd. Directed by Ron Capinding, this staging explores how modern life and communication often collapse into empty rituals—where people talk but rarely listen, and where meaning is both sought after and constantly slipping away.
In a modest home in Manila, Mr. and Mrs. Santos pass the time in casual conversation—about their dinner, acquaintances, and minor daily details. But as they speak, their words begin to lose coherence, slipping into repetition, contradiction, and absurdity. They are soon joined by another couple, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, who slowly realize they may—or may not—be married to each other. The arrival of their househelp, Marie, and a surprise visitor only deepen the confusion, leading everyone into a whirlwind of meaningless phrases and escalating nonsense.
The cast features Joel Macaventa as Ginoong Santos, Miren Alvarez-Fabregas as Ginang Santos, Joseph Dela Cruz as Ginoong Martin, Pickles Leonidas as Ginang Martin, Gold Soon as Marie, and Yan Yuzon as Hepe ng Bombero.
Capinding describes Sopranong Kalbo as “…a play that, on the surface, appears comically incoherent and absurd, yet reveals something uncomfortably true beneath the nonsense: the emptiness of routine, the breakdown of communication, and the unsettling comedy of everyday life. In typical Ionesco fashion, it challenges our expectations of dialogue, logic, and meaning—and in doing so, demands that we pay closer attention to what we say, how we live, and why we speak at all.”
Speaking on Teatro Meron’s vision as a new collective, Capinding shares that the group was formed out of both camaraderie and conviction:
“Born out of shared friendship, deep questions, and a common love for the classics, Teatro Meron is a new theater collective with a clear yet urgent mission: to entertain and educate, to spark dialogue, and to cultivate discernment through timeless works and great books—the kind that stay with you long after the curtain falls. We believe that the great texts—whether comic or tragic, absurd or lyrical—still speak powerfully to the present, and that theater remains one of the most vital ways to give them voice.”
He also dedicates the production to the late Dr. Ricardo Abad, who played a formative role in their lives:
“This staging is also a tribute—a heartfelt commemoration of Dr. Ricardo Abad, whose presence in our lives as friend, mentor, and artist continues to shape how we think about theater. Through his work and example, he taught us to listen deeply, to look closer, and to approach every production—no matter how strange—with intellectual rigor and artistic joy. To him, we owe not just our love for the stage, but the courage to begin something new.”
He ends with a reflection on Teatro Meron’s guiding philosophy:
“We are a group of friends and former students brought together by a love of performance and a belief that classical theater still matters. In a time when the theater scene often overlooks the enduring power of ‘the old texts,’ we choose to bring them back to the conversation — not to preserve them under glass, but to awaken them, disturb them, and let them speak again.
Joining Tinio and Capinding on the artistic team are Tata Tuviera (production designer), Ara Fernando (makeup designer), Zak Joaquin Capinding (sound designer), D Cortezano (lighting designer), EJ Ramos (assistant lighting designer), Jo Aguilar (graphic designer), and Reamur A. David (photographer).
The show runs on August 8 at 8 PM, August 9 at 2 PM, 5 PM, and 8 PM, and August 10 at 2 PM and 5 PM, at the Rizal Mini Theater, Ateneo de Manila University. Tickets are priced at P800 (general audience), P720 (TA alumni, senior citizens, PWDs), and P700 (students of any level from any school), and may be purchased via the group’s Google Form.
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