‘The Child’, an Adaptation of Ibsen’s ‘The Wild Duck,’ to Be Staged This November
CAST PH is set to close its 2026 season with the premiere of The Child, a new play adapted and directed by Nelsito Gomez from Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck. The production will run for six performances from November 28 to December 6 at Mirror Theatre Studios in Makati.
Set in present-day Norway, The Child follows married couple Gina and Hans Ekdal as they prepare for their daughter Hedvig’s thirteenth birthday. Their plans are disrupted by the unexpected arrival of Gregers Werle, a man from Hans’ past whose hidden agenda sets in motion a chain of events with devastating consequences.
Gomez, CAST PH’s artistic director and the creator of Uncle Jane, In the Eyes of the People, and Elecktra, reimagines Ibsen’s play as a chamber drama, streamlining its characters and family dynamics while retaining the central moral conflicts of the original.
“I’ve been wanting to create a version of The Wild Duck for a while now. When I first read it, it landed on me with such devastating force I knew this was something I wanted other people to experience. The original play had about thirteen characters which posed some economical problems for me. So I went to work reimagining the circumstances and structure which slowly grew into a new creation: The Child. Ibsen is truly the father of modern drama and I hope to give it its due respect while stamping it with my own personal interpretation,” Gomez shares.
Leading the cast is five-time Gawad Buhay winner Marco Viaña as Hans Ekdal, alongside Gawad Buhay nominee Alfredo Reyes as Gregers Werle. They are joined by Gawad Buhay winner Caisa Borromeo as Gina Ekdal and Teia Contreras as Hedvig Ekdal. Rounding out the cast are Jaime Del Mundo as Hans’ father, Joseph Ekdal, and Carlitos Siguion-Reyna as Gregers’ father, Thomas Werle.
“The moral dilemma is quite universal and very immediately relatable to a Filipino audience especially in this day and age of online truth crusading. Do we expose the truth at all costs? Or are some lies worth protecting if it makes people happy?” Gomez says.
He adds, “Another thing audiences can look forward to is the assembly of actors, all of whom are sharing the stage with each other for the first time. They each bring such a unique background and experience to this play and I’m honored to join them in the room to help shape it.”
Gomez also serves as sound designer for the production. CAST PH Executive Director Sarah Facuri serves as production designer, with Rafa Sumilong as lighting designer.
Performances are scheduled for November 28 at 2 PM and 7 PM, November 29 at 2 PM, December 5 at 2 PM and 7 PM, and December 6 at 2 PM. The production will be staged on the third floor of Mirror Theatre Studios in Makati.
Early bird tickets are priced at ₱1,300 until October 18, 2026. Regular tickets are priced at ₱1,500. Tickets may be purchased through CAST PH’s ticket form.
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