Arousing curiosity and getting a lot of buzz is Walong Libo, a play written and directed by actor and academician Dante Balboa. It is the first foray of Benattia Productions into theater plays.

Drei Arias, Juan Calma, John Mark Marcia and Paulo Gumabao give life on stage to a character named Dante. 

In a nutshell, the play gives a glimpse of the life of an ambitious newcomer and the telephone call he received, the conversation he had with a stranger, the meet-up up and how he deals with the most tempting of offers.  

Balboa’s thoughts

The actor and academician shared his thoughts on the play, especially its uniqueness. He said: “It’s most unique quality is that there is only one actor on stage, a day in the life of a newcomer, what he does, thinks, who he converses with, what tickles his imagination, and the many dreams he wants to achieve, and the things he can and will do just to realize them.”

“It’s a cautionary tale as well,” Balboa added. “Being in the entertainment industry is not easy. Having a good face and body is never enough. Talent is a big factor in achieving your goals. Luck also plays a big key to your success, plus connections, professionalism, the love for the craft, and again, I will never tire of emphasizing the fact that the biggest factor to one’s success is emotional intelligence and yes, you need to have the talent.”

 “Another uniqueness of the play is how I, as its writer, was able to incorporate the mental health issues of the protagonist, plus his hyper sexuality disorder. “

On the play's taunting and ticklish ingredients, Balboa said: “Yes, they are present, but I did not write this play just for the titillations of the loins. It challenges and opens the mind, it engages people to reflect on trust, honesty, the value of people as people and not just merely sexually objectifying them, and that we must learn to respect the complexities and frailties of a person.” 

Drei’s Dante

Actor and model Drei Arias said yes to Walong Libo because: “It is a play that tackles a man’s psychological make-up, his dreams, frustrations. How he addresses his weaknesses. The way these things are in the script, nakaka-challenge as an actor, and at the same time, it helps in making me understand about mental and sexual issues.”  

What he likes most about being Dante, Arias said: “Even if my character is a sexy actor, what I admire most about the way he was written, his talent in acting and his intelligence. It sets him apart from the others. He is aware of the issues that he will encounter as a newcomer; he is ready for them, whatever they may be. He knows that other newcomers will do everything for the sake of popularity to achieve the external validation they desire.”

“I relate to my character Dante,” said the theater arts graduate. “I am also an actor, I had my lion’s share of intrigues, I had done sexual congress scenes with leading ladies and male actors as partners. I joined and won some titles in male pageantry. Naging baguhan rin ako (I was once new), that is why this character resonates so much.”

What he learned from his character, Arias said: “There is no need to feel pressure about the artificial things. Be more discerning. Weigh the pros and cons.Be careful who to trust.”

What new perspectives about being a man, manliness, and manhood will the audiences get from the Walong Libo? “Wow, that’s a tough one. Thank you very much for the wonderful question,” Arias reacted to the query with a smile. “Some men are concerned about their reputation, and they put a premium on it. Others do not care or worry about how they are perceived, and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want. Of course, there are still many who see the value of hard work, integrity, of chasing dreams and rainbows and are passionate about making them realities.”

“Being a man is the total of your choices; it is always doing right and being good versus becoming bad with no fear of karma and not caring about his morality.  It is foolish, if not outright stupid, to believe that manhood and manliness depend on the size of what is between your legs. There is more to a man than his penis or its size.  A man is measured with his deeds, kindness, words, passion and the burning fire of his spirit,” Arias ended.

Walong Libo is slated on 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 18 August, with 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. performances at Teatrino Promenade, Greenhills.