This is the second and final part of my Virgin Labfest XXI reviews, covering Sets C and D.

Set C: ‘Balat Kalabaw’

“Balat Kalabaw” (carabao skin) is a collection of dramas about characters who develop thick skin and resilience to survive, yet reveal the turmoil beneath their emotional toughness.

‘Elehiya’

Like one of its lines, Elehiya is a theater of and for men. Palanca-winning playwright Dustin Celestino returns to VLF with a drama about men’s difficulty in expressing emotions. In the case of a father and son, silence and repression fracture the relationship.

Directed by Ron Capinding, this elegiac drama presents a montage of memories and reflections, but in a dull and often lifeless manner. While some performers fare better than others, several suffer from uneven delivery, at times so soft that key moments barely register. Two father-son pairs, or sometimes a single pair, recite their respective elegies — laments for lost chances and missed opportunities for reconciliation.

Thank goodness for Yan Yuzon, whose command of the stage stands as the production’s strongest element. It is not Yuzon’s fault — he gives it everything he has — but the monologue itself feels overwrought and contrived. His performance becomes the main attraction. There are undeniably poetic lines, such as “Rebulto ng mga lalaki ay gumuguho (or something close to that),” yet what could have been a heartfelt piece about a universal experience turns into a showcase for florid prose and Yuzon’s formidable delivery.

‘Betamax’

Betamax takes a surreal, absurdist approach to a dark reality that exists in some homes. Three siblings clash when one sister begins to see human pigs. The play relies on melodrama and repeats itself so often that the mind checks out once the symbolic nature of the hallucinations becomes obvious.

The material offers an interesting take on abuse and power, and the cast delivers competent performances. The heavy stylistic approach, however, coupled with loud, dragging drama, ultimately renders the piece tedious.

‘She’s Electric’

She’s Electric boasts one of the festival’s most impressive stage designs. Set inside a stylish living room, the play follows an unassuming man who welcomes friends into his home to meet his attractive girlfriend, Rose, for the first time. Their obvious mismatch sparks curiosity, but once the guests realize Rose is not what she seems, curiosity escalates into debate.

Much of the humor comes from the friends’ reactions. The comedy leans lowbrow and packs plenty of gags, yet remains engaging. Themes of loneliness, companionship and the definition of love and dependence come across clearly. Still, the play leaves little lasting impression. A pleasant time-killer.

Set D: ‘Pusong Mamon’

This is the “mental health set,” which explores vulnerability, sensitivity and emotional openness as its characters reveal their inner devastation.

‘Footprint’

There is tremendous potential in Jerom Canlas’ drama, inspired by his own family. A family struggles to come to terms with the death of its youngest son. The parents, the older brother and the girlfriend revisit memories of a boy gone too soon and under tragic circumstances.

The play presents these memories through a physical archive of cabinets, safes, file folders, photo albums and a television — vessels that hold clues the family desperately searches for to cope with grief.

Unfortunately, pacing issues and excessive melodrama diminish the impact. Worse, misplaced and corny humor — particularly the recurring “Mag-reply ka naman” line — constantly disrupts the emotional momentum. The grief is clear, but the execution falters.

‘Buhaghag’

Buhaghag delivers one of the festival’s most compelling executions. It accurately captures the inner world of a person with major depressive disorder compounded by panic attacks.

Set entirely inside a bedroom, the play presents a harrowing visual representation of mental illness: withdrawal, overwhelm, neglect of one’s surroundings, neglect of personal hygiene — hence the tangled, bushy hair.

Adrianne Vergara, as the giant mass of hair and the monster within, embodies the sufferer’s internal dialogue. The play culminates in a heart-stopping and searingly accurate depiction of a breakdown, as the protagonist stands torn between surrender and survival.

My only quibbles concern the lead performer’s weak delivery and the material’s apparent need to inject humor into moments that require gravity. Sometimes a work does not need comic relief. Sometimes the absence of humor allows the message to land with greater force. Still, Buhaghag remains one of this year’s standout productions.

‘Taksyapo!’

Humor remains subjective, but one has to admire John Lapus’ craftsmanship. He writes candid, conversational and natural Filipino, perhaps the most natural dialogue in this year’s festival.

This unembellished and unpretentious two-hander comes alive through the sterling, effortless performances of Christian Bables and Mosang. Two unlikely strangers meet inside a rage booth and open up about everything from petty grievances to personal tragedy.

The audience howled with laughter throughout. I barely laughed myself, and the story could easily pass as simplistic comedy, but that is not what makes it special. Under Tuxqs Rutaquio’s direction, the play never strains for emotion. Instead, the stage fills with recognizable human beings — authentic, relatable and disarmingly real.

Virgin Labfest XXI runs until 28 June at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez Black Box Theater, Cultural Center of the Philippines. Tickets are available through TicketWorld.