Agot Isidro returns to the stage

MANILA, Philippines - There are performers who become major stars in cinema and then succumb to the lure of the legitimate stage — or at least are persuaded to try theater — and succeed, too, in this discipline. Nora Aunor is one example, although her output here is rather slim.

And there are those whose background is theater and then make the leap to the movies — and do very well in this genre. Some examples are director Joel Lamangan and singing actress Agot Isidro.

Agot made her debut in musical theater in 2003 with Trumpets’ Honk! and followed this up with choice roles in Atlantis Pro-ductions’ Baby and Footloose for Stages, and then, heralding her entry into showbiz, appeared in a tongue-in-cheek role as Queen Femina Suarestellar Baroux in Zsazsa Zaturnah Ze Muzikal, Tanghalang Pilipino’s long-running hit.

Then movies and TV beckoned, and her long list of credits here included Tayong Dalawa, One More Try, Lobo, Ang Mumunting Lihim and Way Back Home. Her dramatic prowess was confirmed last year when she was adjudged Best Actress at the Metro Manila Film Festival, appearing as a schizophrenic mother in Mga Anino ng Kahapon. Last year, Agot was also a Golden Screen Award nominee for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role. And this year, she is a Gawad Urian Award nominee for Best Actress.

And then, after seven years, she returns to the stage.

Agot is the lead star in Red Turnip’s Rabbit Hole, a drama by David Lindsay-Abaire, which opened recently at Whitespace (2314 Chino Roces Ave. Pasong Tamo, Makati City) and will run during the weekends until Aug. 31. Direction is by Topper Fabregas.

Red Turnip, only a year old, is a company that mounts edgy, experimental straight plays envisioned as an alternative to the more captivating musical theater. Its recent productions were Closer and Cock, and its producers are Ana Abad-Santos, Topper, Jenny Jamora, Cris Villonco and Rem Zamora.

Rabbit Hole is a bleak, melancholy tale which, nevertheless, elicits laughter often from the audience because of some witty and humorous remarks. It is a family story about a married couple, Becca (Agot) and Howie (Michael Williams) trying to cope with the death of their four-year-old son Danny in an accident.

It is the mother, as always, who is the most vulnerable.

Becca’s younger sister Izzy (Che Ramos-Cosio), an emancipated type, announces at the beginning of the play that she is pregnant. And Becca/Agot can only think about the young life that was snuffed out and the new life to be born.

Their mother Nat (Sheila Francisco) is garrulous and rambles on and on, seeking to console her daughter in her own clumsy way but only succeeds, in an emotional encounter, to opening up recent wounds.

The first act is confrontational, shrill and in-your-face but the second act is strangely muted and quiet, slow and almost dragging, as Becca/Agot and Howie/Michael come to terms with their grief, the latter speaking practically in whispers.

It is an emotionally demanding play, with Agot rising to the challenge in a straight dramatic role, her first straight play. And there are brilliant performances from the stellar cast, with Ross Pesigan as young Jason.

After the curtain call and the open forum, Agot, talking about her comeback to the theater, to this writer, said, “I still get jitters (from a appearing in a play). It’s different from TV. Here there is no ‘cut’ or ‘do it again.’ The audience reaction is immediate. So it’s both scary and fun.” Photos by Amadís Ma. Guerrero