Beauty and Gore: Unsettling Audiences in the 2018 Production of Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio

Abstract

Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio (1968) by Paul Dumol is a gem of Philippine theatre. Being one of the first post-modern plays written in Filipino, it has gained popularity with the Filipino audiences. Framed as a trial of beggars, this play opens the wounds of contemporary society and poses existential questions to the spectator. Already forming part of a trial, the audience could not but judge the sins of human cruelty, injustice, and social inequality. Although there have been innumerable productions, both professional and amateur, the 2018 production stands out among them. Even the playwright, Paul Dumol, declared it his favorite. The 2018 fiftieth-anniversary production of Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio, was a collaboration between Theatre Titas and Duende Theatre and performed in Poblacion, Makati City, in Novembre, 2018. It was staged by an acclaimed theatre director and Dumol’s disciple, Christian Vallez, also known as Juan Ekis. The play received notable recognition at the Broadway World Philippines Awards, where it earned a total of nine nominations and ultimately won two awards: Best Director, awarded to Juan Ekis, and Best Featured Actress (Andrea Fe Padilla, as Interrogator 2). Vallez is a writer and playwright himself who has won Palanca Awards for his plays: Twenty Questions (2003), Kapeng Barako Club: Samahan ng Mga Bitter (2010), and Pingkian (2024), which he put onstage. His latest play L.E.G.I.O.N (2024), a university-based comedy, was highly influenced by staging of Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio in its atmosphere, design, and interaction with the audience. Vallez also worked with National Artist for Film Marilou Diaz-Abaya and taught screenwriting and film production at her institute. This interview, which took place on June 6, 2025, is the conversation with Vallez about the 2018 production of Ang Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio.