The Cultural Center of the Philippines presents Baka Naman Hindi with a comeback of actors Ricky Davao and Rina Reyes as they play husband and wife for the Filipino version of Georges Feydeau’s farce, A Flea in Her Ear.
“I’m happy to be back here at the CCP,” Davao said in a press conference held at the CCP Main Theater Lobby, Oct. 2.
Ricky, who plays “Victor Delgado,” has memorable performances in many plays such as Bongbong at Kris, In Frailty’s Grace, Silang Nalugmok sa Gabi, Lihis, Felipe de las Casas, Hedda Gabler, and he was also in the very first production of Tanghalang Pilipino, the Dalagang Bukid.
“My father (Charlie Davao) was in the play. I must have been about thirteen then. It was the very first play I had ever seen and I was fascinated,” Davao reminisced adding that the play, which had late great Vic Silayan and Bernardo Bernardo as cast members, plays a significant part in his childhood.
Playing the role of Victor’s wife, Alicia, Rina was a regular performer for Tanghalang Pilipino and she was part of Bienvenido Noriega’s Bituing Marikit, and she appeared with her mother Baby O’Brien in Bayan-Bayanan.
The director of the film, Dennis Marasigan, said that the play suits the Filipino audience as the characters talk in Filipino and are familiar to the audience. He also explained that Baka Naman Hindi is the play’s title for it is a familiar expression for every Filipino.
“When you watch the play, you would discover that there’s a part of our history where people only think of their own welfare, that there are people in our society who really think nothing but their own advantage,” Marasigan said.
Joining Davao and Reyes are brilliant actors and actresses on the theater scene. Actor Lou Veloso wants to have a different persona in the play, while Tex Ordonez de Leon said that she didn’t have any hurdles regarding the chemistry of all the casts.
“Never pa akong nakagawa ng farce,” said Rafa Siguion Reyna, who played recently as Julian in Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, and admitted that speaking Tagalog fluently in his every dialogue is a challenge.
Also, the other cast members are Nazer Salcedo, Nelsito Gomez, Raffy Tejada, Gilleth Sandico, Mosang, Anthony Falcon, Jef Henson Dy, Ronnie Martinez, and Wenah Nagales.
The play centers on Victor, the characters don’t know he has a doppelganger who works as a porter named Dodong in a hotel. All hell breaks loose as the other characters couldn’t tell which one of the two they are dealing with.
“I’m sure you’re going to like this one,” Davao assured.
The play will be staged at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) on Oct. 18 to 21 at 8:00 p.m. and Oct. 20 to 21 at 3:00 p.m.. Tickets are available at the price of P1,000 and P1,200 pesos—with discounts for students, senior citizens, government employees and groups—and available through the CCP Box Office (832-3704) and Ticketworld (891-9999).