Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chamber Theater
Chamber Theater
Chamber Theater
NARRATOR: Have you ever wondered why women are the ones who wash the dishes? There
was a tale in a small town of Santa Rosa. Among the village homes stands a firm stilt house.
There lived a couple named Hugo and Imelda, also known by their neighbors Ka Maldang and
Ka Ugong.
Ka Maldang: Imelda was a very big woman, stand and proud, muscular than my poor husband.
Ka Ugong: Hugo was a thin man and small in size compared to his wife, lazy at times yet
reliable well…sometimes.
NARRATOR: After every meal, they quarreled over who’s going to wash the dishes. Imelda
would often scold Hugo if he refused to wash the dishes. Sometimes, she would become so
angry and call him names, and if he ever talks back, she would get something near her and
throw him with it. He would run to the house of his compadre and hide there. till his wife’s anger
had passed.
NARRATOR: One day, just as they were finishing their lunch, Ka Ugong announced:
Ugong: He threw out his chest and l lifted his chin and said, I will not wash the dishes anymore!
Maldang: Why do you say so? (asked Ka Maldang, holding up her chin, higher than his.)
Ugong: I say so! l work so hard in the field all day,I am not going to wash the dishes!
Ka Maldang: Ka Maldang stood up and with her arms akimbo, she glared down at Ka Ugong
across the table. Her arms were stourt. Her voice was also big.
Ka ugong: Ka Ugong’s chest sank again. His chin also went down. He held on to the edge of the
table nervously.
Ugong: Well why of course, you. You're the woman in this house, you do all the housework.
Maldang: (Ka Maldang began to walk around with chin still up, mocking her husband) Oh, I am
so sorry... my poor poor husband who works in the fields. You tie the carabao in the reeds and
lie down and just watch it! You call that hard work? I stay here in the house to wash your
clothes, cook your food, clean the floors, and tend your groceries! And when I ask you to simply
help me to wash the dishes, you just simply refuse? You don’t even make love to me anymore!
(Shouted ka Maldang while sobbing uncontrollably)
Ka Ugong: Anak ng patuka! Eto nanamang asawa ko wala nang ginawa kung hindi dada ng
dada! Hindi niya ba alam ang hirap ng pagsasaka?! hayss
Narrator: Ka Maldang’ s voice was now raised to a high pitch and her tears posed on her eyelids
at Ka Ugong. Glancing at her plate. She then grabbed and raised her plate up above her head.
Maldang: Only that? (Said Ka Maldang.) “The first one who talks will always wash the plates,
bowls, and pots and pans. Always.”(While whispering to herself, facing away ka ugong)
Maldang: Napakadali naman ng hamon ng aking tingting na asawa, kaya ko pang manahimik
ng isang taon pero siya?! Hah utoto niya isang minuto palang magsasalita yan akala niya,
mwahaha
Narrator: They never lose sight and leave each other in fear that one will talk to themselves
when one is gone.
Narrator: Amidst of the silent staredown between the two, a figure suddenly appears on the
kitchen room, a black slender cat, approaching the table. However, the couple never paid
attention to our feline friend.
Cat: (do the thing in the legs in the couple(hindi ko alam exact na action basta ganun), purring)
Narrator: Madlang did not drive the cat away neither did Ka Ugong.
Narrator: The cat licked the plates, rather...seductively
Cat: Meow!( looks at ka maldang and ka ugong, the cat approaches ka ugong looking at him
while licking the paws)
Narrator: the cat then overturned a cup and spilled its contents then jumped off the table. Ka
Ugong pretended nothing had happened, he continued to sit still, and so did Ka Madlang.
NARRATOR: Hours pass and the both of them are still staring mutely at each other. It all seems
quiet, until... (COMPADRE ENTERS THE STAGE)
Compadre: Comadre Maldang are you there? Yoohoo! (Followed by silence) Hmmm...perhaps
nobody is home, but what's with the ladder on their door? They usually remove the ladder when
they're not at home. Eh, I'll just go get the bamboo and return it later.
(The compadre took the bamboo and notices the deadbeat couple)
Compadre: Oh hey! there you guys are...Guys? Why are you guys ignoring me?...What is
happening to you. Comadre? (shakes Maldang) Compadre?... (shakes Ugong),
NARRATOR: But the poor fellow only received nothing but silence.
Compadre: Good Heavens, Have you guys eaten something to make you stupid or something?
I must tell the whole village!
3
NARRATOR: After what the compadre did, within the next few seconds the hut is now
surrounded by curious spectators. They were trying everything to make the couple talk but alas
none of their methods worked.
Woman#2 and what kind of illness would that be? We must do something call the herb doctor!
Woman#1: Eto nanaman tayo kay Mang Jojo, hindi na ba sila nasiraan ng ulo?
Herb doctor: Yes...yes...(checks the couples wrists) yes... I have seen this before... This couple
is...bewitched/ (EVERYBODY GASPS)
Herb doctor: I will see what I can do for them... (Grabs his leaves and sprinkles it in a bowl)
Come sit here on the floor with me...
(Ugong sits on the floor while Maidang refuses to sit with them)
Herb doctor: Ah, the spirit within her is too stubborn. must break this spelll
Narrator: He spits in the bowl of leaves and chants weird magical chants
All neighbors: (disgusted sound such as, eww! Yuck! Eek, vomit sounds.)
(The herb doctor lifts his hands in the air and sprinkles the leaves into the air, blowing them to
Maldang and Ugong)
NARRATOR: But despite the herb doctor's efforts the couple still refuses to talk. The only
reaction he got. was the disgusted looks the neighbors were giving to him.
Herb doctor: Phew, the spell is too strong! I'm afraid if don't break it the spell might cast out to
others by nightfall!
(EVERYONE GASPS)
5
Herb doctor: I am afraid I cannot do anything to break this spell, it is simply too powerful.
Herb doctor: This is the first witchery of its kind that I have met here. By their silence I believe
that they are dead. Their spirits, driven away by the witch, have left their bodies. The only thing
to do to keep their souls in peace and to prevent this witchery craft from spreading among us is
to bury them.
Woman#2: Oh my, poor Maldang...poor Ugong... (Points at man 1 and 2) go two clean white
clothes and let us have a proper ceremonial for our late neighbors.) You two!
Man 1 and 2: Yes, quickly before night comes. (The men walk away)
Herb doctor: It is my pleasure... Now be careful. You might be a victim of the spell... (Walks out)
6
NARRATOR: It is now time to put the so called “bodies” of Maldang and Ugong, but both of
them have not uttered a single word, wonder how they feel about this “burial”…
(The women appear to be crying while the men have now found white cloths for the couple)
Ka Madlang: “Surely, Hugo will not let me be buried tomorrow. Uh, I’m afraid to sleep in that
coffin tonight. No, I’ll not let them lift me into it,” she thought to herself.
Narrator: But she did not hear Ka Ugong speak. She opened her eyes just as the herb man,
aided by two other men,put his arms around her to lift up from her chair.
Ka Maldang: (Ka Maldang pushed the men, got up to her feet, and shouted,) “Don’t touch us!
Get out! Get out of my house. Shame on you for coming here, meddling with our lives!”
Narrator: As Ka Madlang pushed the people away, he turned around to see if his husband was
fine, she looked at him and she was convinced that Ka Ugong was sleeping deeply.
Ka Madlang: HAHAHAHA, he will never know that I talked first, as soon as he wakes up, I’m
sure he is going to open his mouth.
(IM STILL STANDING STARTS TO PLAY)
You could never know what it's like
Your blood like winter freezes just like ice
And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you
You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use
And did you think this fool could never win?
Well, look at me, I'm coming back again
I got a taste of love in a simple way
And if you need to know while I'm still standing, you just fade away
Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did
Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid
I'm still standing after all this time
Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
I'm still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah)
(END)
CASTS:
KA UGONG – CHRISTIAN PITA
KA MADLANG – AKISHA JOSE
COMPADRES – RUSSEL LIM AND JOHN PETALINO
WOMAN NEIGHBOR – JHOANA ESTUYE
HERB DOCTOR – EARL JASMINEZ
CAT – AKA NARRATOR (PUPPET SOCK)