Baklâ: noun, Tagalog. 1) homosexual; 2) unable to reproduce; 3) F****t.
1521. The start of 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, sparking a genocide across the islands now known as the Philippines. The loss of my ancestral homeland sends ripples through time, emitting a cultural amnesia. A young man struggles to remember his first time after a night out at a gay club and a transgender priestess summons the spirit of her mother to protect her village. Worlds collide in a production where audiences are presented with a kaleidoscope of vignettes, and are invited to weave together a theatrical journey dripping with symbolism.
A whirlwind of catholic guilt, moaning (in pain or pleasure?) and with more lines on a mirror than a sonnet.
After tearing up the Edinburgh Fringe, a national tour and the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, Baklâ returns to London.
“This teasing tomfoolery is devilishly smart” - ★★★★ The Guardian
Winner of the Best Show category at the Asian Arts Awards 2023, an OffFest nomination, and nominations for Best Male-Identifying Performance, Best Cultural Exchange and Best New Writing in Dublin.
"The seed commission has made me feel supported, not just as an artist but also a woman of colour whose story needs to be heard."
CPT Commissioned Artist
