Strong, irresistibly sweet, and just the right amount of bitter. Kapeng Barako Club: Extra Strong follows a group of friends as they navigate their feelings, all over coffee. The drink is then used by playwright Juan Ekis as a metaphor for the characters’ feelings and eclecticism. Eksena PH, a community of artists and creators, impresses with their staging of Kapeng Barako Club. Dubbed as an immersive and interactive show, the play is performed in a functioning cafe. 

Cozy and lived-in

What sets this specific show apart from previous stagings of Kapeng Barako Club is not only its site-specific setting, but also the inclusion of a free drink with your PHP 700 ticket. Theatregoers may choose from an americano or a Spanish latte before they enter Pasig’s Cafe Shylō. If you do not drink coffee, you can choose from either a matcha or a fruit soda. Several seats, such as monoblocs, ergonomic chairs, and sofas, are available for free seating. 

From the get-go, the show urges you to cozy up. To just watch all these young individuals navigate the complexities of their lives.

Its ensemble is nothing but stellar. They all work cohesively together, and they bring such vivid life to the script. Despite the number of characters, every actor delivers a lived-in performance that prove Ekis’ script as something that will continue to endure and resonate.   

Immersive and interactive

The play begins with its actors scattered around the place. They may be up on the stairs, or by the door, or by the area with the sofas. This lives up to its promise of being immersive. Wonderful direction from Karl Jingco leans into the intimacy of this place. The nuances of the space are understood: moments like a glance across the room and a pause in the middle of things have the weight they deserve. The production uses blocking effectively: characters sit apart or speak from the stairs to emphasize their feelings.

Jingco’s directorial choices to also have select audience members participate in some scenes, whether it be acting or singing along, live up to the show’s promise of being interactive. These add to the power of Ekis’ script to play well to different audiences. 

However, the script’s lack of a clear-cut resolution may prove to be unsatisfying for some viewers. Given the two hours we have spent, it is just natural to want to see how everything fares. Yet Ekis’ decision to choose ambiguity, and mirror the relationships it portrays, hammers home the point. The play may not offer a clean ending, but it offers something more enduring.

In this thoughtfully brewed production of the play, Kapeng Barako Club: Extra Strong proves itself as more than a story about twenty-somethings. It’s strong, irresistibly sweet, and just the right amount of bitter, much like the feelings that the show stirs up in you.

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