Apples from the Desert

Apples from the Desert is about an independent-minded daughter and her Jewish Orthodox parents and the conflict that arises as the young lady discovers and chooses love and life beyond the confines of her highly regimented life. A heartwarming dramatic comedy (with the comedy provided mostly by the antics of the irrepressible aunt) written by Savyon Liebrecht, one of Israel’s best selling and acclaimed writers. The one I saw with friends last September 12 was the Filipino version which was translated by Lisa Magtoto and directed by Tess Jamias. The play was presented by Tanghalang Pilipino at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino.

It was highly entertaining and full of insights on family relations. Except for some scenes between the father and daughter that I found lacking in conviction making it less effective in connecting with the audience, the play was well worth the travel of going all the way to Roxas Blvd from Quezon City and braving the vey unpredictable weather. The play is ideal for teens and parents and couch potatoes.

I brought my bulky camera thinking of possible fantastic photos of the CCP grounds after the play and breathtaking views along the bay while taking a leisurely walk but the darn weather did not cooperate so I had to settle with these: a modest but very tasty dinner, a shot of the CCP inside the cab, and a very cute stuff toy that seemed to mirror our sentiments of the weather.