Ricky Davao and Rina Reyes may have made their mark in films and television, but their hearts are firmly in theater. Both are making their stage comeback in the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) production of the play Baka Naman Hindi.
In this adaptation of Georges Feydeau’s classic farce, A Flea in Her Ear, Ricky and Rina play the husband and wife Victor and Alicia Delgado. Unknown to them, Victor has a doppelganger who works as a porter named Dodong in a hotel. When the events of the play bring them there, all hell breaks loose as the other characters couldn’t tell which one of the two they are dealing with.
Ricky recalls that he saw a production of this play in the 1970’s, then produced and directed by current CCP President Arsenio Lizaso. “My father (Charlie Davao) was in the play. I must have been about 13 then. It was the very first play I had ever seen and I was fascinated.” Also in the cast in the role that he now plays was the late great Vic Silayan.
Since then, Ricky has turned in memorable performances in such plays as Bongbong at Kris, In Frailty’s Grace, Silang Nalugmok sa Gabi, Lihis, Felipe de las Casas, Hedda Gabler, Salitang Dila, and Palasyo ni Valentin, just to name a few. Not a lot of people know that he was in the very first production of Tanghalang Pilipino, Dalagang Bukid, unrecognizable as an American character beneath a wig and layers of make-up.
Though audiences are more familiar with her film work, Rina was also a regular performer for Tanghalang Pilipino. In its first season, she was in the cast of Bienvenido Noriega’s Bituing Marikit, also directed by Nonon Padilla. Other plays she was in included Bayan-Bayanan where she appeared with her mother, Baby O’Brien, and in the twinbill Paraisong Parisukat/Kailangan: Isang Tsaperon directed by Spanky Manikan.
Ricky and Rina are joined in Baka Naman Hindi by a stellar cast that also include Lou Veloso, Tex Ordoñez de Leon, Nazer Salcedo, Rafa Siguion Reyna, Nelsito Gomez, Raffy Tejada, Gilleth Sandico, Mosang, Jef Henson Dy, Felipe Ronnie Martinez and Wenah Nagales.
A presentation of the CCP, Baka Naman Hindi was adapted by Virgilio Beer Flores. Ohm David designed the sets, James Reyes is costume designer, TJ Ramos is sound designer, and Dennis Marasigan is director and lighting designer.
The play goes onstage at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) on October 18 to 21 at 8:00 p.m. and October 20 to 21 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets at P1,000 and P1,200 (with discounts for students, senior citizens, government employees and groups) are available through the CCP Box Office (832-3704) and Ticketworld +632-891-9999.
