Watching Jun Robles Lana’s About Us But Not About Us on stage feels like being locked in a room with grief, resentment, and manipulation for two straight hours and somehow, you still wouldn’t want to leave. It’s been a while since we last stepped inside a theater and our comeback was indeed real with Director Tuxqs Rutaquio’s stage adaptation of the psychological drama. Despite only two to three characters on stage at a time, the intensity is enough to keep your eyes and ears glued to every word, every pause, and every suppressed emotion.
Marcus, played by Epy Quizon (alternately Andoy Ranay), stood out not just for his delivery but for how he used props to punctuate the tension. The intentional (or maybe not) dropping of his Starfinder glasses, wiping it whenever something big is about to happen, to ripping of pages from a book — these weren’t random acts. They were deliberate choices that made his grief and pent‑up frustration feel tangible and relatable. Eric, portrayed by Romnick Sarmenta (alternately Tuxqs Rutaquio), simmered with pent-up resentment, a man stuck in the moral gray area who makes you root for him even as he unravels. Meanwhile, Elijah Canlas (alternately Kobie Brown) as Lancelot was manipulative yet oddly sympathetic, a student who weaponizes vulnerability to twist the narrative.
What makes the play so compelling is that none of them feel like a true protagonist. Each character is flawed, each one villainous in their own way — and that complexity is what keeps the audience hooked. With no intermission to break the tension, you’re forced to sit with these men and the wreckage they leave behind. The only thing close to an intermission we got was the constant funny interjections of a waiter, which made the heavy atmosphere feel a bit lighter.
What makes the play even more gripping are the real‑life parallels it hints at. These days, someone can be celebrated as a “writer” without ever finishing a manuscript. Silence can be bought to protect reputations. And let’s be honest, “alter” accounts and secret personas are practically part of the digital landscape now. The question of who’s at fault, or who counts as the lesser evil, ultimately depends on the audience’s own morals and biases.
Teorya ng mga Tanong became a topic in the stageplay, but it’s an actual published book that you can read after watching! Was fortunate enough to get my copy signed by the author himself, Jun Robles Lana.
Color me intrigued, I ended up buying a copy of Teorya ng mga Tanong, which was being sold outside the theater, just to dig deeper into the world of About Us But Not About Us. The play doesn’t just stay on stage. It lingers, making you want to peel back more layers and understand the characters beyond what you’ve just witnessed.
Starfinder Promo: See the Show, Win a New Pair
As a sponsor, providing the iconic glasses of Marcus in the play and Php 300 vouchers to everyone who watches the play, Starfinder Optical is adding to the excitement by running a special promo for ticketholders. If you watched About Us But Not About Us, your ticket could win you a free SoYou Eyewear with a BlueCut Lens upgrade. Registration runs from October 9–26, 2026, and three lucky winners will each take home a pair.
Just fill out the Google Form at https://forms.gle/VM83jdpJCUZewGa38 to join. It’s a clever tie‑in, connecting the symbolism of glasses, clarity, and perspective with a play that thrives on blurred lines and moral ambiguity.
As a treat to everyone: Did you know that the frame Marcus was wearing was specifically chosen by the production team? They described Marcus as a character who wears aviator glasses, and the Soyou Metal SYM3206 in Rose Gold was a perfect fit for the character’s personality and overall image. Aviator glasses are often associated with intelligence and confidence, which reflected Marcus’ witty and sharp personality.
We walked out of the theater still debating who our favorite character was — Marcus, Erickson, or Lancelot? They’re all flawed and villains in their own ways, and that’s exactly what makes the story so gripping. It’s raw, deliberate, and unforgettable. Pair that with Starfinder’s promo, and you don’t just get a night of powerful theater, but also a chance to literally see the world differently.
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