Photos: Check Out Diego Aranda, Isabelle Prado in TWENTY QUESTIONS (20Q)

Manila, Philippines--Theatre Titas ("What's in the Dark," "Macbeth") has officially returned to live performances via Juan Ekis' (X) 20th-anniversary production of "Twenty Questions" (20Q), a one-act two-hander play that won second place at the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards in its early years.

Now playing on the weekends of May at the Mirror Studio Theatre in Barangay Poblacion, Makati City, 20Q, in its 2023 iteration, stars Diego Aranda ("Quest for the Adarna," "Joseph, the Dreamer") and Isabelle Prado (her professional theater debut).

Diego and Isabelle play the characters of Jigs and Yumi, respectively, in the production photos below.

Stuck for 24 hours in the four corners of a room, Jigs and Yumi kill time by playing (with the help of a generous serving of wine) the latter's game called "Twenty Questions," which elicits honest conversations about first crushes, dating, sex, and dark secrets.

"Jigs and Yumi are in their early to mid-20s. Whether you're reading the first draft in 2003 or watching this production in 2023, they are in their 20s, and that realization inspired this iteration of 20Q," says Cheese Mendez, the show's director.

"Thoughtful and probing conversations with my GenZ friends informed me certain lines and expressions evolved or lost their relevance in the last two decades. Words like 'aber' and 'kokote' are no longer in the GenZ vernacular. [Also] The younger generation no longer understands the Beatle's reference when you talk about bells on a hill. This should prompt a more thorough discussion of how much of 20Q still holds today."

He adds, "[Long-time fans of the piece] may not agree with my rendition of 20Q. or how I see Jigs and Yumi, but I sincerely hope they understand that by not catering to the nuances of what 20Q was, this show is as much for them as it is for the younger audiences."

Mendez, who is also the show's set designer, is joined by Diandra Concepcion, production manager; Stephen Dusaban, stage manager; Irene Romero, technical director; and Greg Rodriguez, in charge of music, to bring to life this revamped version of 20Q, which has been well-received by the audiences who saw the show on its packed opening weekend.

Photos: Dulcinea Zulueta, Matt Lee Shoots

Diego Aranda, Isabelle Prado

Isabelle Prado, Diego Aranda

Diego Aranda

Diego Aranda, Isabelle Prado

Diego Aranda, Isabelle Prado

Diego Aranda, Isabelle Prado

Isabelle Prado, Diego Aranda

Isabelle Prado, Diego Aranda

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