Twenty Answers to Twenty Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why did you write Twenty Questions?

In the summer of 2003, I was asked by a friend, Bobby Nazareno, to mount a play for his group. He wanted a series of plays that taught values to high school students. Twenty Questions was supposed to be the first in the series, talking about sex and relationships. Eventually, we realized that what I wrote wasn't exactly for the high school audience. The project was aborted eventually despite the fact that it won an award.

2. What inspired you to write it?

As always, I was beating the deadline for the material. I was stumped. How the hell am I going to write a play that talks about the sanctity of sex and marriage without being preachy? I hate being preachy. I was running out of gas. I was so desperate for a concept that I turned on the TV and scanned all the Mexican, Korean, Chinese, and what-have-you-telenovelas for any story. All of a sudden, I came across a Brazilian telenovela: Monica Brava. In that episode, Monica and her leading man were quarantined in a room for 40 days and 40 nights. A guy and a girl…trapped in a room. Perfect recipe for a romantic comedy.

3. Is there are real game of Twenty Questions?

Contrary to what some of my friends think, I did not invent the game. The original version I wrote was called Bahay-bahayan. In that version, the barkada played a prank on Jigs and Yumi. They had them drunk and locked in a room. The next day, they wake up on the same bed wondering if something happened between them the previous night. The play didn't work. Although reading the first version still amuses me. When I thought of rewriting the whole thing, I decided to make twenty questions the spine of the dialogue. Another friend of mine, Red Sandico, told me that he used to play this game with a girlfriend over the phone. Some sort of getting-to-know game. I thought it would be a good premise for my play so I used it.

4. Did the play happen in real life?

Yeah. Some parts mine, some parts my friends, and most parts yours.

5. Was the play ever staged before?

The only staging of it that I know was the one done by Thespian Circle of UPLB around two years ago. Yes, they asked permission. No, I did not charge. Well, I did--a couple of beers and pulutan while watching them do it. Surfing the net, I found out that there were a lot of classroom staging of the play. I only wish I was invited to every staging of it. This is the first time I am staging it…after three years.

6. What happened after the lights went off?

Your guess is as good as mine.

7. Did they kiss?

Well…

8. Did they have sex after the lights went off?

I really don't know. I only got to the part when the lights went off.

9. Why the hell did the lights go off?!!

I liked ending the play that way instead of TELON or CURTAIN. Imagine if it were the curtains…what if the stage hand was too slow to crank the lever…?

10. Did they end up together?

Maybe in the sequel.

11. Are there still men like Jigs?

Believe me, THERE ARE!!!

12. Why are their names Jigs and Yumi?

Jigs is short for Jigollo. Yumi for Mayumi. My attempt at paradox.

13. When is the sequel coming out?

I was planning to write Twenty Answers last year. It was supposed to be my sequel. The setting is around five years later. Yumi becomes a stage actress and Jigs visits her at the backstage after watching her show. In this version I was writing, they never ended up together but there were hints of a second chance. This time, they give twenty answers to a single question.

14. Are you coming up with a movie version?

Soon. The script needs to be rewritten for the screen. And I think some indie guys made their own short film version. Someone even wrote a fanfiction based on it. It spread so fast in the internet, I lost track of the people I'm going to sue for copyright violation…hehehehe.

15. Did you write it with the cast in mind?

I hardly knew Rhenz and Frankie when I wrote the play. The characters of Jigs and Yumi were based on real people. Their stories were based on true stories. And their predicament was based on a real situation. I just weaved all these threads of reality and called it mine. However, after three years of collecting dust, I don't think the play will ever be more real to me with the cast I have now.

16. What is ASTIG?

Astig stands for Alagad ng Sining, Talino, Imahinasyon at Galing. Frankie, Roni and I have always wanted to put up a theater foundation. Together with a group of UA&P alumni and students, we put up the group so we can have an excuse to meet up several times a week and drink alcohol after rehearsals. Hehe. Seriously, we just want to do plays. We eat, drink, and bleed theater. Twenty Questions is our first baby.

17. It spread so fast in the internet. Bet you're filthy rich now.

I only wish I got a peso every time the play is forwarded and visited on a blog. Darn I finished IT! I should've had an e-commerce site for this!

18. Isn't Juan Ekis from UP?

I heard there was an Atenean claiming to have written this play. But come to think of it, the play sounds more Jesuit than Opus Dei. Hehe. Juan Ekis is from UA&P. Not the University Against the Poor nor the Center for the Rich and Coño. But as my old Commandant from UP-DMST once said: “UP, UA&P? Pareho lang 'yon! Tanggalin mo lang yung U!”

19. Aren't you also the one who wrote Subtext?

Er…no.

20. Do you have a girlfriend?

Is that your last question?