Dearest Gentle Reader,
I am pleased to announce that there is another success in the Philippine theatre scene’s phenomenal 2025 run: “Elecktra,” which closed earlier this month on August 3rd!
The Production in Poblacion
A thesis production by the phenomenal Dippy Arceo, “Elecktra” is a modernized Greek tragedy which explores themes of grief, rage, and the cycle of violence that passes from elders to the youth.
Directed by Nelsito Gomez and staged at the Mirror Studio Poblacion, it is a “bloody brilliant” addition to the Poblacion fringe theatre scene and an exciting follow-up to “Othello” earlier this year.
Indeed, several patrons who enjoyed the Bard’s work earlier this year returned for “Elecktra,” and it’s not hard to see why!
Every time Poblacion has a new play, the streets come alive with bustling theatrical discussions and it makes this writer very happy seeing everyone coming together for theatre.
I was fortunate enough to catch the last show, so here are my musings:
With minimalistic staging and a rousing drumset that punctuates and punches the dialogue, it retells the 2000-year old story of “Electra” written by Sophocles in 411 BCE for a modern audience – accessible, tragic, cathartic, and at times even darkly funny to today’s theatre-goers!
REVIEW
My review shall be structured as follows:
- Personal thoughts
- Themes of the work
- Highlights of the play
- Conclusion
“Elecktra” deeply understands rage. It revels in it and shows the truth and ugliness of human emotions, and how there are no easy answers in life. Every scream and bout of crying was justified, and an invitation to feel the powerful emotions we so neatly cover up in our daily lives, punctuated by powerful drumbeats and cymbal crashes by Dippy Arceo’s sister.
There were so many times I thought “She’s so me” because rage against injustice is a deeply human feeling.
“Where is justice? Where is justice?” Elecktra cries out between sobs and slamming her fists on the floor.
More often than not, people tell you to hide your rage and get over it.
Complex Characters, No Easy Answers
There is not one villain in this play. And while you feel for her anger at her father’s death, each revelation makes you question the premise posed at the beginning.
Throughout the play, my mind switched – at first, I revered Agammemnon (halo effect from them using Direk Jaime’s photo) and wanted Aegistus and Clytemnestra to get their karma.
Then came Clytemnestra’s scene where she said Agammemnon killed Iphigenia for some wind and victory in battle – Elecktra’s own sister. Then, I felt for Clytemnestra despite her cruelty to Elecktra because she did what she had to do to protect her children. If Agammemnon could sacrifice his own child to solve his problems, then where would it end in a royal cavalcade of constant headaches and problems?
“He thought he was doing the right thing!” Elecktra cries out, always defending her father- even when he burned her sister at the stake.
Then the undertones of grooming that were present since the start of the play (“You were always your father’s favorite… but it was different with you. You were too close.”)
It’s understandable that Elecktra’s feelings about this are complex, and/or that Clytemnestra is lying, or that their uncommonly close relationship between father and daughter was pathologized. We’ll never know, and that is precisely why there is so much to chew on in this play.
Greek Family Drama & Standout Performances
Elecktra turns it back, saying “so you killed dad to f*ck your cousin?” accusing Clytemnestra of killing Agammemnon to get with Aegistus.
“I was already f*cking my cousin!” She retorts, winning my
Issa Litton mothered all over that stage as Clytemnestra, I want to watch ALL of her plays now! The moment she walked onto that stage in her power suit and fierce heels
P.S. You can watch her next show in October!
‘Dedma’ Twin Bill by Theatre Titas Set to Rerun this October
In summary, the cycle of violence wounds them all.
Catharsis and Emotional Release
Let me tell you about the funniest line in the entire play.
It happens when Elecktra and her sister Christosthemis are grieving over the ashes of their brother Orestes, whom they were hoping would come back and enact vengeance on their father’s murderers.
They have lost all hope and are reminiscing, when suddenly, the “delivery boy” of their brother’s ashes starts to cry.
As Elecktra delivers the following line, the entire audience erupts into laughter.
“Whatever you’re feeling… that’s valid.”
After thirty minutes of screaming, plotting murder, “self-unaliving attempts,” and dysfunctional family dynamics; the words are unexpected and refreshing, especially coming from Elecktra.
Overall, it was an intense and “electrifying” experience!
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Milo Moone 
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