CAST PH Ends 2026 With The Child, a Modern Adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck
Last Updated on October 24, 2026 by Over Here Toronto
Cast Ph Child – What happens when uncovering the truth threatens the people we love? CAST PH explores this question in The Child, a new stage production written and directed by Nelsito Gomez. The play closes the theater company’s 2026 season with six performances in Makati this November and December.
Based on Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck, this modern adaptation explores family relationships, hidden secrets, and the consequences of exposing uncomfortable truths. Set in present-day Norway, the production brings a classic dramatic conflict into a world where truth, reputation, and personal choices remain closely connected.
A Family Celebration Takes an Unexpected Turn
The Child follows married couple Gina and Hans Ekdal as they prepare for their daughter Hedvig’s thirteenth birthday. Their plans change when Gregers Werle, a man from Hans’s past, arrives with a hidden agenda.
His presence sets off events that challenge the family’s relationships and beliefs. As secrets emerge, the characters must confront questions about honesty, loyalty, and the cost of revealing information that others may prefer to keep hidden.
The adaptation streamlines the original play’s larger cast and family dynamics into a chamber drama while aiming to preserve the emotional impact of Ibsen’s work.
Nelsito Gomez Reimagines a Classic
Nelsito Gomez, CAST PH’s artistic director, has wanted to develop his own version of The Wild Duck for years. The original play made a strong impression on him and inspired him to create a version for a new audience.
With approximately 13 characters in the original work, Gomez faced practical challenges in adapting the story. He reworked its circumstances and structure, eventually developing The Child as a new interpretation of the source material.
As both adapter and director, Gomez brings his own perspective to Ibsen’s story while seeking to respect its dramatic impact.
The production also asks a difficult question: Should the truth always be exposed, even when doing so hurts others, or can some secrets be worth protecting?
Meet the Cast of The Child
The production brings together performers with experience in Philippine theater, including Gawad Buhay award winners and nominees.
The cast includes Marco Viaña as Hans Ekdal, Alfredo Reyes as Gregers Werle, Caisa Borromeo as Gina Ekdal, and Teia Contreras as Hedvig Ekdal. Viaña is a five-time Gawad Buhay winner, while Reyes is a Gawad Buhay nominee. Borromeo is also a Gawad Buhay winner.
Completing the cast are Jaime del Mundo as Joseph Ekdal, Hans’s father, and Carlitos Siguion-Reyna as Thomas Werle, Gregers’s father.
Gomez notes that the actors will share the stage with one another for the first time. Their different backgrounds and experiences will contribute to the production’s interpretation of the characters and their relationships.
Why the Story Still Matters Today
Although The Child draws from a nineteenth-century play, its central conflict connects with present-day conversations about truth and accountability.
Online discussions, public accusations, and social media callouts often raise questions about how and when the truth should be revealed. While honesty can bring clarity, it can also damage relationships and disrupt lives.
The play explores the tension between honesty and compassion without reducing the dilemma to a simple choice between right and wrong. It invites audiences to consider whether every truth must be revealed regardless of the consequences.
This conflict offers Filipino audiences an opportunity to reflect on the impact of exposing private matters and the responsibilities that come with seeking the truth.
The Creative Team Behind the Production
Gomez leads the production as adapter, director, and sound designer. CAST PH executive director Sarah Facuri serves as production designer, while Rafa Sumilong handles lighting design.
Together, the creative team shapes the atmosphere of the chamber drama, using sound, lighting, and stage design to support its intimate setting and emotionally charged story.
With a focused cast and family-centered narrative, the production places particular emphasis on the characters and the decisions that drive the story forward.
The Child: Performance Dates and Ticket Information
Audiences can catch CAST PH’s latest production during its limited run at Mirror Theatre Studios in Makati.
Performance schedule:
- November 28, 2026: 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM
- November 29, 2026: 2:00 PM
- December 5, 2026: 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM
- December 6, 2026: 2:00 PM
Venue: Mirror Theatre Studios, 3rd Floor, Makati City
The production has six scheduled performances. Early bird tickets may be purchased through the official ticket form.
Ticket link: https://bit.ly/CASTPHTheChild
A Theater Production That Asks Difficult Questions
With The Child, CAST PH closes its 2026 season with a drama centered on family, truth, and personal responsibility. Through Gomez’s adaptation of Ibsen’s classic, the production examines what happens when the pursuit of honesty begins to threaten the lives people have built.
For theatergoers who appreciate character-driven stories and moral dilemmas, the limited Makati run offers an opportunity to experience a modern interpretation of a landmark work of dramatic literature.
You Might Also Like
PETA’s Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang
Ballet Manila’s Ibong Adarna at Ateneo
