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Fractured relationships, woeful naiveté, and passionate infidelity. These are the pieces that “Kaliwaan” unravels — a hard-hitting, yet unexpectedly tender Filipino translation of Harold Pinter’s modern classic “Betrayal.” At its heart, the play revolves around the emotional remnants left by a seven-year affair between a woman and her husband’s best friend, pulling the audience into a world where intimacy is just as cruel as betrayal.

“Kaliwaan” stars three of Philippine theater’s finest actors — Missy Maramara as Emma, Ron Capinding as Robert, and Nor Domingo as Jerry.

Translated by Guelan Varela-Luarca, the production is helmed by internationally acclaimed director Loy Arcenas, Giancarlo Abrahan as Dramaturg, Charles Yee as Set Designer, Tata Tuviera as Costume Designer, Ninya Bedruz as Lighting Designer, Arvy Dimaculangan as Sound Designer, Jenny Jamora as Intimacy Director, and Zoë de Ocampo as Graphic Designer.

“Kaliwaan” will be staged for three weekends, from Aug. 22 to Sept. 7, 2025, at The Mirror Theater Studio, Makati City. The show will run for 90 minutes with no intermission, and is staged by Stages Production Specialists, Inc. and co-presented by MusicArtes, Inc.

The Beat Manila got to watch their intimate opening night last Aug. 21, 2025, and here’s what we took away from this stirring drama.

Intimacy in the Familiar

Unlike most stories that present a clean, straightforward line, ”Kaliwaan” walks backwards through time, piecing the fragments of a love undone back together to reveal how everything came to be. Told in a familiar tongue — with a storyline that touches the Filipino psyche’s enduring fascination with secrecy and passion — the play presents the characters in a more intimate, stripped-down form.

There’s an undeniable sense of comfort with the use of conversational Filipino as the play’s main language; it lends humility and softness to the characters in comparison to their high-brow professions, grounding them in a reality that audiences can instinctively recognize.

Translations can often feel like a gamble, especially when it doesn’t capture the essence of the original. But in “Kaliwaan,” Varela-Luarca’s adaptation cuts even deeper. The structure is as it was in the original — the names, the settings, the professions — but it’s in the used language that draws us closer, transforming a modern classic into something more familiar, closer to home.

However, if there’s one thing we were left wanting from this adaptation, it’s the fuller embrace of cultural elements. Why stop at love and infidelity — themes already familiar to Filipino audiences — and language, when the rest of the play could have followed suit, deepening the wounds left by the story.

A Beauty in the Exposed

Yet even without those cultural layers, “Kaliwaan” finds its spirit in what it strips away. The production thrives at its bareness — the silences between words, the palpable tensions in the air, the indignation held through gritted teeth. Here, the beauty of the story lies in its exposure of the fragile, the uncomfortable, and what makes these characters painfully human.

The stark simplicity of the set designed by Charles Yee magnifies this intimacy, creating a stage where emotions cannot hide. Every stare, every breath, every step is laid bare — not just for the characters to deal with, but also for the audience to confront. Instead of overwhelming elements, the audience is met with near emptiness, a space that echoes and amplifies the play’s resonance.

Raw Emotions and Silent Rage in the Face of Love

Betrayal can be done in numerous ways, yet “Kaliwaan” does so in such a quiet cruelty that lingers even as the lights dim. At the center of this barrage are the three characters, each navigating through their web of lies and love with vulnerability and restraint.

Missy Maramara, Nor Domingo, and Ron Capinding all share a chemistry that is both magnetic and uncomfortable — the kind that draws all your attention in even when everything is on the verge of collapse. Each pairing depicts Harold Pinter’s characters with such grace in the face of deceit and desire: Emma and Jerry’s hidden tenderness, Jerry and Robert’s fragile brotherhood, and Emma and Robert’s delicate marriage that all follow through as if they’re all painting a picture.

Nor Domingo was stellar in his portrayal of a man who is both knowingly ignorant and naïve to the consequences of his desires, while Missy Maramara delivered a moving portrait of a woman torn by passion and principle with grace and candor.

But it was Ron Capinding who truly commanded the stage from the moment he appeared until the very last. His portrayal of a man scorned and betrayed by the very people he cherished was captivating — every moment he stepped into the scene, the air in the room felt heavy. What made his performance unforgettable was not the explosive anger his character was owed, but in the fury he kept held — in his every pause, every silence, and every stare, the audience felt the full weight of a rage left unsaid.

Together, the performances by all three characters wove the tangled threads of “Kaliwaan” into something deeply human. The play was not just about betrayal, but how the fragile seams of love and pride unknowingly collide, quietly, passionately, and with consequence.

Final Thoughts

In the end, “Kaliwaan” lingers, creeping through the cracks of what was left unsaid. By unfolding its story in reverse, it holds a mirror up to the painful and messy truths we so often choose to hide. Love shouldn’t always have to be undone with a messy aftermath, but for many of us, that’s a reality we live in. “Kaliwaan” leans into the truth of this emotion, showing love in its most ardent, but also in its most human: messy, fragile, and unapologetically real.

Whether you’re a play aficionado or someone who is still trying to dip their feet into the world of Philippine theater, it’s a must-watch for anyone. If you’re also into watching shows that dabble in the messiness of love, then you shouldn’t miss out.

“Kaliwaan” has extended its shows until Sept. 7, 2025, at The Mirror Studio Theater in Poblacion, Makati City. Tickets are priced from P800 (Bronze), P950 (Silver), P1100 (Gold), and P1250 (Platinum). You may get your tickets here.