Love and loss have the power to rally communities. When people come together to celebrate or commiserate, we find comfort in the bonds of togetherness and belonging. In this double bill where we look inwards to explore relationships surrounding loss, and outwards at relationships showcasing the diversity of love, we seek answers to the question “How do we find where we belong?” and (hopefully) find them, through the power of love and loss.
Featuring:
Gabe and Missy (Philippines)
Gathering for a loved one's wake is one of the few times people really gather in Philippine culture. Friends and family from afar make it a point to pay their last respects and condole with the family and with each other so it's often a venue for recalling happy memories and reconnecting while marking a sad and somber occasion. As two estranged friends meet at the memorial of a friend, they share good memories with each other about the departed and we wonder if it is all just about reminiscing or if this is a rekindling of their friendship. Gabe and Missy are veterans and pioneers of the Manila improv scene, teaching with Third World Improv and performing with SPIT.
(Crazy Rich Sleepless Stupid) Love, Actually (Singapore)
Romantic comedies always promise a happy ending, and the beauty of it is in the journey. In recent years, we’ve seen a bigger push to make romcoms more inclusive, but there are still so many stories to tell. So, what if we made the most unexpected people fall in love? What if love is a queer, joyful, radical act? Or what if it’s quiet and introspective? What stories become possible when we both celebrate rom-com genre conventions while turning them on their head? Everybody can fall in love. Everybody is capable of love. Join this ragtag team of improvisers who have come together to examine the idea of romance and love from the point-of-view of lesser-told perspectives and communities.