It’s Valentine’s Day, and if you don’t know where to go, here’s a weekend theater guide for crammers, theater lovers, couples who want something new, and those who have run out tickets to “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Trust us, you’d love these shows, too.

‘Time Stands Still’ at Whitespace

“Time Stands Still” is a Donald Margulies Pulitzer Prize-winning play, staged by Red Turnip Productions. It tells the story of Sarah, a photojournalist who returns home with her boyfriend James, a reporter, after sustaining injuries from war-torn Middle East. The play shows how their risky jobs—and lifestyle—affect their relationship, and their friendship with long-time confidante Richard, who’s involved with a sweet young thing named Mandy.

“Time Stands Still” stars Ana Abad Santos, Nonie Buencamino, Nor Domingo and Giannina Ocampo. It is directed by Rem Zamora.

What to love: The subject may be hardcore, but there are lots of funny, laugh-out-loud moments, thanks to Mandy. It also has a stunning video backdrop featuring news photos by Inquirer photo editor Rem Zamora (yep, same name as the director).

Schedule: Feb 13, 9 p.m.; Feb. 14-15, 4 and 8 p.m. Show runs weekends until March 8 in Whitespace, Makati City. Tickets: P1,500 (front row, reserved seating, with butler service for wine and drinks); P1,200 (reserved seating, elevated); P1,000 (free seating). Call 8919999; visit www.ticketworld.com.ph, www.facebook.com/RedTurnipTheater; follow @RedTurnipPh on Twitter.

‘Defending the Caveman’ at OnStage

“Defending the Caveman” is a one-man comedy show that discusses the differences between men and women, and how to deal with them with humor. Written by American actor and comedian Rob Becker, it is the longest-running solo stand-up show in Broadway and winner of the 2001 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment.

Watch Joel Trinidad single-handedly defend why men are, well, men, under the direction of  theater actress Cathy Azanza-Dy.

What to love: It gives men a chance to bitch their emotions out.

Schedule: Feb. 14, 8 p.m.; Feb. 15,
4 p.m., OnStage Theater, Greenbelt 1, Makati City. Tickets: P1,000, P800, P500. Call 8433570, 4511796, 2150788, 0917-5378313. Visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.

‘Godot5’ at Ateneo

Tangahalang Ateneo’s “Godot5: Five Ruminations on Samuel Beckett’s ‘En Attendant Godot’” explores the complexity of waiting and hoping. It features the English translation by Nobel Prize winner Beckett, and new Filipino translation by Palanca winner Guelan Varela-Luarca.

It is a series presented in sets. Set A is “Men Waiting” featuring Xander Soriano, Paolo Apagalang, Miguel Morales, Jerome Flor, Jose delos Reyes. Set B: “Women Waiting” features Tin Amante, Kat Buted, Erica Esteban, Sabrina Basilio, Geo Celestino for English; Gel Basa, Cindy Lopez, Erica Esteban, Mailes Kanapi, Joe-Nel Garcia for Filipino.
Set C: “College Graduates Waiting” stars Joe-Nel Garcia, Chris Dagsil, Cindy Lopez, Gel Basa, Brian Ramos. Set D: “Queer Folks Waiting” casts Charles Yee, Acey Aguilar, Bunny Cadag, Miguel Lizada, Geo Celestino. And Set E: “Old Folks Waiting” features Jojit Lorenzo, Joel Saracho, Mailes Kanapi and Bodjie Pascua.

All shows are directed by JK Anicoche.

What to love: It’s for anyone who has gotten tired of waiting—and has gotten over it with hope.

Schedule: Feb. 14, 1 p.m., Set D; 4 p.m., Set C; and 7 p.m., Set E, at Black Box Theater, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City. Shows run until Feb. 21. Tickets: P300, P250 for students, with a Saturday promo of P450 for all shows. Call Madel Juliano at 0917-6314387; visit www.facebook.com/TanghalangAteneo; follow TAOfficial_on Twitter.

Fringe shows in Manila

The Fringe Manila arts festival has several shows you can check out for Valentine weekend, with themes from horror to romance.

Taking your date to a scary movie is an old trick for instant closeness. Now take her to “Haunted Hall VI” by DLSU Harlequin Theater Guild, an interactive staging of a horror house.

Mutien Marie Hall, De La Salle University, Manila. Ticket: P80. Feb. 14-18, 6 p.m.

“PNU Diaria” by The Thespian Society discusses love, contentment, gender, sexuality and harassment through stories on being “under” (underpaid, undergraduate).

Black Box Theater, School of Design and Arts (SDA) Building, College of Saint Benilde (CSB), Manila. Ticket: P100. Feb. 15, 4 p.m.

“Kyemestry (Sex, Gender, Love, Experiments)” by Black Canvas group is a dramedy that tackles coming in or out of a relationship. Two actors explore topics on sex, gender, love and all the experiments we do in creating the right formula for love.

SDA Black Box Theater, SDA-CSB, Manila. Ticket: P200. Feb. 15, 1 p.m. Call 8919999.

What to love: These are shows you can watch with a date, with friends, or by yourself and still have fun.

Schedule: Fringe Manila runs until March 1 all over Manila, and nearby cities. Visit www.ticketworld.com.ph/
fringemanila.