Much like a “The Catcher in the Rye” of this generation, CAST’s first original play delves into the anxieties and angst of Filipino teenagers today—all in a performance that’s equal parts arresting, funny, awkward, and thoroughly Gen Z

One can always count on the Company of Actors in Streamlined Theatre (CAST) to come out with bold and profound work, whether in the form of staged readings, audio plays, and, more recently, full productions of straight plays.

While even their full productions take a more pared down, streamlined approach (compared to the large sets and glamorous costumes of bigger, commercial productions), it helps bring more attention to the heart of the plays being staged: the depth of the performances, and the potency of the text. That standard is not lost even as CAST ventures into staging new, original work.

Taking on Rafael Jimenez’s “Patintero sa Ayala Avenue” marks a new era for CAST, as they begin to provide a platform for young, starting theater artists to showcase (and test, and refine) their craft in a professional setup. And what a strong debut this is for both Jimenez and CAST’s new direction.

“Patintero sa Ayala Avenue” started as Jimenez’s thesis production, and features a “Catcher in the Rye”-esque narrative centered around a nameless Boy who, after getting kicked out of high school, roams the streets of Poblacion, and through his encounters with various personalities, he asks questions that bring to light the anxieties that plague teenagers of today. It depicts grief, unresolved trauma, the weight of memories, the struggle in trying to make something out of yourself, along with the brashness and pride of youth.

It’s a sparse set, with only criss-crossing platforms, a box, and a graffiti-covered wall to denote the different spaces in which the Boy’s stories take place. The world the Boy takes us around in is made vivid and immersive solely through lights and sounds, and Zoë De Ocampo’s dynamic storytelling and performance.

De Ocampo carries three-fourths of the entire play, narrating the events, thoughts, and feelings that Boy goes through, with such vigor and power that the audience can’t help but hang on to every word they say. De Ocampo has admirably captured the volatile state of this youth, filling the bare stage with sheer expression of angst, anger, awkwardness, grief, and guilt. And though the subject matter is, at its core, quite heavy, Jimenez’s script, delivered by De Ocampo, has its fits of humor, and by Act 2, with the introduction of the Boy’s younger sister Nora (played so convincingly by Teia Conteras), has its moments of tenderness.

Part coming of age and search for meaning, part commentary on society, “Patintero” is a packed text that is both dark and light, delving into various opposing themes like grief and hope, loneliness and relating to others, of forging your own path or following the standards society has set (the value and/or virtue of which may be contested).

It is an arresting piece that gives us a glimpse into the mind of the younger generation, at the same time, an exploration of life through the eyes of one whose life is supposedly just about to begin. With how darkly the circumstances have been portrayed, you’d understand why depression and anxiety has become an alarming issue that, even according to studies, is getting worse year by year.

While definitely relatable to the younger generation, this play does more than just reveal the sadness that pervades today’s youth. “Patintero” is also an invitation for us “older” ones (I can’t believe I’m now counting myself as an older person… but as someone twice Boy’s age, it is what it is) to look at the society in which we are soon becoming the leaders and shapers of. Are we building a world that is increasingly superficial, unkind, or repressive? How do we make it more nurturing, so that this generation of Boys and Noras won’t have to be saddled with so much grief, guilt, or anxiety so young? How do we make paths for the next generation that doesn’t make life look so bleak and pointless?

There’s a beautiful contrast here, with how this story about a hopeless, angry, lost youth is being staged by a company that is opening up paths for young artists to hone and share their craft and their stories. If anything, this intimate production is one spark towards a bright future for local theater.

“Patintero sa Ayala Avenue” is presented by CAST, and runs until July 7 at The Mirror Studio, 5th Floor, SJG Building, 8463 Kalayaan Ave., Makati. Written and directed by Rafael Jimenez, with lighting design by Rafa Sumilong, sound design by Nelsito Gomez, production and graphic design by Sarah Facuri. Starring Zoë de Ocampo and Teia Conteras.