“A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino” portrays the steadfastness of sisters Paula and Candida Marasigan in defending their family’s heritage. “Tatarin” features Doña Lupe, a woman who asserts her desires within the context of a fertility ritual. “Fathers and Sons” tells the story of Bessie, a woman confronting a challenging past. Finally, “The Beatas” depicts the defiance of Antonia Ezguerra and Sebastiana de Santa Maria, among others, against patriarchal forces within the church.

“While reading through the plays in this collection, one begins to realize that it is the women characters of Nick Joaquin who are the genuine and significant transformers of the realities around them. The women of Nick Joaquin are those that break the rules and astonish the worlds their author has installed them in. They become steadfast against the winds of change generated by greed and they push for change in ways they know, unafraid of consequences that may befall them.” – from the Introduction by Rody Vera, playwright

Publisher:
Anvil Publishing, Inc., Philippines

Publication Date:
2024, Anvil Publishing, Inc. 2983, first published

Format:
Softcover / 8 x 5 inches / 224 pages / BW

Language:
English

ISBN: 978-971-27-3848-7