Theater review: ‘Hashtag: Pimples Anonymous’ hits acne on the head, but nothing more

Volcanic in nature, acne vulgaris—commonly known as pimples—decrease the population of teenagers in malls and trendy hangout spots, their natural habitats. But as "Hashtag: Pimples Anonymous" showed on Tuesday, having Mount Vesuvius on one's face should not be enough reason to become a hermit.

The performance—or "informance," as organizers call it—was staged by the Philippine Educational Theater Asssociation (PETA) to show how teens can manage their pimples and be confident despite the very visible problem on their faces.

"Hashtag's" four siblings go through situations somewhat relatable to normal teenagers: a smart girl's (Kaki Teodoro) rehearsal speech for a presentation on volcanoes turns into a huge Freudian rant because of her own volcano, while her brother (Vaughn Martian Piczon) loses his "cuteness". A director demands the camera to move away from a model (Yesh Anne Burce) to obscure her pimple, while a young professional (Boo Gabunada) wibbles as his potential boss laughs at the state of his face.

Going through denial, anger, guilt, and depression because of pimples may seem excessive to some, but for teenagers, a single zit can lead to deeper problems.

"When you have self-esteem issues [or a] sense of worthlessness because you're not validated or affirmed at home, or people don't give you enough attention or love that we want to possess, sometimes pimples become your stressors, or source of your depression," Dr. Susan Estanislao, a counseling psychologist from De La Salle University Manila, explained.

The play itself contained clips of professionals explaining the effects of acne on teens, and even how they're created.

Dr. Ma. Pilar Lagdameo-Leuenberger, a Philippine Dermatological Society fellow, explained that hormone production during puberty is suspect in the creation of pimples, due to androgen hormones producing sebum, an oily substance that prevents the skin from drying out.

Too much sebum, coupled with dead skin cells and the naturally occurring P. acnesbacteria, inflames pores and shapes them into a garden of vulgar roses, i.e. turns into pimples.

Because of the immediateness of getting pimples, teenagers tend to self-medicate before seeking help. Mom and blogger Jenni Epperson said teenagers also tend to look to their parents for guidance, especially in cases of bullying.

Within the play, this is showed through scenes where the smart girl laments not following the folk advice of washing one's face with one's first period; less disgustingly, her mother tells her not to lose her confidence and to move on with her work.

It's the support of others, and self-initiative, which resolves the siblings' troubles.

And, of course, how the new product Derma Sense can help with their acne.

Procter & Gamble commissioned this play to promote Safeguard's premium (read: more expensive) line of soaps and body wash without dropping the product's name like a trashy hat.

It was a noble effort, and it did entertain and inform its audience, but with its single performance and intention to be a media-centric event, one wonders if "Hashtag" would've been better off as a touring school production.

While its limited length and focus meant characters are nameless and interchangeable, the cast sold their performances and did so with almost embarrassing enthusiasm. Divine Aucina, who played the director, mother, and other memorable characters, deserves special mention because of her sparkling sense of humor.

The cast's performance, and the script itself, resonated with its mostly college-age audience. There were instances where the script could've gone off-tangent because of a funny gag ("Spongebob ka ba?"), but the cast held on despite only having 13 days to rehearse.

"Hashtag's" short production time—four months—may be surprising to some, but better shows have been produced in less time. And a show "Hashtag" is, but it never deludes itself nor the audience into thinking it's more than an infomercial on stage.

Admittedly, this unique form of advertising could've been worse. Its script could've been cringe-worthy, it might've lacked the functional, all-in-one bed-cum-bench that burdened the stage with glorious purpose, but PETA does not shy away from a challenge.

Functionally, the play succeeds its premise, but wastes its careful planning on a single, well-intentioned run-through. — BM, GMA News