CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION

by Annie Baker
Translation and Adaptation by Jend

CHARACTERS
JEN, 40
ALEX, 35
GIDO, 26
ODESSA, 24
LAUREN, 16
PLACE
A windowless room in the town of Prontera.
There is a wall of mirrors.
TIME
Summertime.
PROLOGUE
LIGHTS FADING IN
JEN, ALEX, ODESSA, LAUREN, and GIDO are all lying on the floor in
various positions. After atleast 15 seconds of silence:
ODESSA
One.
(A long silence.)
ALEX
Two.
(Silence.)
LAUREN and GIDO
Three
JEN
Ulet.
(Silence.)
GIDO
One

JEN
Two
ALEX
Three.
(Another long silence.)
LAUREN
Four.
JEN
Five.
ALEX
Six.
(Silence.)
ODESSA and GIDO
Seven.
GIDO
Ano ba yan.
JEN
Ulit ule.
(Silence.)
GIDO and LAUREN
One.
LAUREN
Sorry!
JEN
Okay, wait. Di pa natin nakukuha.
(Pause.)
Hinga muna'ng malalim.
(Pause.)
Game.
(After 5 seconds.)
ALEX
One.
ODESSA and LAUREN
Two.

JEN
Ulet!
BLACK OUT
WEEK ONE
ALEX is standing center stage, facing the audience. The rest of the class sits downstage, facing ALEX.
ALEX: Hi.
Ako si Jen Gonzales, short for Jennifer. Pero Jen tawag nila sakin simula bata.
Uhmmm...
(He scratches his head, then grins.)
Yung asawa ko dapat yung gagawa nitong, ah, monologue tungkol sakin kaso hindi nya alam
kung pa'no
(JEN is trying to signal something to him.)
Ba.. bawal ba?
(He shakes his head.)
Okay okay.
40 years old na ko at, ah... Nakatira ako sa Prontera, Marikina. Ako ang head ng arts sa ministry
na 'to at nagtuturo din ako ng maraming klase ah... may pastry making, script writing,
creative drama for youth... Gusto ko ring magturo ng adult creative drama at, ah, masaya ko na
nandito ako ngayon.
(Pause.)
Okay.
Ah... Taga Quezon City ako, originally. Wala pa 'kong anak, pero I'm a great... stepmother.
Alex ang pangalan ng asawa ko. Nandito rin sya sa klase.
Ah... let's see. I'm really into this art and ministry, ah...
(He scratches his head again.)
40 years old na 'ko. At gustong-gusto ko sa Timberland. Sana dun na kami tumira balang araw.
Nasabi ko na ba 'yon?
Okay.
BLACK OUT
II
ODESSA, GIDO, LAUREN, and ALEX are walking around the room in
different directions, sock-footed. This should last atleast 30 seconds.
Everyone is taking this seriously. JEN is sitting on a chair, watching.
JEN
Bilis pa.
(They all walk a little faster, still going in different directions.)
JEN
Mas mabilis pa.

(They start zooming around the room, except LAUREN, who tries to keep
a safe distance away from everyone.)
JEN
Now... I want you to slow down.
(Pause)
Start noticing everyone around you.
LAUREN
Ano po?
JEN
Pansinin mo sila.
(They all keep walking while making an effort to notice everyone around
them. About 20 seconds past.)
JEN
Now, makipagkilala kayo and then shake hands.
(They obey. 20 more seconds pass.)
JEN
Okay! Good.
Great.
Stop.
(They stop and look at her. She smiles at them.)
JEN
Anong feeling?
(An awkward silence.)
ODESSA
Masaya.

GIDO
Weird.
Okay lang.

JEN
Okay.
(She gets up off the seat.)
Um.
Welcome.
(Pause.)
Excited na kong makilala pa kayo.
(An even longer pause.)
Um... Ayoko maging masyadong madaldal, kasi...
(She makes a vague gesture with her hands.)
Pero, um, I hope mag-enjoy kayo dito. At sana maging open kayo at willing gawin... 'to.

Ah... okay.
Game!
BLACK OUT
III
JEN, ODESSA, LAUREN, ALEX, and GIDO are sitting in a circle.
JEN
Pumunta
ODESSA
Ako
LAUREN
Dito
ALEX
Sa
GIDO
Klase
JEN
Na
ODESSA
Ito
ALEX
Dahil
GIDO
Nakasulat.
(A weird pause.)
JEN
Pag-ibig
ODESSA
Totoo!
LAUREN
Um... pagtuklas?
ALEX
Self-actualization

(They all look at ALEX.)

GIDO'
Friends
JEN
Tayo
ODESSA
Ay'
LAUREN
Parte
ALEX
Ni
GIDO
Tong
JEN
Gulo!
ODESSA
At
LAUREN
Basta
ALEX
Malaki.
(A confused pause.)
GIDO
Pakiramdam
JEN
Ko
ODESSA
Masaya!
LAUREN
Period.
JEN
Ah, sorry, nakalimutan ko bawal sabihin yung 'period'. Dapat tuloy tuloy lang

ALEX
Sakit.
GIDO
Um... ah... Lungkot.
JEN
Ay
ODESSA
Kinakain
LAUREN
Ako.
ALEX
Langit.
(Pause.)
GIDO
Masama
JEN
Mataas
ODESSA
Ibon
LAUREN
Lumilipad
ALEX
Sakin
GIDO
Ulo.
(Pause.)
JEN
Green
ODESSA
Beautiful
LAUREN
English?

ALEX
Sunshine
GIDO
Over
JEN
My
ODESSA
Little
LAUREN
S-small.
ALEX
Face
(Pause.)
GIDO
Hope.
JEN
Okay.
Great.
(Pause.)
Siguro next week, subukan nating gumawa ng parang totoong kwento.
BLACK OUT
IV.
Breaktime.
GIDO and ODESSA are the only people in the room. ODESSA is
squatting in the corner, listening to a cellphone message. GIDO is
drinking from a bottle of water and eyeing her.
GIDO
Ga'no daw katagal sabi nya?
(ODESSA holds up one finger and mouths Sorry. After a few seconds.
She snaps her phone shut.)
ODESSA
Sorry, what?

GIDO
Ga'no daw katagal...
(A pause while he tries to reformulate his thoughts.)
Ah... Ga'no daw katagal yung break?
ODESSA
Ten minutes?
GIDO nods, embarrassed, and goes back to drinking water. ODESSA
watches him drink and smiles at him. He puts down the water and smiles
back at her.
GIDO
Sorry. Yung...
Sorry
Yung...
ODESSA
Ano 'yon?
GIDO
Ah, sasabihin ko lang sana, yung mata mo, buhay na buhay.
ODESSA
Talaga GIDO
Ay baka isipin mo
ODESSA
Hindi! Thank you.
GIDO
Hindi ko sinasabing
ODESSA
Hindi. It's a - it's a compliment.
(They smile at each other. A pause.)
GIDO
Taga san ka?
ODESSA
Um
GIDO
Ah, ngayon lang kasi kita nakita. Maliit lang kasi 'tong Prontera kaya

ODESSA
Kakalipat lang namin 5 months ago.
GIDO
Ah okay.
(A pause.)
ODESSA
Malapit ka lang ba dito?
GIDO
Sa Carlos.
ODESSA
Saan? Sorry.
GIDO
Condo 'yon. Carlos, malapit sa Robinson. Pangpito sa
ODESSA
Ah okay, alam ko na.
(A silence, during which ODESSA notices his wedding ring.)
ODESSA
So mag-isa ka lang ba do'n o
GIDO
Mag-isa lang ako do'n.
(Pause.)
Kakadivorce lang namin nung asawa ko. Kaya dun ako tumira. Kakalipat ko lang nung isang taon.
ODESSA
Oh, okay.
GIDO
Nakatira sya sa bahay namin. Maganda yung bahay na 'yon. May... Ah, ilang taon ko ding trinabaho
yung garden.
ODESSA
Huh?
GIDO
Kakaiba sa Carlos. Masyadong kulob.
GIDO keeps staring at the hoop. ALEX reenters and stands near the
dorrwa, watching GIDO and ODESSA.

GIDO
Pero malawak do'n.
ODESSA
Mas makakagalaw ka kapag malawak.
JEN
Magsastart na tayo. Pagbalik ni Lauren.
ODESSA runs over to the corner, gets the hoop, and runs back to the
center of the room. GIDO stands aside while she raises the hoop to her
hips and then, with a few small, deft tilts of her pelvis, begins hooping.
GIDO
Wow.
(ODESSA continues hooping. After a while:)
ODESSA
Ang sikreto dyan, dapat mas maliit yung galaw.
GIDO
Uhuh.
ODESSA
Kabaliktaran ng malaking galaw.
(Now JEN and ALEX are watching, too. Everyone is a little hypnotized.)
GIDO
Jusme.
(ODESSA stops and gracefully catches the hoop before it falls to the ground.)
ODESSA
Try mo.
GIDO
Ay, hinde. Di ko kaya.
ODESSA
Madali lang naman.
GIDO shakes his head.
ODESSA
Gido.
GIDO
Sorry.

LAUREN reenters, turning off her cellphone

JEN
Okay, uhm. Nandito na lahat. Let's start.
ALEX
Ako, patry ako.
ODESSA
Sige kuya Alex!
(ALEX walks over to ODESSA. She hands him the hoop, and he steps into it.)
ALEX
Pa'no ba 'to?
ODESSA
Forward mo yung isa mong paa.
ALEX
Uhuh
ODESSA
Subukan nyo na po. Wag nyo masyadong isipin.
(ALEX fails.)
ODESSA
Ulit. Wag masyadong magalaw. Konti lang.
(ALEX tries again. He sends the hoop aloft, awkwardly swinging his hips back and forth.)
ODESSA
Oh my gosh. Galing!
(Everyone watches ALEX, half-impressed, half-aghast. The hoop
crashes to the ground. GIDO and ODESSA and LAUREN all applaud.
ALEX hands the hoop back to ODESSA.)
JEN
Ang galing nun ah.
BLACK OUT

V.
LIGHTS FADING IN
They are all sitting in a circle. JEN is in the middle of a story. Everyone
is rapt.
JEN
AT dun sya sa... kasal na parang, parang hipster yung dating. Natulog kami sa sahig ng.. natulog kami
sa sahig ng lobby sa isang lumang na-abandonang hotel sa Puerto Prinsesa. Nilatag ko yung banig...
tapos lahat kami lasing, tapos sumasayaw kami, kumakanta, tapos non patulog na ko. Pero napatingin
ako sa tabi ko, may nakahigang, um, lalaki.
(Pause.)
Ang cute nung lalaki. Nakita ko sya earlier sumasayaw kasama sila. I mean, napapaligiran sya ng mga
babae. So wala akong chance na lapitan sya, pero napansin ko sya.
(Pause.)
So lahat kami nakahiga, so hindi ko masabi kung... basta yung mata ko bigla na lang nag-aadjust, sabi
ko, my gosh, yung katabi ko, yung cute na katabi ko, nakatingin sakin tapos nakangiti. At 'yon, nandn
lang kami nakatingin ta's nakangiti sa isa't-isa buong oras.
Di ko na nga maalala kung pa'no kami nakatulog.
Tapos paggising namin nung umaga, ngumiti lang kami ulit tapos nagpakilala sya. Ako si Alex.
GIDO
(Softly.)
Sabi ko na nga ba eh.
JEN
Tapos sabi ko: Ako si Jen.
Tapos sabi nya... hindi ako makapaniwala, Gusto mo bang sumama sakin bukas? Pupunta ako sa
Laguna.
Ang kapal ng mukha noh? Ang dami ko pang dapat gawin nun sa...
Kaso napa-oo na lang ako.
ALEX grins, embarassed. GIDO applauds a little. A long pause.
ODESSA
Aww. Ang cute.
(Another pause.)
JEN
Okay. Sino pang magkwekwento? At wag nyo kalimutang makinig talaga ha? Dapat matandaan nyo.
(A terrified silence.)

ODESSA
Ako na lang.
JEN
Perfect.
(ODESSA stands up, somewhat unnecessary.)
ODESSA
Okay, uhm. One time, nung nakatira pa kami sa Taft? May isang Muslim na nasa car. Alam kong
Muslim sya kasi... well, mukha syang Muslim. I mean, hindi naman lahat ng Muslim ganon itsura, pero
obviously, may shawl sa ulo, nakalong sleeves, tapos parang ang bisaya.
Anyway.
The point is, mukha talaga syang Muslim, tapos nakikipag-usap sya sa mga kapwa Muslim, na
mukhang mga baliw. Mukha silang baliw eh. Pero may hawak syang DVDs tapos sinisigawan nya sila,
hindi naman galit, basta sumisigaw and stuff. Tapos nagno-nod lang sila tapos may sinasabi na parang
duy or like, ambot. Tapos pinakinggan ko lang. Pinag-uusapan pala nila yung kung pano, or bakit
parepareho yung binebenta nilang DVD, and then, ah... what else. Oh, something about Heneral Luna.
(A very long, weird silence. No one knows what to do.)
ODESSA
Yun lang.
(She sits down.)
JEN
Bakit mo naisip yung story na 'yon?
ODESSA
Uhm, ewan ko. Naisip ko yata nung, you know, basta po tungkol sa self-hate issue or whatever.
(Pause.)
JEN
Baka naman hindi Muslim yung nakita mo.
ODESSA
Um. Sure po ako.
JEN
Baka naman nagfit lang sya sa standards mo ng stereotype na Muslim, pero hindi talaga sya Muslim.
(Another silence. Finally JEN looks at her watch.)
JEN
Okay. Wala nang oras.
(Everyone starts getting up.)

JEN
Thanks guys.
Sa tingin ko magandang simula 'yon.
(They all start going over the corner to get their bags, put on their shoes,
turn on their cellphones, etc.)
JEN
Lauren? Muntik ko ng makalimutan. May ibibigay ka pa saking cheque.
LAUREN
Ibibigay na lang daw ni Mama sa inyo sa susunod.
JEN
Pwede mo ba syang iremind?
LAUREN
Um. Sige po.
BLACK OUT
WEEK TWO
I
Lauren is standing center stage, facing the audience. Everyone else sits
downstage, facing Lauren.
LAUREN
Hi.
Ako si Gido.
Isa akong karpentero.
Pero hindi ako gumagawa ng mga bagay na ginagawa ng mga karaniwang karpentero.
Gumagawa din ako ng magagandang upuan, na parang katulad ng sa upuan dito, parang, parang yung
sandalan parang araw tapos kulay gold?
(LAUREN looks nervously at GIDO.)
Medyo mahirap I-explain eh.
May isa pang chair na parang cloud.
Tapos um... 26 years-old na 'ko.
Lumaki ako sa Bulacan, sa Sta. Maria ata yon? At yung nanay ko namatay nung bata pa 'ko.
Teacher sya ng elementary. Um... pangarap kong maging basketball player.
Um... mabait ako sa lahat.
(Pause.)
Nakilala ko yung girlfriend kong si Cheska nung college tapos...
(GIDO is saying something we can't hear.)
Ah, alam ko na. Mag-aano sana kami kaso
Naghiwalay kami.
Nahuhurt parin ako hanggang ngayon.

Pero, um, para di masyadong madrama,

Mas marami na kong time para gumawa ng mga upuan.
At gumawa ng paraan para bilhin yun ng mas maraming tao.
(Pause.)
Isa akong artist.
Magaling na artist.
BLACK OUT
II.
GIDO, ALEX, ODESSA, and LAUREN are playing a particularly
confusing and chaotic version of Explosion Tag while JEN sits on a
chair. Explosion Tag is basically regular tag except you're supposed to
explode when you're tagged. When you're tagged you also become 'it',
and as it, you're supposed to be exploding constantly. When the lights
come up, Lauren is it. Everyone is awkwardly darting around the room.
Lauren is exploding vocally, not physically (she keeps saying
Powsssshhhpowpow), and half-heartedly scurrying after people.
Everyone has a different way of eluding her, although it is not very
difficult. This can last up to a minute. Finally, LAUREN tags ODESSA
on the elbow. It is unclear whether or not ODESSA purposely let this
happen.
LAUREN.
Taya!
(ODESSA explodes balletically for a while, then tags GIDO, who is
thrilled to be toughed by her. GIDO makes a melodic falling bomb sound
(NEEEEeeeeerrrr) while sinking to his knees. There is a long pause
while he remains there, still. Everyone stops and watches. Finally, GIDO
explodes: silently, beautifully, atomically. His arms are thrust out, his
eyes are wide open, his mouth is gaping open in a silent scream.)
JEN
Ganda.
(GIDO falls backwards onto to the floor and lies on his back. There is a
long silence while everyone remains standing, watching him.)
JEN
Ikaw na taya, Gido.
GIDO
(Sitting up)
Ay sorry.
(GIDO reaches out, quick as a snake and grabs ALEX' ankle.)

ALEX
Ay sauce.
GIDO.
Taya.
BLACK OUT
III.
Breaktime.
ODESSA goes to GIDO while he is drinking.
ODESSA
Musta?
GIDO
Okay lang.
(Pause.)
GIDO
Ikaw, musta?
ODESSA
Okay lang din.
(Pause.)
May dala akong halaman!
GIDO
Ah talaga? Anong klaseng halaman?
ODESSA
Um... Ewan ko. Halamang Pera yung nakalagay sa tag nung binili ko eh. Like, kapag nilagay mo daw
sa may bintana, magkakaron ka ng maraming pera or something.
GIDO
Wow
(Silence.)
ODESSA
Anong tingin mo?
GIDO
Ha?
ODESSA
Sa klase natin.

GIDO
(Weirded out.)
Huh? Ah...
(He glances nervously towards the door.)
Uh.. Ok-ay lang. Medyo hindi lang ako komportable.
ODESSA
Yeah
GIDO
Nako-conscious ako.
ODESSA
Masasanay ka din.
GIDO
Parang, magaling ka naman kasi sa lahat.
ODESSA
Well. Actually
GIDO
Parang lahat ng ginagawa mo... maganda.
(She shakes her head and grins. They look at each other. A long silence.)
ODESSA
Gido.
GIDO
Ha?
ODESSA
Gusto mo magMilk Tea after class? Or...
(GIDO stands there, speechless. ODESSA is confused. After a long pause.)
ODESSA
Sorry. May nasabi ba 'kong mali?
GIDO
Wala naman.
I mean, sige.
Sabi ko sige.
ODESSA
Wala ka naman sinabi.

GIDO.
Sige na nga.
Sorry. Akala ko sabi ko, sige.
Sige!
BLACK OUT
IV
ALEX, ODESSA, GIDO, and LAUREN are sitting up against the stage
right wall. JEN is in the center of the room, facing them.
JEN
Okay. So gagawin kong example yung... sarili ko.
(They all nod. JEN taps her chin thoughtfully.)
JEN
Gido.
GIDO
Yes?
JEN
Pwede ba kitang maging daddy?
GIDO
Sige po!
(He stands up. She takes hold of his arm and leads him to the center of the room.)
JEN
(To the group.)
Wag kayong matakot na magtake hold at mag-guide ng tao. That's the point. Okay.
(Pause. To Schultz.)
All right. Um... let's see. Isa kang... matapobre.
Um... Pa'no ba... Laging mababa tingin mo sa ibang tao. So baka...
(JEN manipulates GIDO's arms until they're folded across his chest. GIDO is thoroughly
enjoying himself.)
May pagka...
(She reaches up and pushes his eyebrows.)
May pagkamatapobre ka.
(GIDO raises his eyebrows in exaggerated contempt.)
Perfect.
Okay. Ganyan ka lang.
(She turns back to the group.)
Now. Odessa, gusto ko ikaw Mommy ko.
ODESSA

(Kilig much.)
Okay!
(ODESSA leaps up. JEN guides her towards the center of the room and puts her next to GIDO.)
JEN
Okay. Galit ka. Sobrang galit na galit ka. Sobrang aggressive mo, tapos gusto mo lagi mong nakukuha
yung gusto mo. At yung mga tao, lagi silang may hinihingi sa'yo tapos hindi ka nila nirerespeto kaya...
(JEN manipulates ODESSA's hands so that she's clutching her own hair.)
Harap ka kay GIDO, yung asawa mo...
(ODESSA turns to GIDO.)
Atsaka...
(JEN takes hold of ODESSA's mouth. This surprises ODESSA a little.)
Atsaka, sinisigawan mo lang sya.
Good, good.
And... Lauren?
LAUREN
Po?
JEN
Ikaw ako.
(A pause.)
JEN
Tayo ka.
(LAUREN gets up. This time JEN doesn't go over and take her arm.
Instead, LAUREN slowly walks towards the center of the room.)
JEN
Upo ka sa sahig.
(LAUREN sits cross-legged on the ground.)
JEN
Yakapin mo yung tuhod mo.
(LAUREN obeys.)
JEN
Yep. Tapos yuko ka... Okay.
(JEN observes for a while.)
JEN
Good.

(She looks over at ALEX, who is still seated against the wall.)
JEN
Ganda diba?
(He nods. Silence.)
JEN
Wow.
Okay. Relax muna kayo.
(ODESSA and GIDO exhale and let their arms drop to their sides,
laughing. LAUREN lifts her head up a little but doesn't move otherwise.)
GIDO
Pwede na po ba umupo?
JEN
Ah, ofcourse! Balik na kayo sa upuan nyo.
Simula pa lang 'to. Next week magsisimula na tayo sa reenactments.
BLACK OUT
V.
They are all lying on the floor again. The lights are dimmed.
GIDO
One.
JEN
Two.
ODESSA
Three.
(Long silence.)
ODESSA
Four.
(Silence.)
GIDO
Five.
(Silence.)
ALEX

Six.
(Silence.)
GIDO and LAUREN
Seven.
JEN
Ulet!
(Silence.)
BLACK OUT