Therefor presents the premiere season of

ILANG-ILANG
By Alyssa Medel

A bilingual supernatural drama exploring survivor's guilt, grief, and diaspora identity through Filipino-Kiwi experience. 

About the Show

Following the sudden death of her beloved cousin, young Filipino-Kiwi Aya returns to her hometown expecting to find only grief and memories. Instead, she comes face-to-face with her cousin's ghost, who confronts her with an impossible question: “If my life were yours and yours were mine, would our fates have been different?”

Caught between the living and the dead, Aya navigates the contrasting worlds of diaspora and home, wrestling with the haunting realities that shape Filipino women's lives across oceans.

In this risk-taking intimate drama, playwright and director Alyssa Medel weaves a deeply personal story that honours both the resilience of Filipino women and the seaside community of Ilang – her home village in Davao City.

“As a Filipino, and a 1.5 generation Kiwi living in Aotearoa – I have been undoubtedly privileged to have lived a safe life... That privilege of safety has further pushed me to take risks with my artistic work, as I feel it is the very least I can do, for the sacrifices my family has made for me to be here now.” 

— Alyssa Medel, Writer & Director

Dates: 28 October – 1 November, 8 PM & 4 PM matinee on Sat
Venue: Basement Theatre, Lower Greys Ave, Auckland
Tickets: $17 - $31
Bookings: basementtheatre.co.nz/whats-on/ilang-ilang

Filipino Community Special Offer Available: Please email pennie.yun@gmail.com to enquire.