Boca del Lupo presents Lasa Ng Imperyo at the PuSh Festival, January 30 to February 8

Tagalog play translated, adapted, and performed by Carmela Sison investigates the effects of global imperialism on food preparation

SPONSORED POST BY Boca del Lupo

Lasa Ng Imperyo. Photo by Emily Cooper

Vancouver’s Boca del Lupo launches its Micro Performance Series in 2025 with Lasa Ng Imperyo, a play translated, adapted, and performed by Filipina Canadian theatre artist Carmela Sison and presented with the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. Lasa Ng Imperyo is a Tagalog adaptation of A Taste of Empire by Jovanni Sy, produced by rice & beans theatre. Performances run from January 30 to February 8 at The NEST on Granville Island.

Investigating the effects of global imperialism on how people produce, prepare, and consume food, this performance guides audiences across the layered history of Philippine cultural heritage through a live cooking demonstration in a surprising fusion of theatre and gastronomy.

This new version brings a fresh female perspective to the piece by replacing the original Sous-Chef Jovanni with the witty and intrepid Sous-Chef Mela. Her task is to cook rellenong bangus, or stuffed milkfish, a dish with an intricate preparation process that takes its roots from the country’s culinary traditions and colonial past.

As the dish is brought to life, so too are the stories embedded within its ingredients. Sous-Chef Mela’s insights connect the flavours and techniques to broader themes around globalization, cultural identity, and resource exploitation, inviting viewers to consider how the global food market continues to be shaped by imperialist legacies.

Lasa Ng Imperyo is the first presentation in Boca del Lupo’s 2025 Micro Performance Series, which provides a big impact through small-scale creations and experiences. These productions are created and performed by local, national, and international artists working across disciplines in intimate and small-scale forms.

Micro Performance is a unique creative style, adaptable to many forms, from theatre and dance to new media, live art, and interactive technology. The Micro Performance Series continues in April with Lisa Ravensbergen’s The Seventh Fire, as well as presentations at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival and Indian Summer Festival.

Directed by Marcus Youssef, Lasa Ng Imperyo will be presented fully in Tagalog with English surtitles and video projections designed by Andie Lloyd.

More details about the show and a link to purchase tickets can be found through Boca del Lupo’s website.

Post sponsored by Boca del Lupo.

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