Reprising his award-winning role in About Us But Not About Us, Canlas steps into a confrontation that hits harder live.

Elijah Canlas returns to the stage in a role that helped cement his standing as one of the most compelling actors of his generation.

IdeaFirst Live! is set to mount the theatrical adaptation of About Us But Not About Us, with Canlas reprising his role as Lancelot opposite Romnick Sarmenta.

IdeaFirst Live! is set to mount the theatrical adaptation of About Us But Not About Us, with Canlas reprising his role as Lancelot opposite Romnick Sarmenta. The production follows the company’s successful stage adaptation of Anino Sa Likod Ng Buwan and continues its exploration of psychologically charged Filipino narratives in a live theater setting.

First introduced in the 2022 film written and directed by Jun Robles Lana, Lancelot is a deceptively quiet presence. He enters the story as a former student whose chance meeting with his professor unfolds into a tense battle of memory, power, and control. 

In the film, Canlas’ performance was marked by restraint and precision, gradually revealing Lancelot’s intentions beneath polite conversation and measured silences. The role earned him a Special Jury Prize at the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Film Festival, part of the film’s 10 award sweep including Best Film and Best Director.

The stage version will deepen the psychological weight of Lancelot’s character. Stripped of cinematic distance, the live format places Canlas at the center of an uninterrupted confrontation that relies entirely on presence, timing, and emotional control. The material leans into themes of identity, manipulation, and unresolved trauma, allowing the actor to navigate a character who is at once vulnerable and calculating, familiar and deeply unsettling.

Directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio, the production also stars Sarmenta returning as Eric, the literature professor whose authority slowly erodes as the conversation unfolds. Supporting roles are shared by Epy Quizon and Andoy Ranay as Marcus, and Herbie Go and Geraldine Villamil as Dean Dimalanta, with Jack Denzel Gaza appearing as the Waiter. Noel Rayos and Jao Catarus serve as understudies for Eric and Lancelot.

Running from February 14 to March 8, 2026, About Us But Not About Us will be staged at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater. Performances are scheduled on Fridays at 8 PM, and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 PM and 8 PM. The two hour production includes a 15 minute intermission and is strictly for mature audiences.