CURRENTLY WINNING plaudits for his first venture in theater is Martin de los Santos, the young lead of Peta?s adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore?s play, ?The Post Office.?

Despite his young age, De los Santos has already had substantial exposure in teleseryes and the international film, ?Mammoth,? a Swedish-German-Danish-Nordic coproduction.

We watched this film where Marife Necesito stole the thunder from lead actors, Gael Garcia Bernal and Michelle Williams, as the nanny of the couple?s daughter. Back home in the Philippines, the children (Jan Nicdao and De los Santos) of Necesito?s character await her return.

Imagination

In ?The Post Office,? which tackles the consequences of illness and death, Martin?s intuitiveness and imagination help him do well in his role.

In Rody Vera?s adaptation, the sick child, Abel, faces the world with optimism as he meets the taho vendor, the barangay tanod, the taong banal, Hepe, a sampaguita vendor and his guardian, Mang Pedring, and teaches them how to find wonder and beauty in their difficult lives.

Bembol Roco, who portrays Abel?s guardian, revels in the rawness of Martin?s performance (?It?s pure and honest?). Bodjie Pascua, who plays Poldo, attributes the boy?s fine performance to his being a good listener.

Martin and his alternate, Abner Delina, continue to draw crowds to the play, which is being staged at Peta Theater, 5 Eymard dr., New Manila, Quezon City, until Sept. 12.

The cast also includes Jojo Atienza, Jason Barcial, Lotlot Bustamante, Julia Joan Chua, Jack Yabut, the Kilyawan Choir and the Loboc Children?s Choir. E-mail petatheater@gmail.com, or call 725-6244.