Advance Theatre Festival - Far and Free
When
Occurs on
Tuesday January 27 2026
Approximate running time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Venue
Event Notes
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Ruby Slippers Theatre in association with The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and Playwrights Guild of Canada present The Advance Theatre Festival: Advancing the Radically Inclusive Stage. Five Staged Readings over Five Days
Far and Free (Malayo at Malaya)
Playwright: Abi Padilla
*READING OF PLAY ONLY*
A coming of age romantic comedy set in the late 1980’s during the Philippine’s martial law, Filipino twins Farah and closeted gay brother Francis move to Canada and struggle to let go of their first romantic loves and their activism as they seek a safer, "better life". Questions continue to haunt them: How can they love freely if their motherland isn't fully free?
Playwright’s Bio: Abi Padilla is a first generation Filipino-Canadian actor, playwright and film maker. A graduate of the Studio 58 acting program, her co-written plays “The Banyan Tree” and “How to F*ck Up a Funeral” were staged at the Six of One: New Play Festival. Her short film directorial debut “Thank You Mila” was showcased at the 2020 MAMM Film Festival. “Grandma. Gangsta. Guerrilla”, her first full length play where she also played the titular character, world premiered under Ruby Slippers Theatre in 2025. She has performed innumerous festivals and has worked with various theatre companies based in Vancouver such as rice and beans theatre, Theatre Replacement, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, United Players of Vancouver, NPC3 and Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Society.
Location: Room 103
All tickets $15.00
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Purchase 3 different “Shadbolt Presents” shows for the same Patron and receive a special subscription price of $5.00 off per ticket. This show does not qualify for a discount but you can add it to your 3 shows for a subscription. . Available by phone only. Arts Club on Tour, Jazz @ the Bolt and shows $25 and under can be included as one of the three required for subscription however they will not receive the $5.00 discount. Not included: Arts Club on Tour and Jazz @ the Bolt
Please contact the Box Office if you require accessible seating or have ticketing or subscription questions. 604.205.3000
No refunds on tickets. 2.00 fee per ticket for exchanges
Far and Free (Malayo at Malaya)
Playwright: Abi Padilla
*READING OF PLAY ONLY*
A coming of age romantic comedy set in the late 1980’s during the Philippine’s martial law, Filipino twins Farah and closeted gay brother Francis move to Canada and struggle to let go of their first romantic loves and their activism as they seek a safer, "better life". Questions continue to haunt them: How can they love freely if their motherland isn't fully free?
Playwright’s Bio: Abi Padilla is a first generation Filipino-Canadian actor, playwright and film maker. A graduate of the Studio 58 acting program, her co-written plays “The Banyan Tree” and “How to F*ck Up a Funeral” were staged at the Six of One: New Play Festival. Her short film directorial debut “Thank You Mila” was showcased at the 2020 MAMM Film Festival. “Grandma. Gangsta. Guerrilla”, her first full length play where she also played the titular character, world premiered under Ruby Slippers Theatre in 2025. She has performed innumerous festivals and has worked with various theatre companies based in Vancouver such as rice and beans theatre, Theatre Replacement, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, United Players of Vancouver, NPC3 and Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Society.
Location: Room 103
All tickets $15.00
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Purchase 3 different “Shadbolt Presents” shows for the same Patron and receive a special subscription price of $5.00 off per ticket. This show does not qualify for a discount but you can add it to your 3 shows for a subscription. . Available by phone only. Arts Club on Tour, Jazz @ the Bolt and shows $25 and under can be included as one of the three required for subscription however they will not receive the $5.00 discount. Not included: Arts Club on Tour and Jazz @ the Bolt
Please contact the Box Office if you require accessible seating or have ticketing or subscription questions. 604.205.3000
No refunds on tickets. 2.00 fee per ticket for exchanges