“My body was still fighting, but my brain had already decided to stop.”
Seasoned actress Agot Isidro took to social media to explain her unexpected onstage “mental shutdown” during her performance on the stage play “Dagitab”.
The incident occurred during the play’s Saturday night run on July 12, when the performance was cut short after Isidro abruptly stopped mid-scene, unable to remember her next line. Dagitab’s supposed show the next day had also been cancelled due to the same reason.
Agot opened up about the experience in a lengthy Instagram post, titled “Actors are human beings.”
“Like all humans, may hangganan ang kaya ng katawan. Last night, at our last run, I stopped midway through a line. My brain shut down,” wrote Agot.
“I couldn’t remember a word. Not a word. I walked out and threw my arms around Jojit who was waiting for his cue backstage. I couldn’t understand what just happened.”
Isidro admitted that she had been struggling even during the previous show and described the experience as the very thing “every actor dreads.”
“I can only surmise that it was fatigue,” she explained. “I have been working nonstop for more than two months, moving to a new house and the all too familiar daily stressors.”
Though she clarified it wasn’t meant to be an excuse, the actress acknowledged that she had pushed herself past her physical and mental limits.
“I just overestimated my capacity — as a workaholic, as a nearing senior citizen, and as someone who takes the job too seriously. My body was still fighting, but my brain had already decided to stop.”
Isidro thanked the crew behind Dagitab and her castmates, including Elijah Canlas, Jojit Lorenzo, Sam Samarita, and Gio Gahol, for providing her support during the incident.
“Para sa mahal Kong Dagitab family, you were the best support system any artist could ask for. I’m sure it wasn’t easy for you to see this crumbling ashen ruined thing right before your eyes. I love you for looking out for me,” she wrote.
Agot concluded her post with a line from the play: “Sabi nga ni Jimmy… ‘Issey, kung napapagod ka na, Puede naman magpahinga. Di mo kailangan umalis.'”
The candid post received an outpour of loving and supportive messages from fellow celebrities and fans.
“Tao ka bago maging artista. Pahinga muna. Hihintayin at papanoorin namin ang iyong pagbabalik!!! Love you!!!”, actress Iza Calzado wrote.
“Mahigpit na yakap, Agot. At nakuuuu, hagod sa’yong likod. Magbabad sa malalim na pahinga hanggang gusto. At maraming salamat sa iyong kababaang-loob na isapubliko ang paliwanag mo. Mahal ka namin,” actor Bodjie Pascual commented.
“Hugs! Rest up! Sending you lots of good energy,” shared Jericho Rosales.
“Ikaw muna. Love you,” Angelica Panganiban added.
Following the temporary pause, the production of Dagitab, a stage adaptation of Giancarlo Abrahan’s 2014 Cinemalaya film of the same title, is reportedly expected to resume in September to allow Agot time to rest and recover.
