MANILA, Philippines – There’s chick lit and chick flicks. And now there’s “chick theater” as well.

Just a week after the rerun of the one-man show, “Defending the Caveman” starring Joel Trinidad, comes the rerun of “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” written by Nora and Delia Ephron and based on the book by Ilene Beckerman.

The one-hour-30-minute play presented without an intermission consists of short stories revolving around clothes, shoes, bags and other fashion items. Sometimes it’s just a recitation of various funny quips about different subjects from fitting rooms to the fashion influence of Madonna but there are also longer monologues that delve into heavier topics like breast cancer and even rape.

In a way, “Love, Loss and What I Wore” is “The Vagina Monologues” redone for the “Sex and the City” generation. There are no feminist diatribes – although a twist on the portion on bridal gowns revealed that the two women are actually a lesbian couple who are about to get married – but it’s not as inconsequential as one might aspect.

Weaving the different stories together is the life story of Gingy (played by a wistful Jay Glorioso) who grew up poor, had three marriages and raised several children. Each story is related to a particular dress, whose sketch is projected onstage. More than fashion, the clothes become personal mementoes, symbols of hardships and triumphs, and ultimately love, particularly between mother and daughter. No wonder former first lady Imelda Marcos amassed a collection of thousands of shoes.

Despite the emotional recollections, the play’s more memorable moments are the humorous ones. In particular, Bituin Escalante’s story on bags, singling out the Hermes Kelly, is a standout. It doesn’t really shed light on the obsession many women have on owning expensive handbag but it does offer an explanation as to its importance – and why women’s bags tend to be always messy.

The play is simply staged with five women, dressed in black (but, of course), sitting on stools and doing a reading of a play. The idea – at least on Broadway – is that it easily allows major actresses to be cast for a limited number of performances since it doesn’t require too much preparation and rehearsals. (Among those who have performed the play in New York are Rosie O’Donnell and Tyne Daly.)

For the Manila version, apart from Escalante and Glorioso, the cast also includes Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Liza Robinson and Cathy Azanza-Dy – all veteran stage actresses who provide the play with extra gravitas and star power.

It would be interesting to also see a rotating cast for Manila, and perhaps even a Filipino translation and the addition of Filipino stories.

“Love, Loss and What I Wore” ends its run on Sunday at the RCBC Plaza in Makati City. But don’t be surprised if it will be staged again and again. It’s perfect for a girls’ night out, although several well-dressed couples watched – and seemed to have enjoyed – the performance on Saturday night.

(From left) Cathy Azanza-Dy, Liza Robinson, Jay Glorioso, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Bituin Escalante ‘vogue’ as a tribute to Madonna in “Love, Loss and What I Wore.” Photo courtesy of Ria Pangilinan