SINGAPORE — In The Romance Of Magno Rubio, our eponymous protagonist endlessly pines for Clarabelle, a woman he’s never met. It’s quite a quixotic love story — if it weren’t for a huge sign onstage reminding us that it’s more than that. “No dogs and Filipinos allowed,” it sneers. It’s 1930s California, and we’re watching the travails of migrant workers in tragi-comic style.

Presented by Entablado Theatre Company — a new group founded by two theatre vets such as Philippines-born musical director Babes Conde and choreographer/actor Filomar Tariao — the play is a sign of intent to infuse the local scene with a bit of Pinoy flavour. And what better way to kick it off than with a restaging of Lonnie Carter’s 2002 Obie Award-winning adaptation of a short story by Carlos Bulosan.

Directed by Dina Jose, The Romance Of Magno Rubio looks and feels as raw as its band of brothers, who admittedly had yet to find their collective rhythm on opening night last week. But its grit has appeal as the characters burst into song and spew naughty double entendres in a rhymed script with liberal doses of Tagalog.

At its heart is Rubio (played with teddy bear-like charm by Gelo Francisco), an impossibly optimistic simpleton who engages in a long distance relationship of sorts with an American woman (extremely dangerous at that time). He’s surrounded by fellow workers of all sorts — the educated, gentle Nick (Tariao), the scheming Claro (Nicko Rufino), the wise-cracking Atoy (Jejie Esguerra, who also doubles up to hilarious effect as Clarabelle), and the requisite old-timer Prudencio (Gani Abdul Karim, who impressively holds his own alongside his Filipino co-actors).

The levity afforded by its occasional humour draws you to Rubio’s groan-worthy dilemma, but there is always a constant reminder of the group’s bitter (and larger) plight which every so often rears its ugly head.

The Romance Of Magno Rubio strongly oozes Filipino-ness but it is definitely not a niche production.

Its very specificity gives it that added punch and puts human faces on issues that should resonate in any country built on the backs of immigrants and foreign workers. It’s clear the topics facing the migrant workers of 1930s California still ring familiar today.

The Romance Of Magno Rubio runs until Dec 8, 8pm, DBS Arts Centre - Home of SRT. In English with some Tagalog. Tickets at S$25 and S$35 from Sistic.