The Necessary Theater: Review of A NUMBER: Contemplating Clones

October 10, 2026

A Son (JC Santos) just learned that he has had "a number" of clones created from him, 20 of them. His Father (Bart Guingona) admitted that he was so devastated when his wife and 4 year-old son died from a car accident, so he hired doctors to clone his son for him. Father said he did not know there would be more than one clone created, so he thought they should sue the doctors. Son thought it would be good to meet at least one of the clones. 

This was just the first scene of five father-son conversations as they reflect about the dad's decision to have his son cloned. However, in the subsequent scenes it would be revealed that there would be much darker developments that stem from what we heard in the first scene. We meet two of the other versions of the Son see how they reacted to the multiple cloning situation they were in, as their selfish Father struggled to get through to them. 

The sparse, eerie set and atmosphere 

The Necessary Theater (previously Actor's Actors) is known for staging wordy discourse dramas, plays that rely more on intellectual debates or extensive discussions to drive the plot, with hardly any physical action nor visual spectacle. I have seen a few of them before: "The Normal Heart" (2015, MY REVIEW), "Blackbird" (2017, MY REVIEW) and "Red" (2023, MY REVIEW) -- all intense affairs, tackling unconventional, uncomfortable topics.

"Red" was also a two-hander starring Bart Guingona and JC Santos, with Guingona directing.  "A Number" also only had Guingona and Santos, but they play four characters. Guingona played the Father, while Santos played all three versions of the Son. However, this time, it is Santos who took the reins as the play's director for his very first time. His challenge was how to present a sci-fi-based drama in a small intimate venue with minimum props, and Santos certainly took the bull by its horns. 

Having seen many of their other plays before, I knew how Guingona and Santos were skilled actors who always delivered the goods in a stark "no-acting acting" style, long lines of dialog notwithstanding. Guingona was a natural fit for flawed elder characters who were abrasive, perverse, or arrogant.  Santos is a natural fit for vulnerable younger characters, who were despondent, difficult or damaged. It was no surprise that they nailed their roles here. 

The set consistent of four suspended translucent mirror panels, and a heavy square ottoman that Guingona can move around. Each clone wore a different costume to distinguish one from the others, each lit in different colored spotlights -- blue, red and yellow. It was a rather puzzling costume choice for the second one to be most formally dressed and styled one, with his wool coat and neat man-bun, considering his more disturbed and violent personality.

The play itself, as written by British playwright Caryl Churchill in 2002, was a talk-heavy piece that demanded the audience to pay attention listen to every word as the deeper layers of the story were slowly uncovered with every conversation. The rapt audience was so tense with the dead-serious acting and atmosphere here, they seemed intimidated to laugh at hints of dark comedy sprinkled in parts, even when the mood lightened up in the final scene. 

Curtain Call with Bart Guingona and JC Santos

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This limited engagement of "A NUMBER" runs from Oct. 9 to 18 at WhyNotMNL, 4th Floor, Karrivin Plaza, Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati City.

It was my first time to watch any show at Karrivin that afternoon. There was a very strong downpour en route there, such that Chino Roces Ave. was rendered unpassable because of flood. I had to turn around to go back to the expressway to reach the area another way. It turns out that Karrivin Plaza had very limited parking. The guard told me to go to Alorica-MJ Plaza for pay parking instead (I paid P80 for the duration of the play). 

I decided to watch this show on the fly just for the star power of its 2-man cast. I went without reading anything about it, so I was very surprised that a ticket costs P2,800 each. Thanks to my discount card, my ticket cost me P2, 240, but still that was quite a steep price hike for this production company. Tickets for "Via Dolorosa," Bart Guingona's 2025 one-man show also held at Karrivin only cost P1,200 each. Inflation is real, but I felt this sting. 

NWR: Review of BONGGA KA, 'DAY!: THE ANNIE BATUNGBAKAL MUSICAL: HIgh on HOTDOG Hits

October 3, 2026

It was 1979. Suzy Batungbakal (Air Paz-Pablico) had been raising her two daughters by herself by being a dressmaker in their house. Her eldest Annie (Atasha Muhlach) a fashion design school dropout now working as a salesgirl in House of Pasion, a fancy couture shop owned by socialite Aurora Pasion (Jackie Lou Blanco).  At night, Annie would try to enter the exclusive disco Coco Banana with her work buddy Toots (Gerhard Khrysstopher), but was repeatedly denied entry by its proprietor, Tarurit (Dindo Divinagracia). 

One day, two men arrived at the Manila International Airport from abroad. Romer Pasion (Anthony Rosaldo) was an airline steward with a passion for photography. However, his mother Aurora wanted him to take over the management of their business, an idea which he did not relish. Burn Rivera (Rapah Manalo) was a folk singer who just came home after working in Japan for a number of years. He had a serious crush on Annie since before he left, but she was still sore at him because he left without letting her know. 

Like "Bagets The Musical" in January this year, this latest show at the Newport Performing Arts Theater was once again a jukebox musical produced by the Newport World Resort in cooperation with the Philippine Star and Viva Communications. This new musical uses the catchy songs composed and performed by the iconic 1970s Manila Sound band Hotdog, founded by Dennis and Rene Garcia. Annie Batungbakal was the title character of one of their songs, which had been adapted into a 1979 film starring Nora Aunor. 

The creative and artistic direction of this project was care of PETA Plus, led by Program Director Melvin Lee. The playwright is Liza Magtoto, guided by dramaturg Eric dela Cruz. The stage direction was by Chris Millado, while the musical direction was by Vince Lim, who also did the arrangements and sound design. As the show about 70s fashion and dance, the throwback costumes by Hershee Tantiado and choreography of Stephen Vinas were front and center. The lighting effects of John Batalla enhanced the grandness of that stage and set.

Ohm David really stepped up with the nostalgic set pieces for this show, big and small. He made a movable wall that covered the whole expanse of the stage, with each box containing a vintage television set. One back-to-back set piece was that of the Batungbakal home in Frisco, QC. One side had their cramped living room, while the other side was Annie's messy bedroom. The grander back-to-back two-tier set piece had the elegant House of Pasion on one side, and the lavish Coco Banana complete with grand staircase on the other. 

In Act 1, we hear them sing the ever-exuberant "Manila" upon the arrival of Romer and Burn at the airport. "Totoo Ba ang Tsismis" was heard during a gathering of neighborhood gossipmongers. "Kulang" was first sung by Annie with Toots while dressing up, then later used to humiliate Annie about her fashion sense at the disco. "Pandesal sa Umaga" was the song Annie shared with her "sidecar fairy" adviser Amor (Akie Cedilla). The hilarious "Badaf Forever," a Garcia composition originally recorded by Charing, a gay Hagibis clone, fit right at home among the parade of drag queens of Coco Banana.

I liked the flow of the story in Act 2 more, as well as the choice of songs for the supporting cast to have their featured solos. "Panaginip" became a mother's promise of dedicated lifetime support to her daughter. "Parang Robot" was Aurora's acceptance about the change in direction her store should take. "Bitin sa Yo" was the resignation of Iste (Andrea Babierra) that her crush Burn loved her sister more. On the debit side, I felt "Beh Buti Nga" was awkwardly used in a squabble between two supposedly English-speaking Coco Banana denizens.

The Triumphant Curtain Call

The matinee show we caught today featured actors who were not among the cast members we see in the show's advertisement videos or read about in reviews, like Sam Concepcion, KD Estrada or John Sweet Lapus. Instead, we got to see Anthony Rosaldo as Romer, Rapah Manalo as Burn and Dindo Divinagracia as Tarurit, which I welcomed as this variation gave us another perspective to the show. Part of me was actually curious to see understudy Iya Villanueva (Maggie Winslow in the recent staging of "A Chorus Line") play Annie, but no such luck. 

I have seen Anthony Rosaldo before as Roger in "Rent" (2024) so I knew he had soaring vocals, best heard here in his rendition of "Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko." He actually had more of that flashy playboy rascal vibe the role of Romer needed, worthy of that "high waist na, see-through pa" outfit. I have seen Rapah Manalo before in "A Chorus Line" (2026) so I knew he could sing and dance very well. He was able to showcase his strong vocals best in the love song "Langit na Naman," which his Burn supposedly wrote for Annie.

Atasha Muhlach has been Annie for two weeks already when I watched. She is no doubt charming, actually proficient in the quiet dramatic scenes. Her major solo number "Pers Lab" was noticeably given a lower arrangement. Her very slender frame made some movements she had to do look ungainly. Nervous jitters were still there as she sometimes felt dwarfed or drowned out by everything going on around her in those ultra-busy group numbers. She has the talent, just needs to build up more confidence so can she sell it and stand out. 

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"Bongga Ka, 'Day!: The Annie Batungbakal Musical" runs from September 18 to October 31, 2026 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City. Tickets can be bought via Ticketworld at the following prices: SVIP P4,500, VIP P4,000, Gold P3,400, Silver P2,400 and Bronze P1,300. 

Jeff Moses also alternates as Romer. Ring Antonio alternates as Aurora Pasion. Yani Lopez alternates as Iste. Other covers and swings include Tep Logmao and Jannah Baniasia. The female ensemble include Chez Cuenca, Abi Sulit-Racho, Abegail Turiano, Mica Fajardo, Coleen Paz, Mia Bella, Misha Fabian, Sam Marasigan, Yna Arbiol and Paui Luzariaga. The male ensemble include Mark Panganoron, Gerald Magallanes, Dan Wesley, Jay Cortez, Yahweh Sangalang, Vyen Villanueva, MC dela Cruz, Moi Gealogo, Richardson Yadao, and effortless standouts Bombading and Franco Ramos. 

TP: Review of SAYAW NG MGA ILAW: Peace and Positivity in Pandanggo

September 19, 2026

Kala (Ynna Rafa) was performing in a folk dance number with her school organization. In the audience that night were her parents Tatay Ondeng (Noel Rayos) and Nanay Lucia (Shiela Valderrama), and her younger sister Laya (Wincess Jem Yana). While Kala and her group was dancing the pandanggo sa ilaw, Laya was fascinated how the dancers kept those glasses with lit candles securely balanced on their heads while spinning around. 

As a high school senior, Kala was very active in their school paper, writing poetry and essays. The year was 1981. Kala wrote an article about the recent lifting of Martial Law, and reflected if there was indeed any changes in Filipino society since then. Her friend and school paper staff Tony (Earvin Estioco) warned her to reconsider the language she used in her political writings, as these may still put her and their paper in danger. 

The Stage

When director Jonathan Tadioan and his team decided that the llatest play by Tanghalang Pilipino would be based on a children's short story written by Cheeno Mario Sayuno, Juan Ekis was the first choice to interpret it as a movement-based play for children. Being a dance musical with the Pandanggo sa Ilaw as the special focal point, the music by Krina Cayabyab, choreography by Al Bernard Garcia and lights of D Cortezano were essential aspects of the project.

The first thing we see on the stage was a massive, glittery sculpture of a Balintawak or Maria Clara, with its camisa with butterfly sleeves and skirt with tapis  There were yards of gray fabric emanating from of its skirt covering the whole stage, and multiple light bulbs hanging above it. This fabulous set was designed by Marco Viana, who also designed the stylish black and white polka dot outfits for main characters, and colorful folk finery for the ensemble.

Noel Rayos and Sheila Valderrama 

When Kala was performing her pandanggo, her parents and sister were actually seated among the audience as they were commenting away. After that number,  we learned that the job of Tatay Ondeng had him staying up late at night, rushing to finish building a new movie theater to screen foreign films by January. At that point, Gen X'ers in the audience will have already guessed where the tragedy where this play was headed. 

The dance interpretation of that tragic event was quite an intricate number. At first, there were dancers banging benches all over the stage, representing night shift workers hard at work that fateful early morning of November 17, 1981. When the scaffolding collapsed, fallen workers were buried into the wet cement floor. To represent this horrific accident tastefully, the dancers used the voluminous grey fabric on the floor to swallow everyone up. 

Wincess Jem Yana and Ynna Rafa

Another complex dance number was that one where Kala wrote an angry article about how only seven workers were announced as victims, while many others never got acknowledged. This upbeat number had Kala and Tony stacking benches one on top of another, while they and the other dancers were jumping on and off them. The sheer precariousness of the heart-stopping dance moves in themselves represented the imminent danger Kala was in. 

The best dance numbers were those two exuberant pandanggos -- the one led by Kala at the beginning, and the one led by Laya at the end. We will see the two types of pandanggo here -- Pandanggo sa Ilaw (where dancers balance a glass with a lit candle inside on each hand and on their head), and the Oasioas (where dancers wrap the glasses with lit candles in cloth and whirl them around). These dances uplifted the spirit of the whole show.

The Whole Cast at Curtain Call

Stage veterans Noel Rayos and Sheila Valderrama certainly prove the all the acclaim and respect they've earned in their long careers in both singing and acting here. 15 year old Wincess Jem Yana already proved her musical talent in TP's "Sandosenang Sapatos" before, and further builds her marquee value up here. She was simply incandescent in her finale Pandanggo number rendered with effortless elan, smiling brightly all throughout. (9 year old Annika Co, whom we first saw in the 2024 film "Sunshine," is the alternate for Laya.)

Ynna Rafa was a clear triple-threat. As Kala, she displayed confident grace in her pandanggo dancing, vocal clarity with her soprano, and intense conviction in her portrayal of a fearless student activist coming of age. Earvin Estioco was a charming Tony, but he also danced with the rest of the ensemble composed of Mark Lorenz, Heart Puyong, Sarah Monay, and the versatile Lhorvie Nuevo Tadioan, whom I have never seen dance up such a storm before.

The Main Cast in front. 

The Creative Team at the back. 

The show begins and ends with the rousing title song "Sayaw ng mga Ilaw." Tatay tells Kala "Dito Ka Magpahinga," as she was rushing an essay on her typewriter. Nanay laments "Nasa'n Ka Na Aking Mahal" when Tatay went missing. Kala and Tony argue about the risks of freedom of the press in "Anong Klaseng Liwanag." Nanay expresses concerns about Kala's activism, asking her "Ito Lang Ba Ang Paraan." Laya contemplates "Nasaan ang Tapang," then declares "May Apoy Sa Loob Ko" alongside Kala. 

Dealing with the death of a loved one is never easy for anybody, especially if the circumstances of that death were sudden and fraught with uncertainty and insensitivity. This may not be the most comfortable topic for a stage musical for kids, but death is an unavoidable reality of life and we need to accept it head on, at any age. Dance here was a glorious and dynamic symbol of the grace of the human spirit to move on beyond tragedy.

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Tanghalang Pilipino's "Sayaw ng mga Ilaw" runs from September 18 to October 11, 2026 at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, CCP Complex, Manila. Tickets are available via TicketWorld, P2172 for VIP and P1,954 for Regular. 

 

PETA: Review of GEN G: GG NA ITO!: Campaigning for Choice and Change

September 17, 2026

It was April 24, 2028. Youths were divided into groups to form various Balangay Gen Zones. In Balangay Gen G, the members were team leader Achi (Francheska Andaya), documentarist Chloe (Camille Fabian), handyman Dex (Johnrick Noynay), and volunteer Sid (James Lanante). All the adults (called Gabay) of the community were asked to leave until May 8, 2028, so the youths could think, decide and fend for themselves for two weeks. 

However, when May 8 came, there was no sign of the adults coming back. The kids waited impatiently for the rest of the day, but the adults really never came. Gen G was visited by a "New Character" (Lyle Viray), who was one of the guys from Balangay Gen A. He wanted to see if there were other balangays where the adults also have not returned. Before he could leave, a sudden flash flood inundated their area, setting their balangay afloat. 

This latest project of PETA is in partnership with the Move to Change Foundation, an organization led by Ms. Liza Abaya that aims to inspire the youth of the country to effect positive change in our society. This play is a part of Project GG: Game Changers for Good Governance, a civic education campaign to impart this message to the youth so they will learn that their opinions do matter, and their participation makes a difference.

This show opened with an introduction by Zoe (Damag). She was the narrator of the story, as well as an audience coordinator during those interactive parts during the play when the characters ask for the audience's opinion on what to do next. An example was when the New Character appeared, she asked the audience to decide that gear he should bring and what his vibe was, and even what his name should be (in our show, his name was Rodrigo). 

These are the parts where the show will vary every time, because different decisions made by the audience for each show. I imagine the cast has to be ready to improvise accordingly. At one part, she would actually interact with the kids of Balangay Gen G as people in the kids' lives who may have influence on the decisions they make. Damag went through quick changes onstage to play the cousin of Dex, then Achi's mother, then Sid's colleague. 

The cast is composed of young and energetic new actors. They were each playing flawed characters who were getting frustrated and angry at their groupmates, so sometimes things do get too frenetic or too intense -- until they learn their lessons and wise up. The young audience up front enjoyed "shipping" characters, like Dex with Achi, or Chloe with Rodrigo, and the actors knew how to play up the "kilig" game to amp up the fun and engagement.  

The colorful stage and characters -- Damag, Lanante, Viray, Noynay, Andaya and Fabian

After the cast took their curtain call at the end, Zoe came back onstage to moderate an open forum session with the youth in the audience. Some of the young  people who volunteered to speak up during the preview show that I caught were quite impressive as to the insights they shared. One commented on the audience decision to go for Sid's suggestion to rest. Another one piggybacked on the audience decision to make Rodrigo a critical type of dude. 

According to the press release, this show will be touring at least 12 schools from September to December 2026. This is just part of a bigger campaign to foster conversations about global citizenship education, narrative change, youth participation. Hopefully, the youth can actually act on the initiatives that emerge from these discussions in order to bring about the social change which PETA advocates for. With this in mind, PETA is inviting interested parties who share their vision to partner up with them to achieve these noble ends.

FlipMusic: Review of MULI: AN OPM MUSICAL: Healing a Housewife's Headspace

September 12, 2026

Anita (Kakki Teodoro) and her husband Maki (Marvin Ong) had been separated for the past three years on bitter terms. Since then, she was raising their young adult musician daughter Kath (Janine Teñoso) as a single mom. She had been seeing less and less of her gang of best friends the "Barkadolls," namely Juls (Justine Peña), Detski (Marynor Madamesila), and Mito (Baus Rufo). She did not even feel like attending their 25th high school homecoming. 

Anita had artistic inclinations since childhood, into songwriting and performing. However, got pregnant with Kath at age 17, and because of this, she had to give up a lot of her showbiz dreams in order to raise her daughter. Anita's active imagination was full of fantasies -- that she was a powerful CEO of a construction company involved in government contracts, or a big-time mommy influencer with an ideal home life and husband.  

"Muli" is an original OPM musical with book by Charissa Pammit and Jose Paolo dela Cruz, and music and songs by Nica del Rosario and Matthew Chang. The mundane story of a 42 year-old woman whose dreams were sidetracked by a teenage motherhood was energized with flashbacks of her colorful high school life and outlandish what-if scenarios which took her away from her current humdrum existence as plain housewife. 

There were 11 catchy original songs written by the team of del Rosario and Chang with throwback and current styles ranging from dance hiphop to pop ballads, to drive the story forward. Not taking the usual jukebox route was a big risk for show producers Flipmusic, a music production company responsible for some of the biggest OPM hits for the past 15 years from Sarah Geronimo's "Tala" (2016) to Bini's "Salamin Salamin" (2024).   

The Set

The show opens with the song "Iba't-Ibang Mundo," where Young Anita (Felicity Kyle Napuli) expressed her youthful dreams. In the fun song "Barkadolls," Anita and her high school gang professed that they will always have each other's back. The first act showstopper was an elaborate and profane (!) fantasy revenge number disguised in the seemingly innocent title "Ina Ninyong Lahat," that culminated with a hilarious "Wicked" reference.   

We get to meet the men in Anita's life in Act 2. In the song "Liham," Maki appears as the "Perfect Husband" role of Anita's own fully-produced podcast. The song "Sarili Nating Kwento" was a duet sung by Anita with her high school crush Ian (Vien King) in the talent show of their school fair of St. Aurelia's School back in 1999. The late-90s flashback scenes resonated positively with the audience as they giggled with 'kilig" with their nostalgic recollections.

Anita's daughter Kath was played by 27 year-old singer-songwriter Janine Tenoso in her debut as a theater actress. Tenoso first made a name for herself as a finalist of a TV talent show "Born to Be a Star" in 2016, and went on to have hit records since then. Her singing talent was well showcased in her solo numbers "Silver Spoon" and "Happily Ever After." Acting-wise, Tenoso was able to hold her own in Kath's heart-to-heart scenes with her protective mother.  

I know Kakki Teodoro can sing since the first time I saw her onstage in "Pamana" (2013). She would of course gain mainstream recognition as her award-winning portrayal of Nimia in "Himala: The Musical" in both the stage (2018) and film (2024 as "Walang Himala") versions. In 2019, I had seen her headline a one-woman show "Every Brilliant Thing," but apparently she never played lead in a stage musical before until now. 

Teodoro's Anita was front and center of the entire show as it explored her memories, dreams, nightmares, and her very state of mind. Pammit and Dela Cruz's book was practically a series of psychoanalytic sessions where Anita was revealing her most innermost thoughts, insecurities, fears, and denials. We know Teodoro can steal any scene as a supporting actress, now we know she can dominate an entire show with her larger-than-life persona. 

Teodoro sang in 8 out of the show's 11 original songs, mostly with her Barkadolls, leading the ensemble, or duets with her male partners. Her most emotional performance was in the title song "Muli," which Anita sang in duet with her precious Kath after a gut-wrenching revelation that made the audience audibly gasp. Teodoro carried Anita's arc full circle with the delivery of her valedictory anthem "Baka Bukas," expressing readiness to face the future.

The multiversal flow of the storytelling can feel rather abrupt as Anita shifted randomly from her present reality to high-school to imagined fantasies which can be puzzling. I watched this show on a matinee on its opening weekend so there were still a number of technical issues noted.  Scene transitions can be noisy or took too long to set up.  Anyhow, these would eventually iron themselves out as the company performs more shows in its three-week run.  

The Cast take their bow

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Muli: An OPM Musical runs at the Maybank Performing Arts Center in BGC on weekends from September 11 to 27, 2026 at 8 pm, with 3 pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets can be bought from Ticketworld at the following prices: ₱3,914 (Level 1 Center), ₱3,502 (Level 2 Center), ₱3,296 (Level 1 Sides), ₱2,678 (Level 2 Sides), ₱2,472 (Level 3 Center), and ₱1,854 (Level 3 Sides). 

The show is directed by Andrei Pamintuan, with Gabbi Campomanes (assistant director), Julian Abuda (choreographer), D Cortezano (lighting and set designer), Santi Obcena (costume designer), Jodinand Aguillon (wardrobe stylist), Harly Daria (hair and makeup designer), Sarah Facuri (video designer), Arvy Dimaculangan (sound designer), Julian Hernandez (sound engineer).

The ensemble also includes Raflesia Bravo (as Anita's sister and as a senior high teacher), Harly Daria, Jon Abella, Gabo Tiongson, Elian Dominguez, Miah Canton (Kath understudy), and Matel Patayon (Anita understudy).

TGA: Review of THE NOTEBOOK: THE MUSICAL: Delivering Deep Devotion

September 7, 2026

Older Allie (Celeste Legaspi) had Alzheimer's disease, and had to be cared for in a nursing home. She did not recognize her husband Older Noah (Rody Vera), so he read to her everyday from an old notebook. He was patiently retelling her the history of their romantic relationship -- from when their first meeting at the age of 17 up to 10 years hence. He did this in the hope that their love story can jog her murky memory back to normal. 

Young Noah (Benedix Ramos) fell in love with Young Allie (Sheena Belarmino) the first moment he laid eyes on her at the dock while he was rowing a boat. Noah had already promised her a home they would call their own in the future. However, since Allie was about to go off to college, her wealthy parents (Floyd Tena and Carla Guevara Laforteza) would not allow her to continue seeing Noah, a high school dropout who worked at the lumberyard. 

Ten years later, Middle Allie (Morissette Amon) was engaged to be married to Lon (Markki Stroem), a lawyer her parents approved of. However, one day a photograph she saw in the newspaper made her feel she needed to go back to the place where she had her first teenage romance. There, she saw that her dream house had already been built up from the ground, and there he was Middle Noah (Laurence Mossman) standing on the terrace. 

The Stage

"The Notebook" was first a best-selling romance novel written by Nicholas Sparks, his debut as a novelist published in 1996. The movie adaptation directed by Nick Cassavetes, starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling as Allie and Noah, with Gena Rowlands (director Cassavetes' mother in real life) and James Garner as their senior versions, was released in 2004 and went on to become a cult favorite among the female demographic. 

To be completely honest, I recall that I did not really like the film at all, although my wife did. It may be a hot take, but I thought Rachel McAdams' portrayal of Allie was too hysterical.  I felt McAdams did not have much chemistry with either Gosling nor James Marsden (as Lon). I did not like some silly over-the-top scenes like Noah's crazy Ferris wheel stunt or Allie's candy striper stint how she first met Lon all wrapped up in bandages. 

This musical version music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and a book by Bekah Brunstetter. The lead characters of different ages were portrayed by three pairs of actors. All Allies wore turquiose, all Noahs wore red. There were songs where all three actors playing a character would sing together and these were some of the best songs -- both musically, and visually as they were performed on stage -- something the movie could not have done.

The first act ended with an emotional triptych of events from the three pairs of Allie and Noah while the company was singing the song "Home" -- the young couple separated under threat of arrest, the older couple stricken by sundowning and a stroke, while the middle couple see each other again after ten years. Packed with tension and suspense, I thought these were very elegantly executed cliffhangers which leave audiences excited for the next act.

The Main Cast at the Curtain Call

Ramos, Mossman, Vera, Legaspi, Amon, Belarmino

 

This Philippine version in particular is being performed by three sets of perfectly-cast actors/singers who further elevated the narrative with their talent. The way they portrayed their respective Noahs and Allies were far more endearing than Gosling and McAdams were in the film -- with more chemistry, that's for sure. It is just a pity that the role of Lon, the most likable character in the film, had been much abridged in this stage version. 

I've known Rody Vera more as a prolific playwright in Filipino. His revelatory turn as Old Noah was the biggest acting and singing role that I have seen him in. His "Iron in the Fridge" was a heartbreaking expression of his anxiety at Allie's gradual lapse into dementia. Celeste Legaspi is more known for her singing, but here, she regales us more with her acting chops. Thankfully, we can still get to hear her sing at least one song " I Know," before the ending. 

I have already seen up and coming theater stars Benedix Ramos and Sheena Belarmino act and sing in challenging roles before, though not together -- Ramos in "Next to Normal" (Sandbox, 2025), Belarmino in "One More Chance: The Musical" (PETA, 2024). As Young Noah and Allie here, they nailed their upbeat duets like "Carry You Home" and "Sadness and Joy," peaking with their delightful ode to first time intimacy, "Kiss Me." 

I've seen Laurence Mossman perform and sing in "Fun Home" (Atlantis 2016) and "Kinky Boots" (Atlantis 2017). Ten years have passed since then, but his soaring tenor is still very much there, best heard in his solos, like "Leave the Light On." Having vocal powerhouse Morissette Amon as singing partner may be pretty intimidating, but he certainly held his own in their powerful duets like "Forever" and "It's Not Easy."  

Laurence Mossman presents Morissette Amon

Morissette's highlight is centerpiece song "My Days," as Middle Allie contemplated the biggest decision of her life. Fil-Am theater director Nicholas Polonio made the bold decision to break the fourth wall at this point of the show, by lifting the backdrop to reveal the live orchestra playing her music behind her, concert-style. While this gutsy move broke the momentum of the play, this moment clearly showcased Morissette's unquestionable belting prowess. 

The set for the older couple was just the nursing home furniture, while for the young couple, it was the dock and boat. The set for the middle couple was the most spectacular -- the dream house that Noah built. It was formed by four separate pieces coming in from both sides (walls and stairs) and from above (roof and windows). There were still hitches when we watched, as the screen snagged on the stairs a couple of times as it came down to cover the house. 

I am coming right out to say that I felt this musical play told the story much better than the movie did. The book by Brunstetter judiciously edited and rearranged the significant events of the 2004 movie to retell the love story for the stage in a more streamlined manner --  less cluttered, more compelling. It was magic how telling the love story with Michaelson's thoughtful songs brought the sincerity and romance out from under all its melodramatic tropes. 

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Theatre Group Asia's production of "The Notebook: The Musical" on its international premiere, runs at the Samsung Performing Arts Center at Ayala Circuit Mall, Makati from September 3 to 20, 2026. Tickets can be bought from Ticketworld at this LINK, prices start from P5,900 for Orchestra Center. 

Supporting Cast include: Markki Stroem as Lon, Carla Guevara Laforteza as Mother, Floyd Tena as Father, Felicity Kyle Napuli as Sarah, Omar Uddin as enthusiastic PT Johnny, Kathleen Francisco as Nurse Joanna, Jillian Ita-as as Georgie and Shaun Ocrisma as Fin. 

Cover / Alternate Cast include: Justine Narciso (for Young Allie / Sarah), Albert Silos (for Young Noah / Fin), Katrine Sunga (for Middle Allie / Nurse Joanna / Georgie), Edward Benosa (for Middle Noah / Lon / Johnny), Gimbey dela Cruz (for Older Allie / Mother), Jamie Wilson (for Older Noah / Father).

Spike: Review of JONAH: Vexing Visitations

September 5, 2026

Ana (Chelsea Nikole Apolto) studied in a boarding school on a scholarship. One night, while she was trying to sneak in a bag of gummy worms, there was a boy her age who followed her around. He introduced himself as Jonah (Riel Celi) and confessed that he liked her. With his repeated visits to her room, they soon became good friends. Their conversations dealt with regular kid stuff at first, until later they would also talk about more intimate topics. 

From this cute and innocent beginning, we will eventually see Ana also interacting with two other boys in her room, ostensibly from different periods of her life. One was Danny (Johnny B. Maglinao), her step-brother who sought Ana's relaxing head massage when he suffered injuries inflicted by his abusive father. The other guy was Steven (Edward Solon), a big fan of a book written by Ana and who wanted to pick her mind about how she wrote it.

Playwright Rachel Bonds had come up with a complex trigger-filled memory play about a young woman's coming-of-age by way of three boys/men who had visited her rooms.  Bonds segued from a scene with one boy to a scene with another boy seamlessly with nary an explanation and just let her audience form our own interpretations as to when each boy was in which part of Ana's life. Bonds did clear Ana's whole story out before the play ended, very satisfying.  

Edward Solon and Johnny Maglinao 

Director Edith Garcia should be commended for being able to motivate her cast of young actors for coming up with very raw, honest portrayals of their challenging roles. They were all fascinating to watch as we get to know their characters better, especially since this is the first time I am seeing any of them onstage. They were all perfectly cast, very confident in their performances and rapid-fire delivery of their long intricate lines in unaffected English.

With his curly hair and boy-next-door looks, Riel Celi was a delightful Jonah who had this easy rapport with Ana as her first love. The parts with Danny were most intense, uncomfortable and even scary to watch, and Danny Maglinao was remarkably convincing in his dark obsession. At first, you'd think Edward Solon's Steven was comic relief, but it was due to his palpable sincerity that Ana opened up and shared her most personal insights.  

The bravest actor on that stage was no other than Chelsea Nikole Aploto as she literally bared body and soul in her heart-wrenching performance as Ana. As harrowing as her story was, it was only Ana who had a complete character arc, and Aploto was impressively consistent believable as a girl whose resilience tided her over even as she was weighed down by emotional trauma that had pervaded her teenage years to her adulthood.  

Riel Geli and Chelsea Nikole Apolto 

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Spike Theatre's maiden production "Jonah" runs at the Dance Royalties Studio, Pavilion Mall, Mandaluyong from August 29 to September 6, with shows at 3 PM and 7 PM. Tickets prices range from P1500 (Patron) to P1000 (Regular). The show runs for one hour and 35 minutes, with no intermission. The sensitive nature of the play makes it appropriate only for viewers from 16 years old and above. 

Director Edith Garcia's creative team includes Satya Edilo for lighting design, Malaya Tolibas for sound design, and Dylan Lopez for production. Owing to a number of scenes of a sexual nature, a key role is played by Intimacy Director Regina de Vera.