Review of Blue Rep's "f(r)iction": A Mind-boggling Musical

 May 26, 2021

The last show I watched from Ateneo Blue Repertory was their triumphant staging of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's "Next to Normal" which was the finale of their 28th season. This was right before the whole country was locked down because the pandemic, so the rest of its run was cancelled. The Covid-19 quarantine was a devastating event that closed down the live theater industry for the rest of the year, up to the present. Theater artists had to innovate to get their latest productions online for their viewers to enjoy. 

The first show of Blue Rep's 29th season was "Party Worth Crashing," an original musical with book by Marty R. Nevada, Ricci Recto, and Robert Gueco Tan (who was also the director), accompanied by songs by Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk. It was reportedly about "youth, coming of age, and learning lessons." This was shown on Ticket2Me for three shows within the last week of January 2021. Unfortunately, I did not get to see that show. 

Now for the final show of this season, Blue Rep is presenting their version of "Friction," an original musical with book by Bym Buhain & Miyo Sta. Maria, music and lyrics by Ejay Yatco; which was initially staged six years ago at the Black Box Theater, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts. That show was directed by Toff de Venecia, and starred Red Concepcion, Gab Pangilinan and Myke Salmon. 

Now with the title stylized as "f(r)iction," the show remains to be about a young writer Karlo (Davy Nicasio) who was desperately trying to finish his book of short stories and fairy tales. However, he had been struck by a bad case of writer's block so much that he was now already three extensions beyond his deadline. His fiancee Audrey (Julia Santiago) was a dancer, until she became pregnant with Karlo's baby which forced her to stop. 

One day, Karlo met another young writer Ben (JV Fulgencio) while drinking in a bar. Karlo clicked with Ben and with their conversations came a wellspring of inspiration for his book. The busier Karlo got with his book, the less time he had for Audrey. At around the same time, Audrey also met Ben, who said he had a history with her that he wanted back. It did not take long for Karlo to realize the bizarre love triangle they were in.

There was a fourth actor Shaun Ocrisma, who portrayed three very different characters.  

The first two were comic relief. First, he played the bitchy sarcastic gay choreographer who handled Audrey's callback audition. Second he played a waiter in a cafe where Ben met Audrey. His third character was more serious -- a therapist who tried to make sense of the crazy web that entangled the three young people. 

The musical ran for about an hour and a half. The first half was a more or less straightforward story of a young adult couple passionate about their careers who fall in love. A pregnancy and a third party came around to throw a wrench into their plans. The second half then evolved into a mind-bending mystery the protagonists could not figure out, and as the audience we are thrown into a vertiginous spinner until the real situation eventually clears up.

The musical was directed for an online presentation by Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, who was able to execute the psychological drama in compelling fashion despite the apparent limitations of the platform. I was trying to imagine how this story could have been staged. He also did the production design, one key prop being an old  portable Olympia typewriter. Water color paintings set the locations in scene transitions, as well as brought Karlo's fairy tales to life.

The songs went from the joyful "I Love You to Bits," the romantic "Bittersweet Sky" to some painful songs of angst and grief. All three lead actors have strong singing voices. However, it was this aspect that an online viewing felt lacking. Editing of videos cannot approximate actual stage blocking and interactions. The thrilling exhilaration of hearing the songs being performed live gives them a special dimension which cell phone videos cannot convey. This is why we miss live theater. 

*****

Ateneo Blue Repertory's 29th Season Finale: f(r)iction will run from May 26 tp June 1, 2021 on the Ticket2Me online platform. Tickets are available at https://tinyurl.com/friction-tickets at these prices: Base Price of Php 250, With Souvenir Program: Php 300 and With Souvenir Program and Online Package: Php 400. 

 

Book Review: Celia Diaz Laurel's MY LIVES BEHIND THE PROSCENIUM

May 9, 2021

In 2014, Ms. Celia Diaz-Laurel published an autobiographical coffee-table book about her career as a painter, entitled "The Colors of My Life". That book chronicled her growth as a visual artist from her childhood to her years in the College of Fine Arts in UP under her professors National Artists Fernando Amorsolo and Guillermo Tolentino. At that time, she revealed that she planned to have three books of memoirs -- as a painter, as a theater artist, and as a whole person. This year, the second book has finally seen print, with the very intriguing title "My Lives Behind the Proscenium".

I knew the fair and elegant Ms. Celia Diaz-Laurel, the wife of former Vice President Salvador Laurel, as a theater actress, but this was only by reputation. I cited her name a number of times in my reviews of classic plays she acted in which have been revived. I had never seen her perform onstage in a play since she had long since retired from the stage by the time I caught the theater bug. Fortunately, I did get to see her sing live and in person once, when she received the Natatanging Gawad lifetime achievement award in 2016 (VIDEO). 

The text of this new book had a motherly lilt to it. You felt like she was right there beside you personally relating these stories about how she became an avid disciple of the theater. She was very thorough, beginning all the way back to her first grade in the Assumption Convent. She watched her first stage performance that year, and was beckoned to follow the call of the stage ever since. Her details about this elementary school episode was very impressive, with a complete names of teachers, schoolmates, and even the specific roles they played.

CDL with husband Salvador Laurel

She went to share her continuing passion with stage shows during the war years, and her introduction to religious theater during the liberation period. Her best stories were from her UP days when she seriously delved into theater work. She related the circumstance that led to her first of many projects with famed playwright and director Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, whom she fondly referred to "Freddie." She then segued to her theater career outside the university walls. All these stories were remarkably complete with names and roles and even controversy.

There was a fascinating chapter about her experiences in as a masteral student at the Yale School of Drama, while her husband was doing his masters at the Yale School of Law. This part was written with apparent exhilaration as she told about the various theater techniques and exercises she learned from her American mentors, and the popular acceptance she enjoyed among her classmates. These stories were integrated with the family concerns that ran side by side with her education, like house hunting and pregnancy. 

CDL with co-actor Miguel Faustmann

The final chapter was about her years with Repertory Philippines, from "Plaza Suite" (1968) to "Cemetery Club" (1992). This was probably the part of her career many of her fans remember her for. In a cute anecdote. she revealed how she was introduced to director Zeneida Amador in an awkward little incident, one which eventually led to a long-term professional partnership and personal friendship. She acknowledged all the people she met and worked with during these years in Rep, both on and behind the stage. 

Ms. Laurel was also very much a set and costume designer as much as she was an actress. While she described the challenge of designing for the stage of the Insular Life Theater, I wished she could have told more stories about the most challenging plays she had to design for and her trips to Divisoria to deal with budget and material constraints for her sets and costumes. I actually saw her latest project as costume designer -- "Guadalupe the Musical" (2018) (MY REVIEW). Even at age 90, her stylish flair in design was still very much there. 

CDL with son Cocoy Laurel

The voice of her writing was engaging and conversational, a light and breezy read. Yet, it was very informative and educational in its detail, and charming in her humorous side comments. Filipino theater fans would definitely recognize several of the famous names she dropped along the way and feel a sense of heartwarming nostalgia with her reminiscences about them. While you can probably finish the whole book in one sitting, each chapter would exhort you to slow down the pace so you can savor her vividly-told experiences a little bit longer. 

"My Lives Behind the Proscenium" was edited by two of Ms. Laurel's children, Suzie Laurel-Delgado and Cocoy Laurel. It will be formally launched via an FB Live ceremony on May 29, 2021, her 93rd birthday, at 4 pm, additional details still to be announced. However, you can already pre-order the book care of Jenn Tejada on her mobile number 0966-7698969, from Mondays to Fridays only from 1 -5 pm.