Recap of IDINA MENZEL LIVE IN MANILA 2015: Bravura Belting

June 7, 2015

I first heard of Idina Menzel as the green witch Elphaba on the Broadway hit musical "Wicked," a role which would win her a Tony for Best Actress in 2004. Later I would later learn that she was the original Maureen on the Broadway hit musical "Rent" back in 1996.

More recently, Menzel got more mainstream recognition playing Shelby, the mother of Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) on the hit TV show "Glee." She became more well-known when she sang the ubiquitous "Let It Go" from the Disney hit film "Frozen." Hers was one of the few original Disney soundtrack songs that hit the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, even doing better than the pop version by Demi Lovato. After John Travolta's infamous mistake on Oscar Night calling her a "Adele Dazeem", people now know exactly who Idina Menzel is.

When Ms. Menzel's concert was first announced earlier this year, the theater world in Manila became abuzz with excitement indeed. For one rare chance, a legitimate Broadway star is coming to Manila for a concert! Theater friends on FB were excitedly posting updates about the concert, especially those with inside connections, especially on the day of the concert itself. The anticipation for this star cannot be denied.

The audience in the MOA Arena cheered when the musicians came on stage to occupy their seats at around 8:15 pm. Ms. Menzel had her own musicians with her live band. However, she also had some members of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra to further accompany her on strings.




The concert started around 8:30 pm. When she appeared on stage wearing an emerald dress, she immediately sang the first line of "Defying Gravity"! This iconic Broadway song which Menzel herself originated, never sounded better. It was delivered with confidence that only the original owner of the song could possess. Then she segued to her version of "Don't Rain on My Parade". This was really a masterful version of this Broadway classic from "Funny Girl". It was amazing how she began the show with two showstoppers!

Menzel then sang two songs from her third studio album, namely "Brave" and the title song "I Stand". Admittedly the audience seemed to be more excited when she would sing her Broadway songs. The audience lustily cheered and even sang along when she sang another song from "Wicked" -- "The Wizard and I". (VIDEO)

For the subsequent number, she sang a gorgeous version of "River" originally sung by Joni Mitchell. She followed that up with a sultry version of Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" (from the 1930 musical "The New Yorkers"), which was wonderfully mashed up with the sexy Police song "Roxanne". (VIDEO)

She proved she can be as brassy as Broadway grand dame Ethel Merman by singing a medley of  the latter's signature songs: "There's No Business Like Show Business" / "Anything Goes" / "Everything's Coming Up Roses". Menzel also sang the title song from her debut album from 1998, "Still I Can't Be Still."




For me the next number showcased Menzel at her most emotional and vulnerable. She was barefoot and sitting, writhing and even lying on the floor while singing Radiohead's haunting ballad "Creep". Here, she unexpectedly dropped the first of a handful of "F-bombs" in lyrics in other songs that followed. This painfully raw performance is what I would consider the most unexpected highlight of the night.

For the next song, Menzel went down to the audience area to look for some people to sing her character Maureen's song from "Rent", the bouncy and sassy "Take Me or Leave Me." The first one she chose in the VIP area was familiar. It was Timmy Pavino, whom we recognized as one of the contestants in the second season of "The Voice Philippines." There were two girls who volunteered from the Lower Box on both sides, Andrea and Carla. To their credit they also sounded very good indeed. I am sure Menzel was impressed.




She followed that up with another song from "Rent" that meant a lot to her, "No Day But Today" dedicating the song to the writer of "Rent", Jonathan Larson, who died before their Broadway opening, never living to see his show's immense success.  The next song is from Menzel's latest Broadway project "If/Then" -- the powerful "Always Starting Over".  These were two very emotional songs delivered with so much passion.

For the third time in a concert, I saw an artist sing one song a cappella without a microphone, and just let his pure voice fill the concert hall. For Idina last night, she sang "For Good" from "Wicked". While the idea was sweet, I thought the song may have been too soft on its own for this feat to work well. From where we were seated higher up in the arena, we could barely hear her during the initial verses. It was only toward the end of the song when we really heard her voice. 

For her final song in the main set, what else could it be but "Let It Go" from "Frozen"? To make this song more special, Ms. Menzel suddenly started to sing Filipino lyrics for one of the choruses! We could barely make out what she said. So she repeated it and asked the audience to help her sing the Tagalog words: "Bumitaw, bumitaw, di ko na matatago. Bumitaw, bumitaw, isarado ang pinto... Lamig ay di ko alintana!" She was simply so dear in this song as she ended it by going down to the audience to shake their hands, even carrying a cute little girl wearing an Elsa costume along the way, before leaving the stage. 




The audience did not let her go yet, asking her to sing an Encore or two. She returned and sang two more songs. The first is an original song she wrote about her son Walker whom she brought along the tour with her, a sweet tune entitled "Child". For her second and finale song of the whole night, she went back to her own  childhood to sing her first favorite song, "Tomorrow" (from "Annie").

Idina Menzel was such a delightful performer. Her show tunes belting was very impressive to hear live as we expecting. But her friendly and even quirky nature definitely endeared her to the audience. She had some recurring jokes in her spiels: like how the three empty seats in the front row bothered her (so asked her PA to pick three lucky viewers to fill those seats), and how her legs were aching because of a past injury (maybe why she decided to take off her high heels midway in the show and complete the concert in her bare feet?). 

The poster may have suggested a stuffy formal affair, but it turned out to be a funny, relaxed show where not only Ms. Menzel's powerful voice, but also her warm personality, will be fondly remembered by all who were there.

Review of PENTATONIX LIVE IN MANILA 2015: A Cappella on Adrenaline!

June 6, 2015

Thanks to the popularity of the Pitch Perfect films, acapella singing groups are back into vogue in the mainstream. Arguably the most popular of these a cappella groups out there in the recording music business now is Pentatonix (or PTX for short). 

Since we just saw and enjoyed Pitch Perfect 2 (which actually featured PTX in a cameo role) I decided this would be a great experience for the whole family to watch a real acapella concert live. It helped that the tickets were not too expensive, only P5800 for the VIP seats to P850 for the Upper Box seats!

AVI

KEVIN

MITCH

SCOTT

KIRSTIE

Pentatonix is a group of talented young vocalists from Arlington, Texas. The original three members were Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi and Kirstie Maldonado. They recruited bass profundo Avi Kaplan and beatboxer Kevin Olusola to complete their group when they joined the TV competition, "The Sing Off." PTX won the third season, but did not really get mass recognition until their Youtube channel went viral, now with more than 8M subscribers.


I have seen a lot of concerts in my life, but this may be only time I have seen a concert begin almost exactly on the time stated on the ticket, 8 pm. The screams were so unexpectedly loud when the house lights were dimmed and the quintet appeared on the stage. Their first number was a mashup featuring Ariana Grande's hit "Problem." This was immediately followed by an exciting Beyonce Medley incorporating songs from her career in Destiny's Child to soloist, from "Bills, Bills, Bills" to "Halo". 

They told the audience that this is their 4th year as a group and they just recently celebrated their anniversary. While they were talking, it was so incredible to hear Mitch's childlike squeaky high-pitched voice contrasting with Avi's solid, full, heavy bass voice. These two guys seemed to have the most fans when you based it on the screams they received when they took their turn on the mic. They related their backstory and introduced the next song as the first song they ever arranged, Lady Gaga's "Telephone," which they submitted as an entry to a radio contest. 




Their next song is their tribute to their favorite artist Sam Smith, "La La Latch." This was followed by their rendition of Jazmine Sullivan's "Love You Long Time." With scenes of busy Tokyo in the background video, the next song sung was Clean Bandit's song "Rather Be." These songs were also so amazingly arranged and perfectly rendered.

While the others took a break offstage, Kevin came on stage carrying his cool-looking cello. He impressively performed his cello cum beatbox solo number entitled "Julio." The others then joined him again onstage to perform a catchy foreign language song entitled "Papaoutai," a big hit by Belgian musician Stromae. Unfamiliar as that song was, their versatile vocals were really in full display in that song. It was also so true in the next number called the "Opera Moment", immediately segueing to a cover of Imogen Heap's "Aha!" So complex and so good -- my favorite part of the concert!




PTX sang their version of "4,5 Seconds," Kanye West's collaboration with Rihanna and Paul McCartney, while they went down the stage to shake hands with their fans in the VIP seats. After they this, they sang a mashup of Ariana Grande's "Break Free" with their original song "See Through." 

As we hear them sing the opening strains of "Uptown Funk," Avi thrilled the girls in the front row when he announced that he was going to pick one of them to go onstage. They picked an excited girl in a red blouse and short skirt named Eve. The guys serenaded her mashing that Mark Ronson hit up with Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" (VIDEO). After the song, the lucky Eve got to hug each PTX member, and even got to take a selfies with them right there on the stage.

The next number was an amazing mash-up of music from the 1600 to the present, from Beethoven to Carly Rae Jepsen. This was an incredible and fun arrangement of hit songs they called The Evolution of Music. You have to hear it to believe it. 




They ended their main set with two original songs. The first one was called "Standing By." For the final song, "On My Way Home", (VIDEO) they divided the audience into three sections and taught us a tune to sing each section. The result sounded so fine indeed. After this song, PTX thanked the audience and left the stage. 

Of course, the audience shouted for more. Later on, we were chanting the tunes that they taught in the last number on our own, which really sounded so good. PTX excitedly reentered the stage, saying how great the audience sounded. They declared that they wanted to do something special, but that there had to be total silence. Then they put their microphones on the floor and sang "That's Christmas to Me." The audience cooperated allowing the pure voices of the PTX to conquer the immense size of the Araneta Coliseum. Incredible vocal feat, incredible aural experience. (VIDEO)




For their final encore number, PTX sang their awesome Daft Punk Medley. The original music video of this medley has already hit 130M views to date and it also won them their first Grammy earlier this year for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella. The very energetic number sounded so much better performed live, and was a most memorable ending to a great concert. Incredibly, we were actually leaving the Araneta Coliseum by 9:30 pm. For most concerts, the concert was only gaining heat by that time.

In the beginning I was imagining how minimalistic this concert would be, since PTX only brought their voices with them, no need for a live band or any accompanying music. However, PTX were true masters of their vocal instruments. Their voices combined in ingenious harmony enveloped the whole coliseum with a wall of beautiful sound like it had not experienced before. 

Recap of KATY PERRY PRISMATIC IN MANILA: Colorful and Celebratory!

May 8, 2015

My daughter and I attended a concert at the new Philippine Arena last month with the Best of Best K-Pop concert. That time we decided to take the shuttle bus from Trinoma Mall, for P50 per ticket. This time for the Katy Perry concert, since I am bringing my whole family with me, we decided to try and drive ourselves to the venue, and compare the pros and cons first hand. 

We arrived a little past 6:30 pm. It was not really that hard to find a parking slot, although there was need to walk a distance. Parking fee is  It seems they are strict about unloading beside the Arena. Entering the Arena proper was not difficult at all this time. There was no long lines to be seen unlike before. People simply walked in as they arrived. So far so good.

By 8;15 pm, a couple of quirky ladies appeared on the stage. They were The Dolls, composed of international DJ Mia Moretti along with the charismatic violinist, Margot. During their initial spiel, Mia Moretti actually had a scary fall off the narrow ramp of the stage (VIDEO)! Luckily she recovered from her fall with a big smile on her face. Their set was very energetic and entertaining. They played their enchanting brand of electronic music for about 40 minutes.

After The Dolls, we had a very long wait. I was afraid Ms. Perry would arrive past 10 pm already as she did in her previous Manila concert at the MOA Arena grounds. My kids were already very sleepy. Fortunately, we did not wait that long. By about 9:45 pm, the lights dimmed down again and the screaming began. This is it! The Prismatic show is beginning!

*****************

On the darkness of the stage, we begin to see some things that looked lit-up spears. Then the introductory strains of the rousing anthem "Roar" (VIDEO) was heard and Katy Perry came out in a stylized dark-colored outfit with glow-in-the-dark bright neon highlights on her hair, chest and skirt. This number was marked by Katy jumping a glowing neon jump rope to great effect. Using the same costume and dancers, Katy went on to sing two more big hits, namely "Part of Me" and "Wide Awake".

A video about stars and space played on the screens. Then the stage lights came back on to reveal an elaborate golden Egyptian-inspired set and costumes. We see Katy in a glittering gold short dress, with a skull cap on her head and a whip in her hand, sitting on the back of an elegant horse powered by two dancers underneath. That elaborate song number "Dark Horse" would be one of the most exciting of the night. Using the same shining costume, Katy went on to sing two more electronica-tinged songs, namely "E.T." and "Legendary Lovers". 




After a short pause, the red lights bathed the stage. Still wearing her headgear but just her shiny leotards without the skirt this time, Katy shouted that the next song was for the ladies. It was her breakthrough hit song "I Kissed A Girl". Her backup dancers were notably wearing pads to exaggerate their breasts and bottoms. 

There was a cute video showing cats with the cool Snoop Dogg song "Gin and Juice" in the background shown on the screen. Then, dancers in furry cat costumes began to tap dance on the stage. Katy rose out from under the stage wearing her own glittering cat ears and catsuit with tail, standing on a huge golden ball. She sang a sultry version of "Hot N Cold." This was followed by "International Smile". Towards the end, her dancers donned silver sleeves and lattice-petticoat on Katy. She then surprisingly segued into a short cover of Madonna's "Vogue" to end the segment. 

After another short pause, slow music was heard coming from a sunflower-adorned piano on the ramp of the stage. The two backup singers came out wearing sunflower design skirts. Katy then came out looking ethereally gorgeous, wearing a platinum blond wig and a flower-power inspired outfit with sunflower-decked long skirt and and bosom. This was going to be the slow set where we get to hear the strong clear pipes of Katy unplugged. Her first song was the inspirational ballad "By The Grace of God."

Then, Katy wanted someone to teach her how to speak Tagalog. She spotted a guy in the VIP section who was wearing the same silver sleeve and petticoat (dubbed "fish costume") she had on in her last set! Obviously a big KP fan, the young man was overcome with excitement, jumping up and down, and hugging Katy. He introduced himself as Marty, 20 years old from Rizal. Katy was delightful in this funny segment, and seemed genuinely friendly and sincere. Her initial attempts to say "Salamat" became "Salami" to the delight of the audience. (VIDEO)




Going back to the music, she then sang "The One That Got Away" and "Thinking of You" as an acoustic medley. In her spiel, she said that last night May 7 is the anniversary of the kickoff of the Prismatic tour in the UK a year and 137 shows ago. Calling everyone to shine their gadgets in the darkness, she sang "Unconditionally" with the audience seen as a sea of bright lights. This was a beautiful and serene part of the concert, though personally I did not really like that last song too much because of the awkward pronunciation of the title in the song.

There was an interlude of high-energy dance music from the past. The two backup singers came out singing CC Peniston's "Finally" to the amusement of the audience, since that song was being used for a popular Ariel TV commercial lately. Katy came out wearing a sexy neon-colored cleavage and midriff-baring top and short skirt, with a green wig and neon-yellow knee-high socks. She sang "Walking On Air", followed by "This Is How We Do" into which she incorporated the chorus of "Last Friday Night". Her two big Number 1 hits followed one after the other, "Teenage Dream" and "California Gurls" (VIDEO), winding up the main show.




The lights were off but the audience simply knew this show was not year over. There was still one big song left unsung, and every one knew what the encore number would be -- "Firework"! For her final song of the night, Katy came out wearing a voluminous multi-colored ballroom skirt. Using so-called "Prismatic glasses" given outside for free before the show, the laser-lights during this number exploded into to fireworks like displays. This song provided a powerfully emotional end to a most memorably colorful concert.

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We reached our car by about 11:30 pm. Then the most unfortunate traffic nightmare began. For unknown reasons, we were caught within the Philippine Arena grounds for the NEXT TWO HOURS!  Most maddening of all, we were sent on a long detour going northward, supposedly going out to Bocaue, only to be made to make a U-turn back to the same spot where we were two hours ago! 

I also saw the shuttle buses still stuck in traffic and mostly empty. I wonder how late the shuttle bus riders got home? During the K-Pop concert, we rode the shuttle and were back in Trinoma before midnight. Things were definitely not that smooth tonight.

When we finally made our way to the exit going back to the NLEX, we found out that cars were being let out only in a SINGLE FILE. So that is why movement was practically a standstill. When we were already on the side of the NLEX going back to Manila past 2:30 am, there was still a long line of cars waiting to go out. This grossly mis-managed post-concert traffic issue should be addressed promptly and properly if this place will be a major events venue. 

Review of Dalanghita Prod's KUNG PAANO AKO NAGING LEADING LADY the MUSICAL: Solid Superhero Spectacle!

May 7, 2015

Mely Moran is a homely hardworking 35-year old woman who gets hired to be the maid of Fuerza Filipinas. This group of elite English-speaking superheroes is composed of their sword-wielding leader Madre de Dios, along with wind-controlling Windang Woman, the healer Nene Babushka, the soldier Bazookaman, and the cat-like acrobat Popoy Pusakal. Things get complicated when their newest recruit, the power-ringed telepathic Leading Man, appears to be falling in love with Mely.

Mely's younger, sexier and lazier sister Viva, on the other hand, gets recruited by a nefarious group of supervillains on the pretense of saving Mely, whom they claim was in danger. Calling themselves the Kayumanggilas, this group was led by the megalomaniac Senor Blanco and his minions. Powered by the Chemical Q, this rival group plots to destroy Fuerza Filipinas and become the premiere superbeings of the world. Clueless and foolish Viva fit right into their evil plans of world domination.

Mely and Viva had long been at odds with each other since childhood because of their disparate personalities. However, with this latest and biggest misunderstanding, their unstable and adversarial relationship as sisters results in a conflict that would threaten the lives of all the superheroes, as well as the very safety of the whole world. 

Flores, Ocampo, Lauchengco-Yulo, Borromeo

The plot of this musical is derived from Carlo Vergara's one-act play of the same title, which was an audience favorite during the Virgin Labfest 9 held at the CCP two years ago. Vergara has expanded that original one-act play into a big musical production with two complex acts, each act lasting almost an hour and a half each. 

The first act took its time to establish the multiple characters and their relationships. Momentum would occasionally dip at certain points and it felt as if this act could need some editing and streamlining. However, when the second act came, all of that is forgotten as each scene was a showstopping highlight. The audience could be jarred as the seemingly light-hearted first act takes a turn to the very dark, even showing a very grim massacre happening somewhere in there.

However, whatever shortcomings the very complex script may have with all the characters it had to deal with, it is the talent and charisma of the actors that become the crowning conceit of the whole show. Every actor just seemed to embrace their character perfectly, possessing voices that were able to soar with the punishing arrangements. It was one of those rare productions that brought together actors more known for their English plays and those more known for Filipino plays. I found this very exciting.  

Cabico, Molina, Lim

Bituin Escalante fit her role as Mely so well, from the unsophisticated looks to humble demeanor. Her singing voice was impeccable as always, on point in pitch and emotion. Her acting was painfully poignant. Escalante's struggle with her Segway is a quite a sight to see. Her alternate in this role is another big-voiced belter, Frenchie Dy. Since these two singers would appear to have very different personalities (Escalante being more serious, and Dy more wacky), it would really be interesting to see Ms. Dy's attack on this role as well.

Kim Molina, whom I did not catch in "Rak of Aegis," surprised me with her powerful voice as Viva. It is her character who went through the most complicated development in the play, sometimes even feeling more like the central character than Mely. Molina's alternate in this role is Natasha Cabrera. Escalante and Molina had a powerhouse trio number with May Bayot (who played their mother), which was one of the best songs in the show. 

It seemed effortless for Markki Stroem to draw attention to himself when he is onstage as Leading Man because of his charming smile and strong stage presence. He was also given a lot of scenes with romantic thrill, which he pulled off quite well. Compared to previous plays I have seen him in like "Carrie" and "Next to Normal", his work here is a very marked improvement. His alternate in this role is Hans Eckstein, who was the original Leading Man in the Virgin Labfest one-act run. 

Escalante, Lauchengco-Yulo, Stroem

It was my first time to see Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo on the PETA stage, and it would be as the kickass Madre de Dios. I thought we would actually hear her speaking in Tagalog, but as it turned out, her role was still totally in English. She gets to display her toned body in the fight scenes, as well as her powerful voice in her featured song in the second act. It is surprising to learn that this is Ms. Menchu's first appearance in an original Filipino musical in her long and storied career as "First Lady of the Philippine Stage". (Her alternate in this role is Astarte Abraham.) 

Among the Fuerzas, Gianina Ocampo stood out in her friend-zoned role as Nena because she got to deliver one beautifully sad and self-denying ballad. Jeff Flores, who was so good in Rep's recent show "4000 Miles", registered strongly as Bazookaman. Caisa Borromeo and Chesko Rodriguez complete the roster as Windang and Popoy respectively. Kakki Teodoro managed to steal scenes as the Fuerza's Robot.

Nar Cabico had the most memorably funniest scenes and lines of the whole show as the evil Senor Blangko, who prided himself with his hifalutin yet mangled English. He delivered hilarious lines like "Like a flower, you will smell" with confident gusto and aplomb. (His alternate in this role is Domi Espejo.)

Santos, Cabico, Nuestro, Concepcion

Red Concepcion (as the g-string clad Itak-Atak) and Red Nuestro (as the heavyweight boxer Marakas Marko) did their best with their funny villain roles. JC Santos makes a charming canine villain Jeryc Sans Rival. Vince Lim surprised us with his unexpectedly amazing vocals in his scientist character Henyotik's one featured song number. (Mikoy Morales would alternate in this role). Their Kayumanggilas group song which opened the second act was one of the show's most applauded song and dance numbers.

The PETA stage was transformed into a most futuristic-looking set. It came complete with a rotating circular stage in the foreground. The first time we see it rotate was during that scene when Mely initially meets a towel-clad Leading Man, drawing big cheers from the audience. The costumes by Tuqxz Rutaquio ranged from the X-Men inspired Fuerza leather garb to the most "jologs" Kayumanggilas attire. The songs and musical score were signature Vincent de Jesus. The exciting lighting effects of John Batalla were so critical during the battle scenes.

Congratulations to Director Chris Martinez and the young triumvirate behind Dalanghita Productions (Ansis Sy, Claudia Fernandez and Pertee Briñas) for this solidly entertaining show! It managed to weave an intimate family drama between sisters with a superhero battle-royale of a much bigger scope, while delivering a positive message of recognizing our inner gifts and rising up to challenges. While doing that, it bridged both sides of the Philippine theater scene into one grand production. 

Cast and Crew

"Kung Paano Ako Naging Leading Lady the Musical" opens today May 7 and will run until June 7 from Friday to Sunday at 8 pm, with 3 pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. Venue is at the PETA Theater Center in New Manila, Quezon City. For ticket inquiries, call Ticketworld at 891-9999. Tickets are at P1500, P1200 and P800. They are offering big discounts during the opening weekend.

Review of UP Repertory Company's KARITAS AT DAMASO: Intent to Insult

May 1, 2015

The advertisements I see in Facebook about this twinbill of plays intrigued me. The invitations seem to be for a big summer party instead of for a theatrical play. They even exhort audiences to come dressed in summer musical festival attire! I am not really so sure what to expect here.

Showtime for the matinee today is 3 pm. The venue is Tandang Sora Hall, a building I had never been into when I was a student in UP Diliman years back. It is where the College of Social Work and Community Development is housed. I reached the place already a little past 3 pm, But the audiences are still lining up in the sweltering heat outside. 

When we were let in, people can sit freely anywhere they wanted. The seats were just plastic stacking chairs arranged in a big oval, in three rows.  Too bad though that the airconditioning was not adequately strong enough to cool the whole room, especially because it was a full house at the Bulwagang Tandang Sora today, despite being a holiday. 

The first play presented was ISANG MAGSASAKA by Eshei Mesina. It was about a farmer trying to pick his life back up after a violent attack on their community left several of his friends raped, maimed or dead. Completing the triumvirate of characters was his daughter who was an activist, and a male nephew who was a soldier. It was my bad that fatigue and the heat got to me during the running time of this play. The material felt like I had heard this in many a UP play or indie film I had seen before. So before long, I began to drift and feel really drowsy. In fact, I was startled when the all talk-no action play just suddenly ended. 

There was a 15 minute break after the first play was over. While they were setting up for the next play, they played loud dance music that assaulted our ears, while strobe lights relentlessly assaulted our eyes. I tried my best to tune out the music and keep my eyes closed the whole time, but 15 minutes seemed to last so long.

Before the second play KARITAS AT DAMASO by Dax Carnay started, they announced that the play was rated SPG (Special Parental Guidance) for containing controversial or lurid material. The play began with a man and a woman (clothed in tights with reflectorized accessories) began simulating sexual positions and acts on center stage, while three cross-dressers and a girl gyrated on all four corners of the stage area. When the lights came on, it was obvious from his collar that the guy is a Catholic priest (named Damaso), and the girl is a Catholic nun (named Karitas). Another nun (named Salve Regina) brought in a young girl who was raped by another priest so they can "help" her recover her virginity. 

From there, the play then went into unthinkable and outrageous acts and songs about rape, sex and Jesus which were supremely salacious and malicious, in the guise of "humor". I cannot see any reason why a script like this was even written in the first place, except perhaps to insult the Catholic Church (in particular) and all Christianity (in general). Is that why an organization for atheists and agnostics was one of their major sponsors? OK, I admit I may not be within the age demographic targeted by this play, but I dread to consider that something decadently nihilistic and wantonly hedonistic like this fits the current standard of what's "cool" or "fun". 

I learned to love the theater when I was a student in UP Diliman. This is a love that I have up to now, and I have been blogging about the theater shows I watched regularly for several years now. I thought that at my age, I am already mature enough to watch all kinds of plays. However, this one is something else. It still repelled me with its total lack of redeeming value. I actually felt physically sick after watching this piece of shock theater. I originally had a party to attend afterwards, but I went straight home instead to try and recover from extreme disgust. I fear though the bad taste it left may take days to wear off.

Review of SABEL: LOVE AND PASSION: Deeply Dramatic Destiny

April 30, 2015

The proceedings started around 8:15 pm, when Mr. Rico Hizon was called onstage for his welcome address. The programme called him Production Adviser. He recounted that tonight's show had its seed planted way back in 2003 when they saw a painting of National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto Cabrera in a coffee-table book. The creative process between him, musical director Louie Ocampo and writer of book and lyrics cum stage director Freddie Santos would take the next 12 years before finally seeing the light of the stage tonight at the Theater at Solaire. Tonight was its World Premiere Gala.

The story started from Sabel's birth to her parents Miguel and Consolacion. We will be taken through the World War II, the gay '50s cabaret scene, up to a couple of decades later. We will follow Sabel from her idyllic childhood, through her darker days as a comfort woman, amazon fighter, nightclub star dancer, then destitute mother. Finally she becomes the crazy dancing street lady who in turn inspired a young painter's masterpiece. Her eventfully dramatic life rivets the audience to its many twists and turns.

Ms. Iza Calzado

The narrator was in the person of the statuesque and glamourous Ms. Iza Calzado, who donned an elegant black gown adorned with flowing peach cape. Her narration of the story would be in the form of rhyming lines delivered with a musical lilt, yet so pregnant with emotion. We would later realize that she is actually the title character of Sabel, telling the story of her life. In the ending sequences, Ms. Calzado would embody the character of mature Sabel in an exquisite, deeply moving, career-defining performance.

The story is presented onstage in the form of dances by talented dancers from the Philippine Ballet Theater. Selected soloists danced the main roles of Sabel (an outstanding Bianca Trocino), her father Miguel (Lemuel Capa), paramour Luis (Ian Ocampo) and the painter Miguelin (an athletic Matthew Davo). While they were dancing, powerful songs were being sung from the side by the rich and exciting voices of theater star par excellence Audie Gemora, belter Aicelle Santos of "Rak of Aegis" fame, veteran balladeer Bo Cerrudo, comebacking former child star Antoinette Taus and recent The Voice favorite Timmy Pavino. 

Antoinette Taus and Timmy Pavino

Audie Gemora

Aicelle Santos and Bo Cerrudo

Of all the songs, the one that caught my attention first was the poignant "Look at Her" first sung by Audie Gemora after Isabel was born. The centerpiece nature of this beautiful song would be confirmed when it was reprised two more times in two more important moments of her life by Cerrudo and Pavino. This will be the song this show will be most remembered for. This is a Filipino theater song classic in the making, possibly in the tradition of "Minsan Ay Minahal Mo Ako" from "Katy!" or "Magbalik Ka Na, Mahal" from "Rama Hari".

The stage was spare in set pieces, with only several geometric panels above and in the back serving to be the screen upon which photographs and various lighting and graphic designs would be projected. This was a very efficient set by Light and Space Corporation, designed by Joselito Tecson. Those beautiful scenes when the painter was painting his artworks were executed using an amazing special visual effect I have never seen before on Philippine stage. The lighting design of Shax Siasoco was mesmerizing. 

BenCab himself (in beret) joins the cast to take a bow.

Freddy Santos and Louie Ocampo joins the final bow.

As an integral part of the celebration of BenCab's 50 creative years, "Sabel: Love and Passion" will have its regular run on June 26 and 27 at the Music Museum. Do not miss it!

Review of Repertory Phils RUN FOR YOUR WIFE: Frolicking Farce

April 25, 2015

The second offering of Repertory Philippines this year is an all-out farce. This was written by Ray Cooney and first staged back in 1983. However, despite the obvious detail that they do not yet have the technical advances of our current time in this, the play did not feel dated at all. As brought to life by the ever-reliable actors of Repertory Philippines, this absurd British tale of bigamy was one hilarious riot!

John Smith is a taxi driver. He lives with his prim and conservative wife Mary in their flat in Wimbledon. However, John is not as ordinary as he would seem. It turns out he was keeping a second wife in Streatham district, the younger and sexier Barbara. However, one night when John was injured in a mugging incident, his neat little wife-juggling schedule was totally messed up. From there, a most complicated comedy of errors ensues that threatens to blow John's little secret wide open.

Jaime Wilson is very charming and so deadpan funny as the caddish cab driver John. This versatile actor is really perfect for the madcap comedies I have seen him in before. It was so good to finally see him as the lead star in one of his very own. His big expressive eyes convey so much of the panic his character was boiling in as he tries to weasel himself out of his sticky predicament by fabricating lie upon lie. His best scene was that one right before the intermission break where he was desperately trying to prevent people from seeing his picture in the newspaper. 

I have never seen Goldie Soon in a play before. She was pretty much the straight woman in the first act, but she really hit her stride in the second act as her dear little uptight Mary Smith goes wild. I had seen Mikkie Bradshaw before in the titular role as telepathic teenager Carrie, and I know she can deliver the goods. However, at first, she struck me as miscast as the libidinous Barbara. As the play went on though, she eventually eased into her role.

The ever-dapper actor Jeremy Domingo was totally deglamorized as John and Mary’s bum of an upstairs neighbor, Stanley Gardner. He was almost unrecognizable with his disheveled upswept hairstyle, his disgusting stained undershirt and bulging beer belly. Domingo gave an outstanding, positively shameless supporting performance that kept the audience in stitches as his character got more and more enmeshed in John's web of lies.

Contributing major laughs in the mix are the two policemen from the two districts where John lived. They are the suspicious Detective Sergeant Troughton (played by James Stacey) and the fatherly Detective Sergeant Porterhouse (played by Paul Holme). Stacey is the straight man in the whole farce and it was so funny how he was so enraged about the whole maddening situation. Seeing the venerable Mr. Holme in that frilly apron is already worth the price of admission. 

Completing the cast is Steven Conde as the John and Barbara's gay upstairs neighbor Bobby Franklin. He could be a little too loud and too flamboyant for comfort. 

Repertory Philippines loves this smartly-written play so much, this is already the third time they are staging it. Director Miguel Faustmann in fact had played John Smith in the previous two incarnations in 1986 and 2001. The stage direction is really ingenious as there was only one set to represent the two houses with the characters just using specific doors and props on either side. The couch in the middle is shared by both "addresses". It was so enjoyable to see that merry mix-up unfolding in front of us in very unexpected ways. The way the witty British humor was delivered by all the actors was so on point and perfectly timed.

Although the story of two wives has been on tv soap operas ad nauseam lately, the topic of this play is still considered for mature audiences only. But it shows us this double set-up in a most ridiculous light. The audience at the matinee this afternoon were all really engaged in the silly story and were laughing out loud. I noted the center orchestra section was filled mostly with senior citizens and they were not shy in their guffaws. I swear the elderly couple beside me was snickering non-stop at the naughty, irreverent, politically incorrect humor as I was. A good laugh is guaranteed!

This was such a fun show to watch despite all the sensitive, potentially offensive buttons it pushed in such a light-hearted delightful way. There was a dry British film version of this play released in 2012, but don't bother with that at all. This live version is SO MUCH better!

"Run For Your Wife" only runs for one more weekend next week up to May 3, 2015 at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1. Ticket prices are very reasonable, ranging only from P400 to P600. For more details regarding RUN FOR YOUR WIFE, call Repertory Philippines at 843-3570. You can also book tickets through TicketWorld at 891-9999 or visit their website at www.ticketworld.com.ph.