Filipino musical
Dekada '70 Musical 2020
Monday, March 16, 2020
This post is long overdue - I saw Dekada '70 Musical with Kim on March 1st. We barely got the tickets as it was selling like popsicles in the summer. I had no idea what I was going to see in the slightest, as I can barely remember the movie adaptation and I finished reading the book just last night (yes, shame on me but better late than never). But just like the other musicals I've seen in the past, this hit me hard, so hard that I was in tears by the end of it - it was a magnificent portrayal of what life was like in the Philippines during the '70s - under the atrocious hands of dictatorship.
What is it about?
Dekada '70 is about the upper-middle class Bartolome family, written in Amanda's (the mom) point of view. Amanda has five kids, all boys, and married to the classic patriarchal Julian who doesn't know anything but his pride and his responsibility as a father that begins and ends with providing the financial needs of his children. The story happened in the '70s, when Amanda's children are slowly transitioning from little boys to young men, their self-discovery and even her own.
What I think about it
The Black Box can only hold as much as 200 people (or that's what Kim concluded after counting the rows of seats), which meant this is going to be another intimate performance like Himala and Si Saldang, Si Marvin at ang Halimaw ng Gabi. I'm not sure if this is becoming a trend in Philippine theaters, but this setup brings the audience closer to the experience, like I was also in the story. I felt shame when Amanda confronted Gani about his late-night shenanigan involving Evelyn. I felt grief when Jules told his mom that his best friend was killed in an encounter. I felt annoyed at how Julian treated his wife with utmost disrespect. And damn, I cried with the Bartolomes during the Jason tragedy. I sat there in the front corner with the actors' sweat and saliva almost hitting me in the face, and witnessed the monsters invading this innocent, happy family.
Dekada '70 has always been one of our unfailing reminders of the atrocities of dictatorship. Giving it life as a musical play just made it stronger, a much louder call for us to take part in making the significant change the country needs even at the present time.
Himala: Isang Musikal gave me an intimate, one-of-a-kind, magnificent experience
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
There's not much that I know about the Himala film of 1982, except for one, the main lead was Nora Aunor; two, it was written by Ricky Lee; and three, the film is constantly played in local TV stations during the Holy Week. When I saw the poster of the musical I got thrilled, and told myself that I should see it after 2 musicals slipped off me. Plus it's a Ricky Lee classic. So I got myself a ticket to one of the shows during the opening week. Turns out, it's going to be one of the best things I forced myself into.
The venue isn't that huge - I suppose the PowerMac Center Spotlight can hold not more than 500 people. The audience surrounded the stage, kinda like what they did in Si Saldang, Si Marvin at ang Halimaw ng Gabi that reminded me of the classroom-held plays back in high school. The performers didn't require lapels and microphones, and there was only a single piano that accompanied their powerful theatrical voices. They didn't have makeup (maybe except for Nimia and her pouty red lips relevant to her role) and their clothes were typical of the neigborhood where I grew up. I was sitting on the first row and it allowed me an up-close and intimate moment the entire show, like I was one of the casts - albeit a mere expectator but still part of the production.
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| With Elsa |
I'm not gonna lie, I got sad when I realized it wasn't Aicelle that's gonna be playing Elsa in the show I was in. But my sadness dissipated within the next five seconds because Celine Fabie is just splendid - she and her powerful voice gave me goosebumps in various parts of the show. Then there's our favorite pokpok, Kakki Teodoro who plays Nimia, Cupang's cabaret owner and for many times I am reminded of the people I've met in my life who were too relatable to her character (or similar). I've read somewhere that it's not impressive when art imitates life too closely but to hell with them because I stan relatable art. And I am not just talking about Nimia, but also Orly the journalist played by David Ezra who was staying at Cupang only to make a name for himself out of Elsa's alleged miraculous faith healing. And of course, how can I forget Chayong and Pilo, played by Neomi Gonzales and Sandino Martin respectively - the lovers whose dreams and future plans brought me back to when I was a kid and my aunt would listen to drama series in the AM station at two in the afternoon. Needless to say, I drowned in nostalgia and familiarity.
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| This is Nimia and Orly. |
I can no longer remember the story from the 3-decade old film. And even if I still do, I suspect I'd still have the same goosebumps, speed of heartbeat, and teary eyes during what have become my favorite scenes. Himala isn't just Elsa's story. No, it's not even just Barrio Cupang's story. It's about us, the Filipinos, who made fanaticism and relying to miracles a tradition and our ultimate salvation. It's about us who claim to be afraid of God and yet we practice faithless religion. The magnificent portrayals of the characters though, is another story. Everyone should watch it.
I watched Mula Sa Buwan the second time around and my heart still breaks
Monday, December 3, 2018
I didn’t have plans of watching it again – Mula sa Buwan broke my heart the first time I saw it, though I should say it threw the pieces in the right places. But I loved everything about it, from the songs (Tinig sa Dilim for the win!) to the actors, as well as the experience and the feelings it gave me in all life aspects. Talk about being attacked on a personal level. And I must say this play has left me with a bittersweet memory I’d never forget in my lifetime. So when I saw their Facebook announcement that they are going to do one final run on December 1st, I took it as a sign that I must see it one last time.
I told my friends that the 2018 version was better than that of the 2017. Though now I’ve thought it through, I could no longer decide whether it was true or it’s just that, the experience was better this time around. What I saw last weekend was the same Cyrano – Nicco Manalo couldn’t have done it more perfectly than he did. The Christians I saw were different, I like both Edward Benosa and Myke Salomon though I could barely remember how Ed did it really (it’s been more than a year, forgive me). Gab Pangilinan gave me the chills when she finally performed Ang Sabi Nila, but not the way KL Dizon made me cringe and cry and feel like someone was really dead. Hey, I love Gab, too, don’t get me wrong. Especially when she gives life to the #romanceclass MCs along with Jef. And Rosanna, what can I say more about her?
The story broke my heart, and I guess everyone who saw it would say the same. It was a sad love story, unrequited, unsaid and lost. It was also a story of defiance. Roxane told the priest that she should be married to the man she truly loved instead of the one who was pursuing her. The cadets fought bravely during the war. Cyrano went back and forth to the woman he loved the most just to send his devotion despite of the danger that awaited him, or the fact that the woman was already owned by someone else. The world has clearly changed after the war and yet they weren’t keen to embrace it. Roxane chose to grieve forever, refusing to take off the shroud of emptiness that prevented her to see through her best friend’s heart. All these broke my heart and made it whole again. I cried again, during that last scene with Cyrano and Roxane. This time, harder.
I really hope this wouldn’t be the last time they run the show. The entire experience was too violent yet too sweet and I would love to spend more just to get that feeling again, and I’m not even kidding. Mula sa Buwan will always have that special spot in my heart reserved for Filipino musicals.
xo
When I've finally watched Sa Wakas
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Cheaters have no right to be happy.
I'm not bitter, okay? I'm just triggered by the cliche yet mainstream storyline Sa Wakas presented. This Pinoy rock musical was actually shown last year, and I could no longer remember the reason why I missed it. Thankfully, there's a farewell run this year where I finally took the opportunity to see it and decide whether it was really worth raving about. The show I've seen had Vic Robinson instead of Pepe Herrera. Both actors are equally great, I think. They played the role of Topher (did I spell it right?) the great, cheating scum.
The music is great, no questions asked. Sugarfree is one of the OPM bands whose music conquered the FM stations across the country, and it heavily reminded me of my graveyard shift nights when I'd listen to the radio on the bus and in cabs. There were songs I didn't even know were sung by them. No, I didn't necessarily have them on my playlist since my playlist consists of hits from twenty years ago, but I got heartbroken when there wasn't a CD merch aside from the #SaWaKit that costs a whopping Php2000. Maybe I'm just gonna have to download the songs on Spotify.
Then there's the story. Maybe I don't need to talk about the story being too common as most of us have probably seen it in different forms - movies, novels, TV series and maybe even in real life. I don't need to talk about cheating as something that's always been justified by lack of time, lack of connection, lack of enough affection and maybe even the lack of benefit. And although the actors were super great (I love Vic Robinson for his magnificent performance), for some reason I couldn't find the chemistry between him and his ladies. One friend who also watched the show and saw Pepe Herrera said he felt the same. Maybe they looked too good to be cheating their girlfriends, I don't know.
Sa Wakas left me a mark, for I didn't know it told the story of one of my friends. And who knows, maybe it's also the story of that woman I rode with in the elevator a few days ago. And hell, yes. It was my story too.
xoxo❤
We watched Si Saldang, Si Marvin at ang Halimaw ng Gabi on Sunday
Monday, February 19, 2018
What if your dreams can betray you and turn its back on you in the end? Are you still going to continue working for it?
Si Saldang, Si Marvin at ang Halimaw ng Gabi is the first theater play I’ve seen this year, and I couldn’t be more impressed. When I saw it on Facebook, I immediately told Kim we need to watch it, but of course I didn’t tell her about Gio Gahol and Fred Lo as part of my many reasons for wanting to see it.
I know I don’t need to go over the fact that The PARC Foundation where the play was held isn’t the easiest place to locate if you’re not familiar with the area. I won’t tell you anymore how the actors delivered in the most excellent way possible, especially Gio who appeared to have brought the first part of the show by himself and Fred who portrayed the different kinds of evening monsters. I don’t want to bore you of fact that it was an intimate presentation, kinda like the classroom plays I did in college. The poster told me what the story was, an EJK story – something that has been the central issue of the current administration in my country. I want to clarify I am not a subversive individual, but then it’s disheartening when you see young and innocent people die in this so called “war on drugs”.
So yeah, what if your own dreams could turn you down? What if being a news reporter suddenly becomes about what the people would love to hear from you and not about exposing unbiased and naked truth? What if being a gay fashion designer brings you in the middle of a condemning and judgmental society who has a very odd definition of decent sexuality? What if being a teacher becomes a futile responsibility because children no longer has the desire to learn and dream for the future. These things and more, stirred up my head and made me ponder on what kind of society I am living in these days.
Si Saldang, Si Marvin at ang Halimaw ng Gabi is just one of the many things that can be done to challenge one to try make a difference. I wish there’s a rerun. I’d love to watch it again, and bring as many friends as I can.
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