First of all, I would just like to note that it’s great that the theater scene seems to be very much alive. More shows mean more things for me to write about.
For my initial entry in this new-found outlet for expression, I have decided to share my views and comments on the two English musicals currently showing in Manila: the much publicized production of RENT and the “unheard of” production that is ROMEO AND BERNADETTE.
Let me begin with Rent.
I will not bother writing about the play’s plot and synopsis. If you haven’t heard of it, then I suggest you google it. This play ran on Broadway for quite some time and a film version has been made, so there is no excuse for anyone not to have heard of or about it.
Which leads me to what I believe is this production’s dilemma. Because it has been staged in Manila twice, with a film version, plus the recorded Broadway version, the ever popular soundtrack, etc.; the expectation on this latest staging is rather high. Comparing the current cast and staging with its predecessors is inevitable.
I did not want to compare this cast with the previous Manila production, but I guess, that would be quite impossible. I saw the first run of Rent with Bituin Escalante, Ricci Chan, Calvin Millado, JM Rodriguez, etc. I remember it was staged in Music Museum. And I remember how awe struck I was with the play’s music and message. This seemed very long ago. I tried to watch this version with very little expectation; but was hoping to, at least, be inspired by it. Oh, I was inspired, indeed. I was inspired to start this blog so I can rant and rave about this production and the many ones to come.
This latest staging of Larson’s take on the opera La Boheme is produced by the newly created 9works Theatrical with Robbie Guevara at the helm.
This play left me wanting. I wanted more, needed more. I went home rather disappointed. The cast were mostly newbies in the industry. And it showed. It seemed to me like they didn’t really know what they were doing or what they were talking about. It’s a given that most of them were infants in the 90’s in which the play is set; but that to me, is no excuse. You don’t have to get raped to play a rape victim!
To sum it up, I believe that this cast is too raw; too inexperienced to tackle such an important material. Perhaps if they open two months from now, they’d be better. Unfortunately, they only run till the end of February.
Generally it actually isn’t that bad. It’s just not very good. There are a few shining moments. There are a few great discoveries. Most of them sound really good, some even great. They can sing. But that, I’m afraid is not enough. If they opted to do a concert version, it would have been awesome, perhaps, amazing. But they didn’t.
Overall, this production seemed like a very high-budgeted, uber-promoted and well publicized workshop showcase. Had it been a workshop showcase performance, I would probably think it was superb. But it wasn’t. It isn’t. This was, is supposedly a professional theater production. The choreography didn’t help either. In fact, there were scenes where I felt were too choreographed. Maybe because the actors were inexperienced, and they didn’t know what to do with their bodies, they had to be told to do this and to do that. There were some scenes where they were literally miming the lyrics of the songs! There were too much unnecessary movements and gestures which, to me, were a distraction. An experienced professional would know that on stage, oftentimes, less is more.
This cast lacked the sense of self control (control their energy, voice, etc.) and discipline needed by an actor on stage. And they seemed to have very little grasp of their individual characters. They lacked understanding of their character’s depth and inner emotional struggles.
Here are the GOOD parts:
- The ensemble as a whole turned out to be pretty good; it’s when they break into solos that things start getting iffy!
- The veterans in the cast were notable, as expected. Carla Guevara was simply perfect for the role. Her Maureen was so much better than Monique Wilson’s in the original Manila run. Raul Montesa, Noel Rayos and Ring Antonio helped strengthened the ensemble.
- The break-through performance was, hands down, that of OJ Mariano as Collins. The guy can sing. And he can sing really well. And for a new comer, his acting wasn’t bad either. In fact, it was pretty good. He was believable and his character, real. More so than Michael de Mesa’s portrayal.
And now, the NOT-SO-GOOD parts:
- The leads Gian Magdangal and Fredison Lo unfortunately failed to carry the great responsibility that their respective characters entailed. Gian can sing, his voice was almost perfect for Roger, which is probably why he got the part in the first place. But this young man has zero depth. As in nada. He seemed restless on stage, his eyes were empty. It seemed to me like he went through his blocking because he was told to do so. There was no purpose to his being. He was just, well … there. He simply sang his songs (very nicely) and uttered his lines. But this role entails so much emotion, so much angst. He’s freaking dying of AIDS for crying out loud! I didn’t get anything from him. A stranger I met during the intermission even had the same comment. And this was her first time to see Rent. She just happened to be one of the very few creatures on earth who never heard of Rent. She apparently goes to the La Salle School of business in RCBC and decided to stop by the theater to watch. She’s not a regular theater goer either. And yet, she felt “parang may kulang.”
- Fred Lo looked more like Harry Potter than Mark. And he’s supposed to be Maureen’s ex-boyfriend, not her son! He looked like a baby next to Carla Guevara, and Carla looks so much younger than her age.
- Job Bautista as Angel. Oh my, where do I begin? Simply said, he was a disaster! A total miscast. This is the one the producers chose out of the hundreds who auditioned? I don’t get it. First of all, he has a lisp or something which is least to say, bothersome. His dancing wasn’t that great (I know many who can do the split and do it better); and his singing, Oh, his singing. He had the unfortunate task of following through the footsteps of Ricci Chan and Jake Macapagal; that in itself is a pretty tall order; and the producers should have realized that. So why hire this inexperienced, classically trained singer to tackle the very important, pivotal role of Angel whose vocal stylings require that of an R&B belter? I literally felt relieved when Angel died because that meant a respite from his annoying presence. Angel’s character had to be more than just your regular parlorista. He’s more than just a drag queen. Job, however, was nothing more than a skinny, cheap looking bakla from the kanto! And what the hell was that outfit all about? What on earth were you thinking Rajo Laurel????
- There are 2 Mimi’s. Nicole Asencio and Cara Barredo. I was privileged to watch both actors. Nicole can sing. She sings very well. Her voice is perfect for the role. But the girl cannot act. Just like Gian Magdangal, she should have been great had it been a concert version. She was as empty as an old politician’s promise. There was simply nothing there, aside from the pleasant sound of her voice. Cara, on the other hand, was obviously the more experienced one. Her units were clear. You see the intent, the purpose, the emotion and the internal struggle. However, the songs were simply not her range. She’s a classically trained singer and Mimi’s songs are more pop-rock. I’m not saying she did badly. In fact, she was pretty good. If I had to choose between an actor who can sing and a singer who can’t act, I’d choose the actor everyday of the week and twice on Sundays. Musical theater, after all, is so much more than singing.
And that is what this staging of RENT needed: More actors. Real actors (who just happen to have the pipes to belt Season’s of Love). They were bound to be compared to the many actors and singers who have had the chance to play these roles before them. It would be stupid for anyone to expect a cast that would surpass the original. I never expected anything like that. I understand that would have been a tough order. I would have been satisfied with an equally talented cast; If not in singing, then in the over-all performance. And this country has never been wanting of talents. There is so much talent going around. This cast after all found a more effective Maureen and a better sounding Collins. Why didn’t they try to complete the line up? Why stop there?
Franc Lee speaking, this production of RENT is… well, for lack of a better word… blah!
I shall write about Romeo and Bernadette tomorrow. I didn’t expect this to get this long!
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