Ida: "I get easily frustrated when I can't understand the words."
Russ: "It's because of the enunciation."
Ida: "I can deal with the enunciation!"
Russ: "Sshhh!"
The balcony is not exactly a good place to watch a play with actors donning the British accent. I found the sound system at Greenbelt 1 Onstage to be below par, although they adjusted it on Act 2. Or did they? We went to nearer seats eh. Hehehe.
Audie Gemora seemed to lack the energy for the title role. Nasapawan tuloy siya ni Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Mrs. Lovett. His momentum built up only from the time he went down the stage ramp. And this, unfortunately, being one of the moments when Russ was asleep. I nudged him more vigorously than demanded and said, "Hey, Sweeney Todd might slash your neck. He's going to the audience!" But that was just wishful thinking. Not a drop of (fake) blood was shed. I was totally expecting something in the fashion of the 1991 movie "The Addams Family," the part where Wednesday and Pugsley slashed each other in their school play. I didn't know Repertory Philippines didn't plan on doing it like that. But why? I seriously don't get it. That's why I can't help but compare this play to Papa Johnny Depp's movie by Tim Burton, which was so intense. Even when I was in grade school, a beauty pageant contestant was able to execute something like it (the skit involved her vomiting spaghetti and spewing blood).
I'm sorry, but the play, which I watched during its first public run, felt rather like a dress rehearsal. Tell me I'm mean, go on. I'm just saying that there are lots of points for improvement. It would help if Audie Gemora gets more practice brandishing a razor. He should take a cue from Marvin Ong who was great as Tobias and who did him in. I wonder why Audie Gemora's swaying movements were limited; could it be that the razor was real?! Hahaha... Anyway, there was also this part where it was Judge Turpin's first time to go up the barber shop. Sweeney Todd was pondering on killing him but when he turned to face him, he did so clockwise. So when he hid the razor with his right arm, the Judge, played by Roger Chua, must have seen it. Should have seen it. This fluke would have been avoided if the crew didn't rotate the establishment, which was done to show that Toby went to the back and sat there. Obviously, to me, the scene could have done without the 180-degree turn because it only disrupted the orientation of the top floor which was more crucial at this point. It didn't seem logical but then it probably was on the script. Oh well.
"Gusto pa naman ni Ida si sailorboy," said Russ. "Not him, the song!" I retorted. I was referring to "Johanna" by the character Anthony, played by Franco Laurel. Wish I heard it clearly though the first time. Either his voice was really soft or his mic was busted. The technical staff tried to remedy it on Act 1 but you can hear the scratch, meaning the volume was increased instead of just having the mic replaced. At least on Act 2 it was ok already. Going to Johanna played by Lena McKenzie, who Russ said looked like a Sto. Niño and who I said looked like a poodle, I would have to agree with Inquirer critic Gibbs Cadiz about her diction. Let's just say she didn't nail it. And her voice fluctuated at one point while reaching for the low notes. I'm not a musician but I know when something just doesn't sound as it should. Like when Beadle, played by Robbie Guevara, kind of missed his timing. I would have to say though, that the highlight of the play is the orchestra conducted by none other than Gerard Salonga. I even peeked below the stage during the break because my ears were quite pleased so my eyes had to see where the music was coming from. I liked it. Period. With regard the play, it was so-so. To tell you the truth, I even thought it would be a tad better if they invited Borat/Sacha Baron Cohen to play Alfonso Pirelli. Hahaha!
For an expert's review of the play, check out Gibbs Cadiz.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Let Me Tell You About My Way Home Last Night...
I rode the UP Ikot jeep at 6pm, as usual. Although if I knew it was actually a love boat for the only two passengers who were so overtly sweethearts, I would have hesitated. They were tickling each other and such; you can almost smell their libidos. At one instance, the girl exclaimed, "Oh shit!" when the boy poked her -- literally, and not what you sexual beings have in mind. And at another point, the boy playfully chastised the girl when she assumed the supine position, her head cradled on his lap. "O, huwag kang humiga dito sa Ikot." ("Don't lie down in the jeepney.") By this time, I had a seatmate. Thank goodness there's someone to share the torture with. I was sitting right across the boy -- I dared not stare at his face. When finally they reached their stop, which is Vinzons Hall, I looked at their faces. Jeezaz they looked almost the same. So it may be true then, if you're compatible with that person, you'll strongly resemble each other by the way you look, dress, speak, etc.
Several stations thereafter, my eyes painfully came across another couple in their college uniforms cuddling while waiting for I don't know which other public transportation vehicle passes by the corner of Ylanan Road. Well, it was painful not in the sense that I envied them, but the boy's hand was slowly inching down from the girl's hip to her right butt cheek -- and she was really really thin. As in Calista Flockhart-thin. So was he. The sight was disturbing.
Continuing on my journey in a yellow jeepney, at the checkpoint near Fine Arts, I saw this woman wearing a baby blue spaghetti-strapped sando with matching headband and she was squatting down like a child trying to poop on soil. I figured she was like that because she was tired of waiting for somebody -- her husband, lover, friend, or all of the above. Plus the fact that there were no benches around. I said to myself, "Me, I am not waiting for anyone. I know that if somebody's meant to be mine, he or she will come in good time."
*Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight, someone's thinking of me...* I remember thinking, before I boarded the jeep, how beautiful the crescent moon was. Then I stopped when I saw the honeymooners.
Let's go back to my travel homeward. There I was on the small side seat inside a Krus na Ligas (KNL) tricycle when I overheard the manong driver say, "Baka sabihin niya, tricycle driver lang ako." Meaning he was probably courting someone who he thinks might look down on him, since he's only a trycycle driver. The passenger behind him answered, but I failed to follow their conversation because my attention was stolen by the Christmas lights at the top of an apartment. (As some of you might know, KNL can be a pretty colorful place, with all those different faces and tiny establishments.)
After walking from our village's guard house, I arrived at home and was welcomed by my ever-excited brother, Dollar. Why are dogs such happy creatures? It's unbelievable. If I had a human who would jump om me when I open the door and move frantically about until I have patted him, I'd probably be one of the most contented persons on earth. Not that I need someone right now. During the whole trip I didn't even think about any individual in particular -- like one from a lost love. All I'm saying is, if I had a suitor who has a car and who would drive me home everyday, I wouldn't have to think about this things. Haha, yeah right! =P
Several stations thereafter, my eyes painfully came across another couple in their college uniforms cuddling while waiting for I don't know which other public transportation vehicle passes by the corner of Ylanan Road. Well, it was painful not in the sense that I envied them, but the boy's hand was slowly inching down from the girl's hip to her right butt cheek -- and she was really really thin. As in Calista Flockhart-thin. So was he. The sight was disturbing.
Continuing on my journey in a yellow jeepney, at the checkpoint near Fine Arts, I saw this woman wearing a baby blue spaghetti-strapped sando with matching headband and she was squatting down like a child trying to poop on soil. I figured she was like that because she was tired of waiting for somebody -- her husband, lover, friend, or all of the above. Plus the fact that there were no benches around. I said to myself, "Me, I am not waiting for anyone. I know that if somebody's meant to be mine, he or she will come in good time."
*Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight, someone's thinking of me...* I remember thinking, before I boarded the jeep, how beautiful the crescent moon was. Then I stopped when I saw the honeymooners.
Let's go back to my travel homeward. There I was on the small side seat inside a Krus na Ligas (KNL) tricycle when I overheard the manong driver say, "Baka sabihin niya, tricycle driver lang ako." Meaning he was probably courting someone who he thinks might look down on him, since he's only a trycycle driver. The passenger behind him answered, but I failed to follow their conversation because my attention was stolen by the Christmas lights at the top of an apartment. (As some of you might know, KNL can be a pretty colorful place, with all those different faces and tiny establishments.)
After walking from our village's guard house, I arrived at home and was welcomed by my ever-excited brother, Dollar. Why are dogs such happy creatures? It's unbelievable. If I had a human who would jump om me when I open the door and move frantically about until I have patted him, I'd probably be one of the most contented persons on earth. Not that I need someone right now. During the whole trip I didn't even think about any individual in particular -- like one from a lost love. All I'm saying is, if I had a suitor who has a car and who would drive me home everyday, I wouldn't have to think about this things. Haha, yeah right! =P
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Of Code-Switching, Chest Hair and Comedy
I remember how I used to treat someone like a god, MY god. I still know the feeling when my day wasn’t a day if I didn’t see him, when my food didn’t taste like anything unless he was there sitting beside me. It’s funny though how life kicks you in the face. I recently learned, to my disbelief (and somewhat to my relief), that he's just like other men...
But enough of that sad, silly stuff. I’m here to talk about Dulaang UP’s Amphitryon, which I watched yesterday with my newly discovered play-mate, Russ. For one thing, I really liked it because it tickled my funny bones. And for another, I am a huge fan of Alkmene’s wedges and busty gown. Okay, I’m kidding. The best thing about the play is the way most of the characters delivered their lines succinctly and how they employed physical comedy to the audience’s delight. They made the play look like a game of hide-and-seek—only it involved crazy Roman gods and bewildered mortals instead of kids.
It took Sosias some time at the start to establish the comedic identity of the play. We were sitting at the second row and we couldn’t help but notice his brand new army uniform that seemed out of place in the set design, which had a Japanese ring to it (meaning aesthetically, because it was far from war-torn; in fact, I appreciated the ethereal feeling at the end of the play, with blown pinwheels, smoke and stars in the night sky). “What is Sosias?” (Note: Not “who”) was the question that kept floating in my head. Then it turned out he was the slave of “Amphitryon! (emphasis on the hands-to-pelvis movement)”.
There were so many things that I love in the play. The classic Filipino lines like “Lintik lang ang walang ganti!” and even the cuss word “P*****ina” were a hit! The spoofs on military training were hilarious too! The code-switching employed was, should I say, bentang-benta, particularly when Amphitryon and Alkmene were in the middle of a heated argument and the former suddenly berated the latter: “Don’t you dare touch me! (Silence…) Maybe later!” Hahaha! Also, employing modern ways of speaking expressions was totally humorous, like “O.M.G.”, and conversely singing songs that most ’80s children are aware of (“Pahipo naman…Huwag diyan!”) was indeed of great comic value. Even the Korean girl beside me was laughing! I was quite sure she didn’t understand most of the dialogues but because the play had such strong visual appeal, it was able to transcend what was on the script.
There were downsides, of course. Some of the actors paused a number of times because they forgot their lines. Also, the act by Sosias of running into the middle row in the audience, not once but twice, could have raised some eyebrows. To me it was fine but Russ got stressed and we weren’t even on that row! Generally it drew bursts of laughter from the audience.
Jupiter was not too convincing as a god pretending to be a warrior-king mainly because he had a soft demeanor and slouchy countenance. Too cute to be immortal perhaps? But Amphitryon! Oh, how I love his booming voice! He would have been fitter to play the role of a god-lover (I drooled over his chest hair!). His facial expressions were so good, I can’t take my eyes off him. And then there’s Alkmene. She was everything I expected—she conveyed beauty and purity in her speeches and actions. Her dialogues with Jupiter were dragging though. We know that Amphitryon didn’t have to be Jupiter, the god of all gods, to get Alkmene’s devotion, but it was Sosias, Charis and Mercury who actually moved the play in terms of story development. I even felt that the other three were there not only to nudge us into digesting the facts of their love triangle but also to let us rest our stomachs and jaw muscles that were aching from laughter.
I could watch Amphitryon over and over again! I would still laugh as hard even when I’m soaked in bitterness over the guy I mistakenly treated as my god...
But enough of that sad, silly stuff. I’m here to talk about Dulaang UP’s Amphitryon, which I watched yesterday with my newly discovered play-mate, Russ. For one thing, I really liked it because it tickled my funny bones. And for another, I am a huge fan of Alkmene’s wedges and busty gown. Okay, I’m kidding. The best thing about the play is the way most of the characters delivered their lines succinctly and how they employed physical comedy to the audience’s delight. They made the play look like a game of hide-and-seek—only it involved crazy Roman gods and bewildered mortals instead of kids.
It took Sosias some time at the start to establish the comedic identity of the play. We were sitting at the second row and we couldn’t help but notice his brand new army uniform that seemed out of place in the set design, which had a Japanese ring to it (meaning aesthetically, because it was far from war-torn; in fact, I appreciated the ethereal feeling at the end of the play, with blown pinwheels, smoke and stars in the night sky). “What is Sosias?” (Note: Not “who”) was the question that kept floating in my head. Then it turned out he was the slave of “Amphitryon! (emphasis on the hands-to-pelvis movement)”.
There were so many things that I love in the play. The classic Filipino lines like “Lintik lang ang walang ganti!” and even the cuss word “P*****ina” were a hit! The spoofs on military training were hilarious too! The code-switching employed was, should I say, bentang-benta, particularly when Amphitryon and Alkmene were in the middle of a heated argument and the former suddenly berated the latter: “Don’t you dare touch me! (Silence…) Maybe later!” Hahaha! Also, employing modern ways of speaking expressions was totally humorous, like “O.M.G.”, and conversely singing songs that most ’80s children are aware of (“Pahipo naman…Huwag diyan!”) was indeed of great comic value. Even the Korean girl beside me was laughing! I was quite sure she didn’t understand most of the dialogues but because the play had such strong visual appeal, it was able to transcend what was on the script.
There were downsides, of course. Some of the actors paused a number of times because they forgot their lines. Also, the act by Sosias of running into the middle row in the audience, not once but twice, could have raised some eyebrows. To me it was fine but Russ got stressed and we weren’t even on that row! Generally it drew bursts of laughter from the audience.
Jupiter was not too convincing as a god pretending to be a warrior-king mainly because he had a soft demeanor and slouchy countenance. Too cute to be immortal perhaps? But Amphitryon! Oh, how I love his booming voice! He would have been fitter to play the role of a god-lover (I drooled over his chest hair!). His facial expressions were so good, I can’t take my eyes off him. And then there’s Alkmene. She was everything I expected—she conveyed beauty and purity in her speeches and actions. Her dialogues with Jupiter were dragging though. We know that Amphitryon didn’t have to be Jupiter, the god of all gods, to get Alkmene’s devotion, but it was Sosias, Charis and Mercury who actually moved the play in terms of story development. I even felt that the other three were there not only to nudge us into digesting the facts of their love triangle but also to let us rest our stomachs and jaw muscles that were aching from laughter.
I could watch Amphitryon over and over again! I would still laugh as hard even when I’m soaked in bitterness over the guy I mistakenly treated as my god...
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
100 Songs of My Life
I planned to do this last week, days upon reading 100 Songs that Could Change Your Life by Larry Cayco, who was inspired by Baddie and Ade. I even posted a number of his selections at blip.fm.
When I was in undergrad, I made a list of the songs I wanted played at my wake. I think I only came up with around 25 songs, most of them alternative rock. I wonder if I had saved that list. Anyway, here are the songs of my life (in no particular order) – from the time I was a kid listening to my red portable cassette tape player, to when I was a depressed young adult cutting my emo skin away, and even including a period of my teen years when I was head over heels in love with that gay guy on BoyZone and had to dance to a BSB tune while campaigning for the student council. I would have jotted down Macarena but then that would be an overkill. You'll also find some from OSTs, since I love movies. Hope you enjoy them.
1. The Rolling Stones – You Can't Always Get What You Want
2. Nirvana – All Apologies
3. Silverchair – Suicidal Dream
4. Hoobastank – The Reason
5. The Cardigans – Lovefool
6. O.A.R. – Shattered
7. Eraserheads – Fine Time
8. Parokya Ni Edgar – Halaga
9. Suede – Beautiful Ones
10. The Buggles – Video Killed the Radio Star
11. Keane – With or Without You
12. U2 – Staring at the Sun
13. Daughtry – Home
14. Edwin McCain – I’ll Be
15. Joshua Kadison – Beautiful in My Eyes
16. R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
17. Metallica – Unforgiven II
18. Blink 182 – All the Small Things
19. Petula Clark – Downtown
20. Meredith Brooks – Bitch
21. Aerosmith – Crazy
22. Bon Jovi – It’s My Life
23. David Cook – Always Be My Baby
24. Mariah Carey – Honey
25. Spice Girls – 2become1
26. BoyZone – Key to My Life
27. Backstreet Boys – As Long as You Love Me
28. Destiny’s Child – Emotions
29. Limp Bizkit – Rollin’
30. Eminem – Cleanin’ Out My Closet
31. Green Day – Nimrod
32. Savage Garden – Truly Madly Deeply
33. Blur – Song 2
34. Oasis – Stand By Me
35. The Temptations – My Girl
36. Marilyn Manson – Rock Is Dead
37. The Beatles – Hey Jude
38. Bee Gees – How Deep Is Your Love
39. Justin Timberlake – Sexy Back
40. Pussycat Dolls – Don’t Cha
41. Phoebe (Friends) – Smelly Cat
42. Timon & Pumba – Hakuna Matata (The Lion King OST)
43. Shelby Flint – Be Brave Little One (Dumbo OST)
44. James Horner – Somewhere Out There (American Tale OST)
45. Michael Jackson – Gone Too Soon
46. Alicia Keys – Karma
47. Black Eyed Peas – My Humps
48. Pink, Mya, Li’l Kim and Christina Aguilera – Lady Marmalade
49. Ewan McGregor – Your Song (Moulin Rouge OST)
50. Johann Pachelbel – Canon (My Sassy Girl OST)
51. The Knack – My Sharona
52. T.L.C. – No Scrubs
53. Madonna – Like a Virgin
54. The Cranberries – Linger
55. The Fray – You Found Me
56. Paula Cole – I Don’t Wanna Wait
57. Roy Orbison – Oh, Pretty Woman
58. Rick James – Super Freak
59. Funky Chicos – Funky Town
60. Maksim – Flight of the Bumblebee
61. Marcy Playground – I Smell Sex and Candy
62. Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved
63. Fatboy Slim – The Rockafeller Skank
64. The Prodigy – Firestarter
65. Matchbox 20 – Unwell
66. Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl
67. Muse – Supermassive Black Hole
68. Stereophonics – Superman
69. The Calling – Adrienne
70. B.J. Thomas – Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
71. Frank Sinatra – Singin’ in the Rain
72. Marilyn Monroe – Happy Birthday Mr. President
73. Nino Rota – The Godfather Theme
74. Henry Mancini – The Pink Panther Theme
75. Lea Salonga – Sing a Song
76. The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
77. Frankie Valli – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
78. Jim Carrey – Cuban Pete (The Mask OST)
79. Solomon Linda – Mbube/The Lion Sleeps Tonight
80. Prince – Kiss
81. Right Said Fred – I’m Too Sexy
82. Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing
83. Turbonegro – Age of the Pampirus (Wildboyz Theme)
84. Catherine Zeta-Jones – All That Jazz (Chicago OST)
85. Britney Spears – Slave 4 U
86. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge
87. Fergie – Fergalicious
88. No Doubt – Don’t Speak
89. Garbage – Paranoid
90. Goo Goo Dolls – Name
91. Vertical Horizon – You’re a God
92. Fergie – Big Girls Don’t Cry
93. The Darkness – I Believe in a Thing Called Love
94. Kylie Minogue – Can't Get You Out Of My Head
95. Staind – So Far Away
96. Bush – Swallowed
97. Incubus – Megalomaniac
98. Nickelback – Animals
99. 3 Doors Down – Here Without You
100. The Kooks – Do You Wanna
When I was in undergrad, I made a list of the songs I wanted played at my wake. I think I only came up with around 25 songs, most of them alternative rock. I wonder if I had saved that list. Anyway, here are the songs of my life (in no particular order) – from the time I was a kid listening to my red portable cassette tape player, to when I was a depressed young adult cutting my emo skin away, and even including a period of my teen years when I was head over heels in love with that gay guy on BoyZone and had to dance to a BSB tune while campaigning for the student council. I would have jotted down Macarena but then that would be an overkill. You'll also find some from OSTs, since I love movies. Hope you enjoy them.
1. The Rolling Stones – You Can't Always Get What You Want
2. Nirvana – All Apologies
3. Silverchair – Suicidal Dream
4. Hoobastank – The Reason
5. The Cardigans – Lovefool
6. O.A.R. – Shattered
7. Eraserheads – Fine Time
8. Parokya Ni Edgar – Halaga
9. Suede – Beautiful Ones
10. The Buggles – Video Killed the Radio Star
11. Keane – With or Without You
12. U2 – Staring at the Sun
13. Daughtry – Home
14. Edwin McCain – I’ll Be
15. Joshua Kadison – Beautiful in My Eyes
16. R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
17. Metallica – Unforgiven II
18. Blink 182 – All the Small Things
19. Petula Clark – Downtown
20. Meredith Brooks – Bitch
21. Aerosmith – Crazy
22. Bon Jovi – It’s My Life
23. David Cook – Always Be My Baby
24. Mariah Carey – Honey
25. Spice Girls – 2become1
26. BoyZone – Key to My Life
27. Backstreet Boys – As Long as You Love Me
28. Destiny’s Child – Emotions
29. Limp Bizkit – Rollin’
30. Eminem – Cleanin’ Out My Closet
31. Green Day – Nimrod
32. Savage Garden – Truly Madly Deeply
33. Blur – Song 2
34. Oasis – Stand By Me
35. The Temptations – My Girl
36. Marilyn Manson – Rock Is Dead
37. The Beatles – Hey Jude
38. Bee Gees – How Deep Is Your Love
39. Justin Timberlake – Sexy Back
40. Pussycat Dolls – Don’t Cha
41. Phoebe (Friends) – Smelly Cat
42. Timon & Pumba – Hakuna Matata (The Lion King OST)
43. Shelby Flint – Be Brave Little One (Dumbo OST)
44. James Horner – Somewhere Out There (American Tale OST)
45. Michael Jackson – Gone Too Soon
46. Alicia Keys – Karma
47. Black Eyed Peas – My Humps
48. Pink, Mya, Li’l Kim and Christina Aguilera – Lady Marmalade
49. Ewan McGregor – Your Song (Moulin Rouge OST)
50. Johann Pachelbel – Canon (My Sassy Girl OST)
51. The Knack – My Sharona
52. T.L.C. – No Scrubs
53. Madonna – Like a Virgin
54. The Cranberries – Linger
55. The Fray – You Found Me
56. Paula Cole – I Don’t Wanna Wait
57. Roy Orbison – Oh, Pretty Woman
58. Rick James – Super Freak
59. Funky Chicos – Funky Town
60. Maksim – Flight of the Bumblebee
61. Marcy Playground – I Smell Sex and Candy
62. Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved
63. Fatboy Slim – The Rockafeller Skank
64. The Prodigy – Firestarter
65. Matchbox 20 – Unwell
66. Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl
67. Muse – Supermassive Black Hole
68. Stereophonics – Superman
69. The Calling – Adrienne
70. B.J. Thomas – Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
71. Frank Sinatra – Singin’ in the Rain
72. Marilyn Monroe – Happy Birthday Mr. President
73. Nino Rota – The Godfather Theme
74. Henry Mancini – The Pink Panther Theme
75. Lea Salonga – Sing a Song
76. The Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
77. Frankie Valli – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
78. Jim Carrey – Cuban Pete (The Mask OST)
79. Solomon Linda – Mbube/The Lion Sleeps Tonight
80. Prince – Kiss
81. Right Said Fred – I’m Too Sexy
82. Hot Chocolate – You Sexy Thing
83. Turbonegro – Age of the Pampirus (Wildboyz Theme)
84. Catherine Zeta-Jones – All That Jazz (Chicago OST)
85. Britney Spears – Slave 4 U
86. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge
87. Fergie – Fergalicious
88. No Doubt – Don’t Speak
89. Garbage – Paranoid
90. Goo Goo Dolls – Name
91. Vertical Horizon – You’re a God
92. Fergie – Big Girls Don’t Cry
93. The Darkness – I Believe in a Thing Called Love
94. Kylie Minogue – Can't Get You Out Of My Head
95. Staind – So Far Away
96. Bush – Swallowed
97. Incubus – Megalomaniac
98. Nickelback – Animals
99. 3 Doors Down – Here Without You
100. The Kooks – Do You Wanna
Monday, August 10, 2009
Lulu - A Review
It could have been shorter, simpler and sexier.
I don't have a problem with the cast; I have a problem with the script. For one, the play could have done without a number of characters. For instance, the child. Why make him/her stay on the theater for three hours on a school night if you'll only need him/her to show up at the beginning and end? There's no point in juxtaposing innocence with Lulu (if ever that's the case), because we already know what Lulu is - the personification of desire. Besides, there's no acting involved in walking up the aisle and playing with newspapers on the ground. But then that's just one of the few things that have been thrown into this melee of a play. And I may have an analogy for this. You know the new Red Ribbon cakes with flavors that are a bit too complicated? Like, you have mocha, creme, nuts, pieces of such and such and this and that - how the hell would you even be able to savor the cake with all that, er, "jazz"? It may do ok for others, but not for me. I'd rather have brazo de mercedes or choco roll from Goldilocks.
I expected this play to be, well, R-18. To me, if felt like Lulu's struggles were more implied. What did she really want? What made her happy? Not that I wanted more sex scenes in the play. But who are we kidding. This is a play about lust, seduction and gender. Maybe its sensuality was lost in the long dialogues that I found tedious. One of the important lessons I learned in our documentary filmmaking workshop under Direk Nick Deocampo is that you don't tell, you show. This is intuitive, you might say, but the play could have forgotten it because the lines delivered by the actors were mostly descriptions of Lulu's past and how they feel about her. Plus I hate the fact that the men had to die in order to prove a point.
Some of the parts were incoherent to me, too. Not to mention that Dora balloon which was quite the scene stealer. Lulu is complicated, I discern that much. Perhaps the play's style is akin to the feminist method of storytelling in a non-linear way. The play is chronologically straight, but the way it is executed makes my mind whirl. And my body go into sleep mode (I was able to grab more than 40 winks in the first part, hehe). Hey, I have an apt title change for the play - Lull. I apologize for sounding harsh, but what else do I have but my opinion? =)
For a description of the play, go to Gibbs Cadiz's blog.
I don't have a problem with the cast; I have a problem with the script. For one, the play could have done without a number of characters. For instance, the child. Why make him/her stay on the theater for three hours on a school night if you'll only need him/her to show up at the beginning and end? There's no point in juxtaposing innocence with Lulu (if ever that's the case), because we already know what Lulu is - the personification of desire. Besides, there's no acting involved in walking up the aisle and playing with newspapers on the ground. But then that's just one of the few things that have been thrown into this melee of a play. And I may have an analogy for this. You know the new Red Ribbon cakes with flavors that are a bit too complicated? Like, you have mocha, creme, nuts, pieces of such and such and this and that - how the hell would you even be able to savor the cake with all that, er, "jazz"? It may do ok for others, but not for me. I'd rather have brazo de mercedes or choco roll from Goldilocks.
I expected this play to be, well, R-18. To me, if felt like Lulu's struggles were more implied. What did she really want? What made her happy? Not that I wanted more sex scenes in the play. But who are we kidding. This is a play about lust, seduction and gender. Maybe its sensuality was lost in the long dialogues that I found tedious. One of the important lessons I learned in our documentary filmmaking workshop under Direk Nick Deocampo is that you don't tell, you show. This is intuitive, you might say, but the play could have forgotten it because the lines delivered by the actors were mostly descriptions of Lulu's past and how they feel about her. Plus I hate the fact that the men had to die in order to prove a point.
Some of the parts were incoherent to me, too. Not to mention that Dora balloon which was quite the scene stealer. Lulu is complicated, I discern that much. Perhaps the play's style is akin to the feminist method of storytelling in a non-linear way. The play is chronologically straight, but the way it is executed makes my mind whirl. And my body go into sleep mode (I was able to grab more than 40 winks in the first part, hehe). Hey, I have an apt title change for the play - Lull. I apologize for sounding harsh, but what else do I have but my opinion? =)
For a description of the play, go to Gibbs Cadiz's blog.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The Editing Flaws of Dirty Sexy Money
I like Dirty Sexy Money. But the editors of the show are not doing a swell job. Pay even the slightest attention to Karen Darling's hairdo and you will know what I mean.
The first error I noticed was that scene where Nick George and his wife were about to board the Darlings' private jet (season 1). When the camera's in front of them, they are holding hands as they face Karen and her fiance; when it's behind them, the long shot shows they are standing apart. Looks like somebody forgot what was on the script, hahaha. The next one I found is on the second episode of season 2, where Karen's hairdo went back to the style she had on the previous season. It was easy to pinpoint because she now has bangs. Gross mistake on taping plans, tsk tsk. The third one was when Karen and Simon Elder were talking intimately and her hair was hanging in front of her shoulders in one shot then arranged neatly on her back in another shot. Need I remind the producers that little details can also have a big impact?
I think the editors keep on breaking the 180-degree rule too - sometimes I don't know who's on the left side of whoever. It's either that or the blocking's amiss. Or, or, they simply suck at establishing shots. Who would have thought?! If I were not enjoying the show, I'll probably catch a lot more of these editing oversights. But since Jeremy Darling is quite the charmer, I'm willing to let everything go. Why? Because I would love to be his girl! <3
The first error I noticed was that scene where Nick George and his wife were about to board the Darlings' private jet (season 1). When the camera's in front of them, they are holding hands as they face Karen and her fiance; when it's behind them, the long shot shows they are standing apart. Looks like somebody forgot what was on the script, hahaha. The next one I found is on the second episode of season 2, where Karen's hairdo went back to the style she had on the previous season. It was easy to pinpoint because she now has bangs. Gross mistake on taping plans, tsk tsk. The third one was when Karen and Simon Elder were talking intimately and her hair was hanging in front of her shoulders in one shot then arranged neatly on her back in another shot. Need I remind the producers that little details can also have a big impact?
I think the editors keep on breaking the 180-degree rule too - sometimes I don't know who's on the left side of whoever. It's either that or the blocking's amiss. Or, or, they simply suck at establishing shots. Who would have thought?! If I were not enjoying the show, I'll probably catch a lot more of these editing oversights. But since Jeremy Darling is quite the charmer, I'm willing to let everything go. Why? Because I would love to be his girl! <3
Friday, July 17, 2009
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