AUTHOR with Mark Bautista, whom she finds “charming, charismatic, sexy, strong” as Ferdinand Marcos. photo: Facebook
MADRID—On my last trip to New York, I missed the David Byrne-Fatboy Slim musical “Here Lies Love” (still playing at The Public Theater until Jan. 3, 2015). When the opportunity struck for me to catch it at the Dorfman Theatre in London, I went.
The significance of this musical, on whichever side of the pond it’s playing, is the story. Less than two hours long, the show is about the Philippines. More specifically, it is about former first lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, her poor beginnings (with her maid and childhood best friend Estrella Cumpas), her rise as a beauty queen in Leyte, then later as the wife of the ambitious young senator, Ferdinand Marcos, who would be President, until their family was whisked away by US Marines from Malacañang during the Edsa Revolution.
“Here Lies Love,” directed by Alex Timbers (who was also at the helm of one of my favorite plays, “Peter and the Starcatcher”) takes place in a dance club. If you’re lucky, you can get tickets to the dance floor where you are literally immersed in the action. Everything happens right in front of you. The actors are within arm’s length (sometimes even closer … I got pulled in a couple of times and came almost nose to nose with a few of them) so you feel as much a part of events as they unfold instead of a spectator looking from far away.
The cast in the London production, much like its New York counterpart, is mostly Filipino. Only a few months ago, auditions were held in Manila to find the actors who would play roles in both the principal and ensemble lineups.
Six very fortunate performers got the callback, including singing star Mark Bautista, who plays Ferdinand Marcos. As Marcos, Bautista is equal parts charming, charismatic, sexy, ambitious and strong. Truth be told, I have not seen a performance of his in Manila anywhere near as great as his performance here.
I always knew he was very good. Here, he is excellent. His singing is consistent, as it always has been, but his diction has vastly improved and his acting and storytelling skills are put to good use. I believe he is living up to his full potential, thanks to this show, and I’m confident that even more opportunities will turn up for him.
Bravo to you, Mark! It filled me with much joy and pride watching you.
So much heart
Another key character is Estrella, played by Gia Macuja-Atchison (if her name sounds familiar, it’s because she has played many lead roles in Repertory Philippines shows, has
THE AUTHOR with Natalie Mendoza, left, and Gia Macuja-Atchison, right photo: Facebook
performed in “Miss Saigon” and “The Lion King” in the West End, and is Lisa Macuja-Elizalde’s youngest sister). She does this role with so much heart and soul, her love for Imelda overflowing, which sets her up for a great fall later on as the story unfolds. She is riveting and focused, and such a pleasure to watch. And her dancing skills are pretty good, too!
Dean John-Wilson essays the role of Ninoy Aquino and inhabits it with a hip-hop tinged vocal and great emotional commitment. Wearing the trademark thick-rimmed glasses and a white suit, Dean evoked what we know the spirit of Ninoy to be—heroic, passionate, and loving his country to the point of dying for it. Dean isn’t Filipino, but after this he can be considered an honorary one.
Finally, we have to talk about the lady portraying Imelda, Natalie Mendoza. Statuesque, gorgeous, graceful, fierce, naïve one minute, knowing and calculating the next, she is well-rounded and very human. Her Imelda is not a caricature but a very relatable (and let me say, sympathetic) character, above and beyond how popular culture has painted her.
Once Natalie appears on stage, all eyes are trained on her, a beautiful presence that gets steelier and more determined with every minute that passes. She is, without a doubt, a star. Thanks to her, whatever you think of Imelda, whether you love or hate her, once the show is over you’ll feel you understand her a little better.
Immersive
There were points in the show where I felt like the historical narrative stopped feeling distant and became much more immediate. I was just over a year old when martial law was declared, 12 when Ninoy Aquino was shot, and 15 when the Edsa Revolution took place. That’s when the experience felt most immersive for me—when, for the first time, I was as much a participant as a spectator (that fatal gunshot reverberated in the performance space, sending chills down my spine). And the final song, “God Draws Straight,” beautifully played and sung by Martin Sarreal, summarized Edsa 1 perfectly.
Whether in London or in New York, you have only until January to catch this musical experience. I implore you to catch it, as there is nothing like it running elsewhere.
On this warm autumn night, I was a patron in a dance club watching the story of a young girl from Leyte and the events of her life and our country’s history unfolding. I watched performers born and bred in my homeland triumph in one of the world’s foremost theater capitals and my heart felt fattened by pride, just to be there.