I have had to scale down my theatre watching this year because of budgetary constraints. As they say, when one has to adjust to the kumot, it's normally my theatre budget that has to be trimmed down. Pity really since the theater-going experience here in Manila is quite wonderful and enjoyable, but since I have some important bills to pay these past two years, ilimit na lang muna siya.
Luckily, since my friend Em has season tickets to Repertory Philippines, I still get my theater fix kahit papano, kahit once a month lang. This March, the talented guys from the Rep presented No Way To Treat A Lady - a murder mystery musical which I thoroughly enjoyed! Sad lang kasi there were not many people in the audience the night I was watching. Papuntang Holy Week na kasi siguro.
Anyway, everyone in the cast was top-notch that night! Audie Gemora had to don so many wigs in the play it was pretty hilarious to see - and he can even pull of looking like a lady!! I've always found Joel Trinidad very sexy although I think he needs a Boracay tan now since in some scenes he looked deathly white! And my favorite theater actress-singer Carla Guevara-Laforteza was also there looking stunningly voluptuous in many of her scenes!
Watching a Repertory Philippines play is always an entertaining experience because the standard is just so high! Frankly, they really just set the bar in English-speaking theatergoing here in Manila and any aspiring theater actor should at least have performed with them, even for a play or two. They will surely learn a thing or two which they can use in their own theater groups.
As for me, well, looking forward to the next play and my friend says it's The Graduate! How exciting!
