"Ako si Ada, at isa akong Bakla" : A Zsazsa Zaturnnah Review

Nothing excites me more than entering a theatre. I'm in love with anything entertainment, but nothing beats a live act. I just long for the feeling of being the guest, with the performers aiming to move, if not impress me in any way they can. And mind you, I'm a picky master.


For post Valentine celebration, my man bought front row tickets to the opening night of Carlo Vergara's Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. We endured 2 hours of traffic to witness this original musical comedy that features a powerhouse cast led by Eula Valdes, Pinky Amador (can they get hotter than they already are???), Gabe Mercado, Rocky Salumbides and the CCP actors. I'm not a pro in reviewing musical plays, but here are some notes:



    • - I didn't know Eula (Zsazsa) can sing, and I mean really well! Considering that most of the solos were done by her, and the play lasted for more than 2 hours, that's some strong lungs and vocals right there! =) And that body at 43? I felt like paying Mr. Fitness First a visit.
    • - Pinky Amador did an okay job as the villainess Queen Femina Suarestalla Baroux. She sometimes focus more on her lines than her acting, but if you have highfalutin 8 lines with English accent in one breath, then I guess we can be a bit forgiving.
    • - Gabe Mercado, playing the gay bestfriend Didi, is staggering! He gave me the best laugh, with his perfect timing and million dollar punchlines. Okay kaba tiyan?
    • - I have to mention that among Queen Femina's minions, "Sharon C." portrayed  megastar the best. I've seen several impersonators of her but she's a natural, she even sang in the most pa-cute, high picthed Sharon Cuneta way.I can't help but come after her in the lobby just to say "Grabe, pinasaya mo ang araw ko!"  (You made my day!)
    • - Rocky Salumbides, or Dodong, sorry to say, needs to spend more time with his vocal coach. I get it that Dodong's character follows that he's an awkward, smiling 24/7 hunk, but his singing is the worst among the group. He's a newbie, let's give him time. For the sake of his your-bf-gets-jealous abs.

On a more serious note, after the comic relief, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah, at least how I see it, aims to unstreotype the gay stereotype in the Philippines. Media and society often portray gays as weak, vulnerable and lowly beings. They are always the subject of ridicule and often lamented in mass media. Now, Carlo Vergara offered us a different approach on how we look at gays, that they indeed, can be strong and be superheroes. That they can find content with their true selves, and that not all gays need to be a real woman to be just that; happy, loving human beings. Ada/Zsazsa during the opening scene, makes a synonymy between the absurdities of life in comparison to him being gay, noting that sometimes, things happen for no actual reason (citing things like why it rains while the sun is up, why dogs and cats fight), and the reason is not as important as the fact that we have a choice to accept it. 


To conclude, watching Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah is far more than a comic experience, of which I expected it to be, lest I'll be watching Hollywood comedies instead. It's a reflection of human life, the realities we have to deal with, the ghosts of the past, threats of the present and uncertainties of the future. Things that concern men, women, gays or not.




And since no picture taking is allowed inside the theatre, I did it OUTSIDE. No excuses for me.

Boiling hot.


With Tessa Prieto-Valdez. Ang oily ko lang!




Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzikal is running every Fridays to Sundays until March 13.Tickets available at all TicketWorld outlets and CCP. I'm in no way associated with the production, nor paid to do a review, I'm simply a happy customer. =)




From the Nook,
Dang

Comments

  1. looks interesting! I would love to see a musical play soon. Rent? Showing pa ba?

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  2. @ Keanne: Gosh, how on Earth were you able to comment? Finally, wala ng tech glitch. =)

    Zsa Zsa is a lot different from RENT (which has a more serious theme), though I think knowing you, you will enjoy this comedy too. =D

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