Love is Sweeter the Second Time Around: La Cage Aux Folles

When days and days are dedicated to either the stench of Philippine politics or the idiosyncrasies of the freakin pabebe girls, a good distraction is necessary to keep people sane.  Fortunately for all us, theatre in Manila is always ready and able to provide a momentary break from the  chaos. There are actually a  number of good shows to choose from.   Personally however I am craving for something familiar and sweet.  I just can't wait for La Cage Aux Folles to return to the stage. The countdown begins. The RCBC theater curtains will open Aug 15 and close on Sept 6.

There's never too much of a good thing. I thought the  original staging Nine works offered earlier this year  was just a lovely escape. The story is based on the 1973 french play Jean Poiret. It  tells the story  of a young lad who has to introduce his wonderfully gay parents to his conservative future in laws.  (Check out my  review  of the show http://artaturningpointe.blogspot.com/2015/03/be-you-bravely-la-cage-manila-aux-folles.html)  It was a colorful tapestry of  love. But I believe that love is always sweeter the second time around. I'm excited to see if Robbie Guevarra can push it even further towards the lala land of greatness.

Here is what I'm excited about. Triple threat PJ Rebullida joins the cast as Mercedes, one of the Cagelles. He took part in the first run as one of the choreographers but will now bask in the light as he shows his own moves on stage. I am certain he will bedazzle the audience with his charm and spunk. More importantly, I think with  a choreographer joining the cast, the showtoppers will be cleaner, sharper and ultimately better.  Tappity tap tap, slide and kick release,  chasse grand jete. I fully expect the marry of dance genres to be a 3d theatre spectacle. 

The cast will again be  lead by Audie Gemora who will play Albin  and Michael de Mesa who will play Gorges.  These two gentlemen  did a phenomenal job in the first run. Their spirited performances celebrated love in so many ways. With another  chance to explore the characters, I'm quite sure the veterans  have added a few more nuances to add depth to their characters. 

Lastly, I'm excited to see Noel Rayos and the cast have a blast on stage. What was memorable about the initial staging was that every person in the cast delivered their 100% con gusto. I do hope they share the same  amount of energy again in this run. 

The first run was embraced with standing ovations and wild applause.  Care to find out if Nine Works will have a sweeter ending?  See you all at the theater!