The strength is in the writing

Currently being staged (up to the 27th of this month) at the new GSIS Theater off Roxas Blvd. is David Auburn’s Proof, recipient of the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Bobby Garcia (fresh from his Rent success) directs the local production of Proof. (This play is packing in huge crowds in Broadway.) It stars Lea Salonga, Michael de Mesa, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Joel Trinidad.

Proof is a dialogue heavy straight play and Set in Chicago, it casts Lea as Catherine, the daughter of the mathematical genius Robert (played by Michael de Mesa) who dies a loony in his rundown home. On her 25th birthday, she starts pondering about her life. She is unsure whether she inherited her father’s gift for mathematics or his insanity. And just when everyone is starting to cloud the state of her mind, she has to show proof that a mathematical theory that was found in their house is actually her work – and not that of her mad genius of a father.

As the lead character Catherine, Lea gets all the long and difficult lines and - to her credit - doesn’t flub any of these. (If she did, no one noticed.) It is a very demanding part, but Lea – being that Laurence Olivier and Tony Award winner that she is – delivers a wonderful performance to an appreciative audience on press night. Her role, unfortunately, isn’t very sympathetic and so your heart doesn’t really go out to her. (That was really how the part was written).

The crowd-pleasing role actually goes to Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo who plays Claire, Catherine’s sister who isn’t exactly dumb (she’s a currency analyst in New York), but a little bit frivolous. And Menchu - bless her - doesn’t waste the part. The stage really perks up when she’s up there delivering of those funny lines. (She’s also very effective in parts where she has to go drama.)

Joel Trinidad doesn’t do badly either as Hal, one of Robert’s former students who falls in love with Catherine. It is a very inspired performance that he delivers. With great enunciation, too.

The one who comes out weakest is Michael de Mesa. His voice is faint and you don’t understand a word he’s saying. His portrayal of the mathematics wiz Robert is just as poor. Every time he comes out on stage, the audience is tempted to do either one of two things: Take a catnap or go to the bathroom.

The strength of Proof is really in its writing. It is solidly put together and has a great impact on the audience.

The local production – as put together by Bobby Garcia – is very engrossing. But remember, this is no musical. So don’t expect Lea Salonga to dance and sing.

Rosanna helps young artist

If there’s one thing you can say about Rosanna Roces, she’s always very supportive of newcomers. During those days when she reigned as Seiko Films’ hottest property, for instance, I don’t remember hearing horrors stories about her making life miserable for those nymphets being developed by the studio boss, Robbie Tan. When Nini Jacinto, in fact, appeared as guest in Startalk the other year, I sensed how very fond she was of Rosanna.

From my end, I will forever be grateful to her for making me feel very welcome during my early days in Startalk. During that time, I was still feeling my way around the studio (and the TV scene since I had been away for a long time) and, in fact, got lost trying to find the gate of Channel 7. But Rosanna made me feel at home right away and was very nice and accommodating.

The most recent recipient of Rosanna Roces’ kindness and support is a very young artist who signs his works as El Dosado. Rosanna initially lent her support to this artist by agreeing to become his subject in some of his works (in oil and watercolor).

El Dosado is basically into nature and elemental art. And so he has paintings of Rosanna as a mermaid, as a fairy - and even one where she is underwater with a dugong or sea cow.

Last week, Rosanna sponsored the opening of El Dosado’s first one-man exhibit at Le Souffle in Ortigas Center. At lot of the paintings were sold during the first hour alone. They are priced from P10,000 to P50,000, El Dosado’s works are still on exhibit at Le Souffle until Feb. 9

War vs piracy continues

Here’s great news for members of the local film industry (especially the producer). Sen. Francis Pangilinan has filed Senate Bill No. 1738, also known as the Entertainment Media and Anti-piracy Act. This will establish an anti-piracy body by converting the Video Regulatory Board (VRB) into the Entertainment Media Regulatory and Anti-Piracy Board (EMRAB). This new body will have exclusive power to regulate the importation, exportation, manufacture, reproduction, distribution, sale, lease and disposition of entertainment media materials.

Under Pangilinan’s proposed measure, the EMRAB will be the lead agency of the government in the fight against entertainment media piracy. It will also have the power to resolve administrative cases pertaining to violations and impose administrative sanctions to anyone found guilty of violating the EMRAB implementing rules and regulations.

The said bill carries stiff sanctions including a mandatory imprisonment of three to five years and a fine from P500,000 but not exceeding P1.5 million upon the discreation of the court.

Piracy is one of the factors killing the entertainment business at the moment. And then, of course, there are the onerous rates imposed by the government on the industry in general. Sen. Pangilinan, however, is fighting that, too - especially that stupid, stupid ruling that allows government to withhold automatically 20 percent of the salaries of some people in entertainment. Am just so glad I am voted for him.