Albert to go on six-month leave from acting

Curtain-raisers:
• Congratulations to Christine Jacob and Paco Sandejas on the birth of their new baby yesterday morning. The baby weighed 7.5 pounds.

• Tessie Tomas is back where she came from – in "stand up" act, that is. Tomorrow (Sept. 25) and on Oct. 2 (Thursday next week), she’ll be spoofing herself as Mrs. Roger Pullin in England, Boni Buendia, Meldita, Gloria Arayko and her many other alter egos, with Jon Santos as her special guest. The show, aptly titled Teysi sa CR, will be held at Jupiter Place (Jupiter St., Makati City). Tessie hasn’t had this kind of show for a long time so it must be interesting to find out how she fares in that genre. (For inquiries, call 897-9411.)

• Don’t look now but Mariah Carey is coming for a concert on Nov. 21 at the Old ULTRA open field. Stand by for more details.

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Oh, yes, you read the headline right: Albert Martinez is going on a six-month leave from acting to concentrate on his dream project – direct his first movie, that is.

"It’s my lifetime dream," Albert told Funfare. "I’m sure all eyes will be focused on me and the critics will be alerted, kaya ayokong mapahiya ako."

The title of the movie is Full House which Albert describes as "Joy Luck Club meets American Pie." Albert will work around a meager P5-million budget on the movie to be done Korean/Japanese style.

"It’s a drama about life from the point of view of a man," explained Albert. "In our movies, it’s always from the point of view of a woman. This time, the man should be heard, for a change."

Like Joy Luck Club, Albert’s movie will show four (male) friends playing pusoy (a card game), in the process exchanging stories about sex, love, religion, infidelity, hang-ups and life in general. Albert is thinking of getting Aga Muhlach, Edu Manzano, Tonton Gutierrez, his own brother William Martinez to star in the movie with him.

"I have to make this good," repeated Albert who has won awards for TV dramas he has directed for GMA 7.

At the moment, Albert is shooting Captain Barbell, Viva Films’ entry to the 2003 Metro Filmfest in December, playing the super-villain to Bong Revilla (in the title role). Barbell’s other stars are Ogie Alcasid Regine Velasquez, Jeffrey Quizon and Rufa Mae Quinto, with Mac Alejandre as director.

He’ll soon start shooting Dukot Queen, Tikoy Aguiluz’s film which stopped shooting after a rocky start when Sunshine Cruz quit the project to get married to Cesar Montano, with Jay Manalo as her leading man. (Film clips from the movie were briefly circulated in VCDs as an "X-rated" flick.)

Dukot Queen is about a runaway girl who ends up as a mandurukot (pickpocket) in Quiapo. It’s not clear yet who will replace Sunshine. (Albert is taking over from Jay Manalo).

Albert will also do a 15-minute short film for Raymond Red about a retired assassin who is enlisted to do his last job. His co-star is Robin Padilla, his target.

Mother Lily Cries ‘Ouch!’

If you see Mother Lily wearing a bandaged right arm, your heart will melt. You’ll pity her even more if you learn how her arm got that way.

According to Mother Lily, she went with some friends to the newly-renovated Nishiki Japanese restaurant at EDSA Shangri-La and she fell one step from an elevated step leading to the tables. She said it was very crowded at that time and getting into the table was difficult.

"It’s an accident-prone area," said Mother Lily. "I’ve been calling their attention to it but they didn’t listen to me. Several people have fallen down on the same spot before I did. Delikado ang lugar na ’yan. The service was bad. I ordered our food at 12:35 p.m. and it came at 1:45 p.m. When I complained, they kept on pointing to one another."

The fall was so bad, according to Mother Lily, that she had to be bodily carried to her chair.

"I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Enrique Luy, Mr. Charles Sy, Irene Tan (daughter of Lucio Tan) and Narciso Chan (of BMG Records) for helping me."

Mother Lily is soon undergoing more tests (x-ray, etc.) to make sure that she’s safe, even if she said that "my back hurts so bad."

She said she’ll never go to that Japanese restaurant again.

Will Alan Paule Outdo Bembol Roco?

Alan Paule will play Julio Madiaga (the same role played by Bembol Roco) in the staging of Lino Brocka’s classic movie Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag, as translated into theater by Rene O. Villanueva, on Oct. 2, 3 and 5 at the Philippine Columbian (Quirino corner UN Avenue, Paco, Manila). The movie/play is based upon the novel Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag by Edgardo M. Reyes.

The play is produced by Melinda Ignacio of Villa del Rey Productions, who said that she’s inspired by her only daughter Jayvee who’s active in theater at the Paco High School.

Will Alan – can he? – outdo Bembol Roco?

Watch the play and find out for yourself. (For inquiries, call 783-7699 or 741-7933.)

(E-mail reactions at [email protected])