Second chances, love & repressed desires

MANILA, Philippines - Atlantis Productions’ A Little Night Music is a must-see if one is seeking an evening of stunning revelations, a mature, insightful musical, and a wonderful night of urbane entertainment. Based on Ingmar Bergman’s film, Smiles of a Summer Night, music and lyrics are by the incomparable Stephen Sondheim, with book by Hugh Wheeler. And yes, this is the musical that brought us Send In the Clowns, but there is so much more to this musical than the aforementioned song.

The play is about second chances, love and repressed desires, adultery and quasi-incest, and life in the theater and the upper fringes of society — all set in waltz time, with dizzying musical arrangements, and in-depth lyrics. Lawyer Frederic Egeman (Nonie Buencamino) has taken on a new wife (Cris Villonco) as young as Egeman’s son from a first marriage (Felix Rivera). Years ago, he had an affair with the grand stage actress Desiree Armfeldt (Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo), who in turn has left her fatherless daughter with her own mother (Jay Glorioso), while Desiree pursues a life in front of the kleig lights, with dalliances here and there — the latest being with one Count Carl-Magnus (Jake Macapagal), who has a martyr wife waiting at home (Jenny Jamora). The plot thickens when Desiree’s theater company goes to town, Frederic and wife watch, and late that night, Frederic rekindles his passion for Desiree. It all comes to a head when Madame Armfeldt invites the Egemans for a weekend in the country, and the Count and wife gatecrash the dinner.

Under Bobby Garcia’s masterful direction, this urbane, witty, genteel musical comes to vivid life and the revelation here is Dawn, who proves she can sing (much more than Duran Duran songs), and essays this complex role with consummate ease. Equally as impressive is Nonie, his duet with Dawn, You Must Meet My Wife; and the complex Now, Soon and Later, sung with Cris and Felix, are highlights of the musical. And luckily for us, scene-stealing is a competitive sport in this production, with Jay, Jake, and Jenny vying for honors, and with the Egeman maid (Alys Serdenia) pulling the rug from under the three.

The attention to production detail — the choreography, the set design, the lighting, the costume, and the music — is exhilarating. This is one glorious example of how the talent of Filipino stage artists can wrestle with, and conquer, tough material such as this. The half-spoken, half-sung attack of Sondheim is no mean feat, harder than it seems; and it’s to the credit of the ensemble cast that they turn in a bravura performance. Yes, this is mature material, a play about adults and their foibles and dreams, and having said that, I can’t recommend it enough. Staged at the Carlos Romulo Auditorium at RCBC Ayala Avenue, the run goes on until Oct. 31.