Brilliant, original Breakups and Breakdowns

MANILA, Philippines - It has been quite a while since I actually watched a musical and when I headed to Teatrino last Saturday to see Breakups and Breakdowns, Upstart Productions’ maiden production for 2011, I had no expectations at all other than to spend two hours of my life watching a locally-produced theatrical production. I surely did not expect that I will be blown away and be at awe by the sheer genius of Joel Trinidad. 

With original music by Joel and his creative partner Rony Fortich, who is currently the musical director of Hong Kong Disneyland, Breakups and Breakdowns assembles some of the country’s finest theater actors including Joel, Carla Guevara-Laforteza, Reuben Uy, Jenny Jamora and Emerita Alcid-Trinidad.

Breakups and Breakdowns centers on the bittersweet complexities of falling in and out of love by presenting the intertwined and romantic narratives

of four individuals — playwright Mark and his ex-girlfriend Nina and Mark’s friend, Derek and another girl named Sandy.

Breakups and Breakdowns debuted at the Ateneo de Manila University also under the direction of Joel as one of the productions of Blue Repertory. Joel says that he is very strongly bonded with the material since it is loosely based on his own romantic experiences. The sudden interest of the mainstream Filipino market with musical prompted Joel to produce and stage Breakups and Breakdowns at a bigger and more popular venue.   

The play may not promise the razzle dazzle and spectacle of big-budgeted productions but it certainly and successfully cast a magic spell that caught the undivided attention of the audience. With a childlike sense of wonder, I willingly entered the imagined world created and weaved by Joel. This is an imagined world that I think every educated adult Filipino could relate to since it spoke of the very familiar language of modern romantic relationships.

I can’t help but to be reminded of Sex and the City and Friends as I sat on the edge of my seat while watching Breakups and Breakdowns since the material is so universal and so relatable. At one point I actually saw my personal relationships mirrored in the play with crystal clear accuracy and precision. One is bound to have a blissful escapist experience while watching the play but ironically the play does so by simulating the familiar scenes and dialogues of the relationship and “dating game” arenas of current times.

Emy Alcid who plays Sandy fresh from her notable stint as Gigi in the North American Production of Miss Saigon is unbelievably brilliant and outrageously hilarious. Carla Guevara-Laforteza proves her mastery of the craft with her pitch-perfect voice and her calm, quiet confidence onstage while Reuben Uy’s sizzling portrayal of the quintessential player and oftentimes jerk is equally and convincingly superb.

The ongoing debates on the issue of foreign productions vis-a-vis our own local acts may go on for quite a while but one thing is certain, the local entertainment industry should do away with discussions and debates on whether it should go head to head with foreign productions or not because brilliant original material like Breakups and Breakdowns is what we really need.         

(Breakups and Breakdowns runs at Teatrino tonight at 8; Feb. 26, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; March 4, 8 p.m.; March 5, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; March 11, 8 p.m.; and March 12, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. For details, call 0949-7917270 or 964-6562).