A dramedy of strained romances
MANILA, Philippines - Atlantis Productions is on a roll this year.
For its fourth production for 2010, it presents a musical decidedly different from its predecessors. Earlier months were marked with a revival of Avenue Q in March, followed by Legally Blonde in June and the staging of Xanadu just a month ago (a repeat performance for November has been announced).
Shining performances have proven time and time again that our local actors and actresses are comedy gems. And now, matching the somber tone of Spring Awakening staged around the same time last year is an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, directed by Bobby Garcia (Xanadu, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Hairspray).
Philippine theater has been enveloped in a whirl of Sondheim fever of late. Within a year, two of his productions have been staged: the popular Sweeney Todd last year and A Little Night Music, coupled with an upcoming third (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum).
Why the sudden influx? Aside from the fact that Sondheim productions don’t call for profligate-worthy sets, it’s fun to think of the possibilities. Perhaps it’s because director Tim Burton was able to make a new generation appreciate a movie adaptation about the legendary slash-happy barber. As a result, the Sondheim label that may have been old-fashioned in the past is now considered dark, edgy and worthy of teenage observance.
Despite this, the latter productions are admittedly a far cry from gothic outfits and dark humor. A Funny Thing is light-hearted and more romantic than vindictive. On the other hand, A Little Night Music is trickier to discuss; it is like the immobile middle child torn between both of its siblings.
The musical is a dramedy of sorts, with a lot of strained romances that aren’t exactly “aww”-inducing. Set in the early 1900s (or “waltz time,” as the play’s profile states) and revolving around three generations of past, present and (maybe) future infidels, puffy sleeves and coats are one indication that the play is old-fashioned — which is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, “Aged” would be the more ideal term. Because admittedly, it takes a certain maturity to enjoy A Little Night Music, since it demands viewers to be in a perpetual state of nostalgia. The constant Greek chorus serenading “Remember!” is one of the enforcers of that. It is a clear sign for the 20-somethings to step aside, for the period of blonde, sharp-witted pop singers is over for this year.
Taking center stage is Desirée Armfeldt (Dawn Zulueta), who captivates audiences, most especially the men, with a completely different level of snark. She is an actress at the height of her career, who is one link in a long chain of love triangles and love affairs that also begin and end with her former flame, Frederik Egerman (Nonie Bueneamino). He is married to Anne Egerman (Cris Villonco) and has a son named Henrik (Felix Rivera). Even the housemaid Petra (Alys Serdenia) is not spared from the carnage. And that’s only half the cast, so far.
There are many Sondheim staples familiar to Broadway fans, such as the haunting, short melodies with a handful of shorts and flats. They leave you hanging until they segue into a grandiose tune you won’t be able to get out of your head. In fact, the tuneful mantra “Remember!” will be resounding for quite a while, creating a weird, paradoxical effect.
An unusual feature is that most of the characters are actually quite grounded and not over-the-top. This leads to rather complicated relationships with the audience and with each other because they commit acts of nastiness and openly admit it. Conniving is done so relentlessly that the characters are, at times, hilariously despicable — sadly, they do remind everyone of the merciless gossip and dishonesty that go on in real life. The good thing is that they are at least funny about it, and a lot of humor is sprinkled throughout the play.
Moments of absolute seriousness are profound in their sincerity, and, despite the constant stream of chuckles during funny parts, turn out to be some of the more memorable scenes and songs that truly tested the talent of veteran actors.
At first, one wonders how Desirée Armfeldt continues to hold her head high, unabashed in her home-wrecker status. But Dawn Zulueta is able to clothe her performance with an entirely new layer in the song Send in the Clowns.
Although back-and-forth exchanges are another well-known strength of Sondheim when it comes to musical numbers, the solos in this play were more notable: other examples include remarkable performances of Now (Nonie Buencamino), Later (Felix Rivera), Liaisons (Jay Valencia Glorioso) and The Miller’s Son (Alys Serdenia).
Rounding up the cast are performers with their own impressive credentials, such as Cris Villonco, Crystal Baranda-Paras, Jake Macapagal and Jenny Jamora. Looks of wistfulness are common throughout the play, in the eyes of characters as well as married couples in the audience, due to the amount of reminiscing involved when it comes to such sordid liaisons.
Expect to look back on sexual exploits with either longing (as they don’t happen anymore) or embarrassment (as you are still young, or young at heart, and committed them last week). Moreover, those who wish to venture for a while into a theatrical past that reads remarkably like common situations at present will certainly enjoy A Little Night Music.
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A Little Night Music runs until Oct. 31 in the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium. For tickets, call Atlantis Productions at 892-7078 or 840-1187 or TicketWorld at 891-9999. For information, visit www.atlantisproductions.com.
