'Rent' merits a rave

MANILA, Philippines - The play Rent doesn’t need an introduction these days. Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical has won millions of hearts worldwide, and “Rent-heads” (as they affectionately call themselves) have spent weeks, even months, with songs by the original cast on repeat. And if they never had the chance to actually see the original cast on Broadway, they (I should include myself) can compensate by watching the film adaptation, which stars most of the original cast, over and over.

That is why the biggest challenge I encountered while watching the play at RCBC Plaza’s Carlos P. Romulo Theater was trying not to be nitpicky in comparing the versions. It’s not like I even had a proper basis for comparison, since YouTube videos can only educate you so much on how the original version goes.

Whenever a performer purposely avoided a certain high note, or emphasized a different word, or even had a different hair color, I repeatedly told myself “Let. It. Go.” so I could properly enjoy the evening. I did my best to put the signature voices of Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel and the rest of the original cast far away from my mind. Surprisingly, that worked out perfectly for me.

The unnecessary nuances I strived to ignore had me noticing even small details; I soon realized that those were the telltale signs of absolute dedication towards making the play work. Those tiny factors actually coalesce to form the entire rock opera that is Rent and bring to life Alphabet City of New York.

It’s those little background aspects that provide a level of depth that motion pictures have difficulty capturing. The flyers, the mini-movies, the signature outfits of characters, the makeshift Christmas tree — when paired together with actors who are equally devoted to coming up with a great show — provide a grand experience that teenage (as well as older) audiences can enjoy.

The music in particular deserves praise, as the band was impeccable in their presentations of the song numbers, drum and guitar solos that everyone loves. Though even directors Mio Infante (production design), Robbie Guevara (artistic director) and Santi Santamaria (managing direction) expressed some trepidation over the initial possibility of staging Rent locally, their final output is undoubtedly a labor of love and effort, devotedly transmuted into song and dance.

Their wariness in staging something so big is understandable. Frequent ’90s references, New York jokes, and AIDS being everyone’s biggest fear and worst nightmare are elements we may not be able to identify with today. However, Rent also contains themes that are both universal and timeless: love, carpe diem, the starving artist, and homosexuality. Those are more than enough reasons to appreciate the entire package and fall in love with the songs and characters as previous generations have.

The list of central characters is a long one. First, we have main character and aspiring filmmaker Mark Cohen, whose trademark scarf and spectacles are filled out swimmingly by Fredison Lo. Mark is essentially the observer in the entire play, and Lo brings with him a presence that appropriately tells the audience that he is as prominent a member of the group as any. Gian Magdangal’s Roger Davis (the rocker) is clean-cut and smooth-voiced, which matches well with Cara Barredo’s seductively rough Mimi Marquez. This pair engages in show-stopping duets (as the rest of the cast freezes in place), and displays great chemistry together.

But then again, Rent is largely composed of those big ballads and back-and-forth duets. Other duets include OJ Mariano and Job Bautista, who play an excellent Tom Collins and Angel Dumott Schunard, respectively. Mariano’s voice oscillates between high and low notes seamlessly, while Bautista perfectly captures the enthusiasm, sympathy and endearing antics that make falling in love with Angel ridiculously easy. The on-and-off lesbian couple is made up of Joanne Jefferson (Jenny Villegas) and Maureen Johnson (Carla Guevara-Laforteza). Their memorable Take Me or Leave Me number left everyone in stitches, and Guevara-Laforteza in particular is already being touted as the Idina Menzel of Manila.

The cast is rounded out by Noel Rayos as “Benny” Coffin III, the sometimes-bad, sometimes-good guy. You never know when he’s going to do a heel-turn, and Rayos gives the role a third, good-natured side that makes the character actually worthy of being included in all the posters. The big eight are aided by a stellar ensemble (Peachy Atilano, Harold Cruz, Johann dela Fuente, Gary Junsay, Raul Montesa, Anna Santamaria, Mark Tayag and the fantastic Ring Antonio) — and their voices, all together, make the musical’s most popular song Seasons of Love well worth the wait.

Rent is presented by 9 Works Theatrical and will continue running at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater in RCBC Plaza until Feb. 27.