Horror musical enthralls / FEU 'Feulikulahan' fete

Stephen Sodheim’s “Sweeny Todd” is a most daunting musical to stage and mount. It entails a huge cast whose members, particularly the leads, must sing and act with panache. The atonalities and dissonances of the score are daunting to players and audience, both of whom are used to the melodious and the lyrical. Entrances and exits, not only of the players but also of the mobile sets, require split-second precision to maintain the hectic pace and rhythm of the musical. (Incidentally, if the chute which sends Todd’s murdered victims sliding down had malfunctioned just once, the entire musical would have been a disaster!)

With these foregoing considerations, it must have been a tremendously arduous task for Repertory Philippines directors Baby Barredo and Michael Williams to galvanize collective talent and effort. But with their experience, perception, tried-and-tested expertise, and Barredo’s keen musicianship, “Sweeney Todd” came out as an enthralling and compelling production.

The opening scene, a dimly-lit Fleet Street with people walking very slowly, created an eerie ambiance foreshadowing the macabre tale.

Although the atonalities did not make for the listeners’ favorite music, the rendition of the songs by Audie Gemora as the cold-blooded barber Sweeny Todd, and by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as Mrs. Lovett, Todd’s partner in the gruesome murders, no less than their starkly dramatic portrayals, ended in lusty applause for them. The rest of the brilliant cast and the briskly-moving, highly charged ensemble also richly deserved the wild acclaim.

Gemora often rose to magnificent heights in his singing-acting role of killer, his brutality finally changing into the moving love of a father whose daughter’s death wrenches his heart. Lauchengco-Yulo was utterly striking as the sly, manipulative Mrs. Lovett, owner of the shop whose meat pies are made of the human flesh taken from Todd’s victims. She was simply riveting.

Captivating moments were created by Robie Zialcita as the amusing Adolfo Pirelli, Robbie Guevara as the Beadle, Roger Chua as Judge Turpin, Todd’s forbidding nemesis; Marvin Ong as the young, lovable Tobias, Lena McKenzie as Johanna and Franco Laurel as Anthony were an engaging, endearing romantic pair. What a magnetic, arresting beggar Liesl Batucan portrayed!

Gerard Salonga’s FilHarmonika flawlessly assisted the singers, with Salonga authoritatively and zestfully conducting the pulsating, propulsive, often grating, and disturbing modern idiom.

Mio Infante’s sets were effectively functional; Gino Gonzales’ period costumes imaginatively reflected their era.

“Sweeney Todd” will run through Dec. 13 at Onstage, Greenbelt, Makati. It’s a “must” see!

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The FEU President’s Committee on Culture, presented “Feulikulahan” which featured the internationally awarded films “Confessional” directed by Jerold Taroy and “Himala” directed by Ishmael Bernal. The former was declared Best Film, First Features Category in the 10th Osian’s Cinefan in India (2008); the latter won the Bronze Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival (1983).

As described, “Confessional” portrays a small time filmmaker who knows how sounds and images can be manipulated to say anything. And he’s tired of the lies — the lie at work, in his relationships, in society.

On a whim, he decides to document the Sinulog Festival in Cebu. There he stumbles on a truth he didn’t ask for. One of his subjects, Lito Calso, a former politician who may or may not be dying, confesses his sins — all the crimes he committed while in office — before Ryan’s camera. What follows is a story of revelations and bitter truths, of buried secrets and sweet lies. “Confessional” shows the heart of a criminal — or of an honest man.

“Himala” is set in the sleepy town of Cupang. The locals believe the drought is a curse on them for having driven away a leper. Elsa (Nora Aunor) claims to have seen an apparition of the Virgin, and mysteriously acquires healing powers.

The town turns into a commercial venue of mass-produced saints, bottles of miraculous water, etc. Suddenly Elsa proclaims: “There is no miracle! The miracle is in all our hearts!”