Mamma Mia!: From Manchester to Manila

Photos by Pepper Teehankee on a Canon Digital Ixus

To be honest, I really didn’t like the movie and never had any intention of watching the musical despite friends urging me to watch it. Mamma Mia! the movie bored me to death, although I liked everyone in the cast.

When Lunchbox invited a press group to watch Mamma Mia! in Manchester, I said yes because of Manchester, a city I had never been to before. Bambi Verzo of Concertus explained that Manchester was the destination (although we were also heading to London where the popular musical was also playing) because it was in this place that we would watch and meet the same cast and crew that would be flying in to Manila to perform in January next year.

Upon arrival in Manchester, we did the usual touristy things and checked out the place before meeting some of the cast and crew who were coming over to Manila. The touring cast made quite an impression when I read their bios even before meeting them. The three female friends  Sara Poyzer, Jennie Dale and Kate Graham  had an extensive resume in theater, television, film and recordings. Richard Standing was in the popular British television show Coronation Street before joining this tour group. Charlotte Wakefield was one of the youngest thespians nominated for “Best Actress in a Musical” for the 2010 Laurence Olivier Awards.

Afternoon came and it was time to tour the theater, the backstage and meet the cast and crew. All were extremely excited to go to Manila since most have never been there (though Sara and Charlotte were in the country for one night a month ago to promote Mamma Mia!). Resident director Ian Waller was particularly excited since he has so many Filipino friends (having worked in Miss Saigon) and David Roberts, who plays Sky, actually played football with the Azkals’ Phil and James Younghusband when they were younger and he asked if he could reconnect with them! With the interviews, one could see the rapport these people have with each other. Having toured so many countries, they seem to be really close as they show their genuine love for the theater. They really enjoy what they do.

My fellow writers in Manchester: (From left) Maurice Arcache, Vicki Abary, STAR’s Therese Jamora-Garceau and Pocholo Concepcion.

The evening was the part I was dreading. Time to watch Mamma Mia! with the movie version still playing in my mind. As soon as the show started, however, I was already impressed. The set was spectacular. Charlotte’s heavenly voice was amazing. Throughout the show, I was drawn and the crowd was singing along with the popular ABBA songs that even kids were familiar with. By the end of the show, people were dancing, singing and just having fun. My friends were right, it was something to see. Maybe I liked the musical better than the movie because it was live. Maybe because the singing was better, maybe it was just because I really liked the whole theater experience. I often get to enjoy theatrical adaptations of movies I didn’t like (The Lion King, for example). I must say, however, that I loved Beauty and the Beast the movie but didn’t like the musical.

Having watched over 100 plays and musicals in my life, I only enjoyed maybe about 15 of them and Mamma Mia! would be one of them. I am certainly looking forward to watching it again in Manila. I am also looking forward to having a great time drinking with the wonderful cast and crew who we met in Manchester. Manila, watch out for Mamma Mia!

The international tour of the highly-anticipated musical will be staged at the CCP Main Theater starting Jan. 24, 2012 for a limited season only.

Mamma Mia! is presented by Infinity, powered by Smart and Citibank. Special thanks to San Miguel Premium All Malt Beer, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Dusit Thani Manila, Ayala Cinemas, Ayala Malls and OOCL. Mamma Mia! is brought to you by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, David Atkins Enterprises, Hi Definition Radio, Inc. and Concertus, Inc.

Assistant stage manager Ben Moult and STAR’s Tim Yap.

(For more information, visit www.mamma-mia.com or the Manila Season Facebook Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/MammaMiaManila.)

(For ticket bookings, call 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph)

Radio High105.9 brings Chris Botti to Manila

 It was an unforgettable evening at the Greenbelt 5 Fashion Walk when Radio High105.9 brought Grammy awardee Chris Botti to Manila for a special one-night concert.

Curtain call: Chris Botti and his musicians take a bow.

Hailed as the largest selling American jazz instrumental artist, Botti is famous for his ability to fuse pop and jazz styles on his 1939 Martin Committee handcraft trumpet. His wide jazz fusion appeal has resulted in multiple gold and platinum citations. He has also collaborated with Frank Sinatra, Sting, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Burt Bacharach, Gladys Knight, Steven Tyler, Paula Cole and Andrea Bocelli.

The by-invitation-only concert (co-sponsored by Samsonite, Meralco, the Makati Shangri-La, the Ayala Malls and Ayala Land Premier) was the latest effort of Radio High105.9 to bring what it calls the total “High” lifestyle experience to its audience. Radio High105.9, which debuted in July, plays a sophisticated mix of new age, Latin/Brazilian, jazz, standard, retro, fusion and classical music. It also limits commercial load to only four ads per gap  a pioneering strategy intended to benefit both its listeners and advertisers.

Radio High105.9 is the first broadcast venture of Hi-Definition Radio, Inc., a team headed by Francis Lumen  the man behind former lifestyle stations Citylite 88.3 and [email protected] Manila.

Singer Lisa Fischer with Chris Botti.