Wicked

Wicked has all of Manila's theater fans very excited, thanks largely to a bootlegged copy uploaded on YouTube a few years back. U.S., London and even Australia are too far for us so when they announced that they were opening here in Singapore, we were among the first in line.



I got free invites to the Gala premiere so I went with Abby and Eco. I didn't watch the show cause my tickets were for the next day but it was already quite an experience being there. They had a green carpet leading to the entrance of the theatre and there were a lot of local celebrities being interviewed.



I was overwhelmed when I saw the set. It was exactly the same with I saw from the YouTube videos complete with the time dragon. Very very cool! They were a bit cool with people approaching the stage during intermission to have their pictures taken during the first week. Now, you couldn't even approach the orchestra below to take a peek.





On a side note, the ushers need to learn a thing or two about good customer service, we wanted to have our pictures taken at the lobby behind the huge Wicked wall but they looked at us and gestured that the area is already closed. No explanations, no smile. We had to settle for the TV outside.



That minor inconvenience aside, it was really quite an experience. Everything was grand and more than the beauty of the set, I was very impressed with their lighting. They were able to simulate rain that looked very realistic. One Short Day and Defying Gravity were also numbers that were made more effective because of it.

The leads were very good with crystal clear voices, as Tin said, she had a lot of goosebumps all throughout the performance. Here's Tin with David Harris who was outside signing his CDs.



Last weekend, Rhommel and Stu flew in from Manila to supposedly watch the closing performance of Wicked but it got extended till April. For those who haven't seen it, it's worth ever penny.



There are rumors swirling that they are also opening in Manila soon but I can't confirm, I really hope they do because it's theatre magic that one should really experience.

Another side note,  we all love the  theatre's lobby. It's a great backdrop for photo ops. :p

Spring Awakening

Last Sunday, Em-J and I headed to watch Pangdemonium's Spring Awakening. We were able to get Danny to come along with us, he's a theatre virgin and I wanted him to have the best time.



There was a staging in Manila two years ago and it was with much regret that I wasn't able to watch it especially since I have a friend who was part of the cast. When Pangdemonium announced that they are staging it this year, I made sure not to miss it this time.

The icing on the cake is the casting of Julia Abueva. I've seen her perform in Children's Letters to God when she was just 11 and I was blown away! She is just pure talent.

The musical is a story that needs to be told and despite the mature themes, I believe that a lot of teens should go see it because they'd be able to relate to it and let them know that they are not alone in their journey. It tells the story of 11 teens, angsty and confused living in a repressed society. It does not matter that the story was written in 1892, it is as relevant now as it was before.

The cast were all very talented and I imagine how it must be difficult to sing those alternative rock songs and try to get the audience very involved but they all managed to do that. Special mentions to our favorites, Julia who gave me goosebumps while she was singing, the price of your ticket is worth it if only to see her perform. We also especially did love Nathan Hartono who was just charming, his transition from someone losing control over the situation around him was restrained but truthful. Lastly, Rebecca Spykerman, she is also one gifted performer, whenever she comes on stage and starts to sing, we can't help but focus just our attention to her.

I am glad that edgy, out of this box productions are being seen here in Singapore thanks largely to Pangdemonium's efforts. I read the letter from Tracie and Adrian on the program (which is free by the way) and while I do love traditional musicals, it's refreshing to see musicals that don't stick to the norm. I left the theatre very overwhelmed with emotions. I actually didn't want to leave yet, I wanted to just sit there for a little more while but I couldn't.



Spring Awakening is already on it's last week so don't miss out! Get your tickets now while you still can. I guarantee you'll have the best time.

On another note, don't miss God of Carnage in Manila this coming July. I might be selling tickets to the July 17 show so contact me if you're interested. :) 

Manila, Manila

Em-J and I had a quick trip to Manila a couple of weeks ago and it was our first time to stay in the capital itself. CCP was very busy in the early morning with joggers, I wanted to jog along with the crowd but I didn't bring my running shoes. Harbour Square was also busy with almost a hundred people joining the public dance class.



To do a little bit of shopping, we went to SM Mall of Asia and I chanced upon the Manila Eye (I don't know what it's really called) and if we had the time, I would have wanted to have a go at it.









We had dinner at Cafe Adriatico for some Filipino fare. I tried the Tamarind shake which I didn't quite like, our mains were a tad bit salty but were quite okay. I enjoyed Claude's dream, a fancy sounding name for the buko pandan dessert.













Sunday was our free day and we headed back to the mall to have some lunch and to do a little bit of grocery shopping. Em-J was craving for sisig so we ended up at Congo. Funny but I forgot to take a photo of the sisig.



I ordered the bagnet which was not any different from the thin fried pork strips of the tokwa't baboy dish. Very disappointing.







We smelled strongly of food so we had to head back and change before going to CCP to catch Eyeball. Although I already knew what was coming, the ending of Doc Resureccion still jolted me and left me very uneasy.



I then met up with my sister and Hogi before the evening performance of Mamma Mia.











We all had a great time so we'll definitely be back for the next big musical.





It was a short and tiring but quite a worthwhile trip. Here's Em-J already in his uniform as he needs to head to work.



And here I am running on 3 hours of sleep and very much looking like it.

New Year at Carousel

Right after church on New Year's day, we all met up at Royal Plaza's Carousel to have our customary new year lunch. We are, generally, not superstitious but it's our own way of saying that we are looking forward to a plentiful year ahead. Who am I kidding? Really, it's just our excuse to pig out without feeling guilty.

Not a lot has changed since we were there last, the waffle station that we were so looking forward to was sadly still missing. Just the same, I took photos of their dessert spread as it always makes me happy. 

New additions to the buffet spread are the huge paella pot, three chocolate fondue stations and the different ice cream flavors. Other than that, it was more or less the same. I have to say that we didn't find it as exciting as before. 

They have the Alice and Wonderland theme this year and there was the Mad Hatter checking up on guests. 

Ching also mentioned that it was Abby's birthday so when she got back to her seat, she was greeted with a birthday song number. 

And here's our customary group shot at the hotel's grand staircase.