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Hairspray

(review in Filipino)
(longer review in English at rvives.wordpress.com)

Ang haba ng hair!
Rebyu ni Vives Anunciacion
Inquirer Libre November 11 2008

Direksiyon ni Bobby Garcia
Music & Lyrics Marc Shaiman, Lyrics Scott Wittman
Starring Michael de Mesa, Madel Ching
Palabas hanggang December 7 sa Star Theater, CCP Complex

Big, bright and beautiful ang local staging ng Atlantis Productions ng sikat na Broadway musical na Hairspray. Pero ang may pinakamahabang hair ay si Michael de Mesa na gumaganap na Edna Turnblad, ang big momma ng bida na si Tracy (Madel Ching).

Traditionally, ang role ni Edna ay ginagampanan ng lalaki mula pa sa original na pelikula ni John Waters noong 1988 hanggang maging musical ito sa Broadway noong 1998 at maging musical movie last year kung saan si John Travolta ang gumanap sa role ni Edna.

Set in Baltimore, Maryland in 1962, ang Hairspray ay tungkol sa mga pangarap ng malusog na teenager na si Tracy Turnblad na makasali sa paborito niyang teenage dance show sa TV sa kabila ng pagtutol ng marami dahil sa kaniyang timbang, una na rito ang mapagmataas na producer ng show na Velma Von Tussle (Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo) at kaniyang beauty-pageant daughter na Amber (Christine Allado).

Hindi rin nakatulong ang pakikipag-kaibigan niya kina Seaweed (Nyoy Volante) at Inez (Lee Viloria) at ilan pang Afro kids sa record store ni Motormouth Maybelle (Dulce) sa panahong hindi pa rin tanggap ng maraming Amerikano ang kanilang kulay. But of course, happy ending ang masiglang musical na nag-uumapaw ang sugar-coating sa saya.

Naturally fun ang musical dahil ang setting ay 1960’s; makulay ang set and costumes ng designer Gino Gonzales at masigla ang musika ng filharmonika sa baton ni Archie Castillo. Fabulous si Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo sa kaunting scenes ni Velma. Makapanindig-balahibo ang soulful na “I Know Where I’ve Been” ni Dulce, kung saan isinalaysay ni Motormouth Maybelle ang matagal na pakikibaka ng mga African Americans tungo sa equality, na lalong naging makabuluhan ngayon sa pagkapanalo ni Barack Obama bilang pangulo ng U.S.

Surprising si Nyoy as Seaweed at overall, mahusay naman ang baguhang si Madel Ching as Tracy kahit na minsa’y parang nauubusan siya ng hininga o kaya’y nahihirapang ibigkas nang mabilis ang mga mabibilis na kanta, lalu na sa ending na “You Can’s Stop the Beat”. Honorable mention sina Enchang Kaimo, Noel Rayos bilang Corny Collins at ang Dynamite girls.

Pero ang korona best performer ay kay de Mesa bilang hebigat na Edna, in particular sa waltz nila ni Wilbur (Leo Rialp) na “You’re Timeless To Me” kung saan pinapatunayan nitong mga veterans na hindi kailangan ng malaking costume at movements para ipakita ang stage presence at chemistry.

Sa kabuuan, isang masigla’t masayang staging ang Hairspray, na pwedeng early Christmas treat for the family. Pakipaliwanag na lang sa kids ang issue ng racism at kaunting sexual innuendos. Kung ganito kasimple ang mga issue sa buhay, pwedeng idaan na lang sa sayaw (at taas ng hair-do) ang mga problema gaya ng ginawa ni Tracy. Ang sabi nga ng isang shampoo brand, believe you can shine.

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