I first got excited about this production a few months ago when I received an unexpected personal message for my Himala blog entry from none other than Ms. Isay Alvarez. Though it was a short message, it was surreal reading it, especially for a theater-fan like myself. Knowing she’d be in the PETA prod already got me interested. My expectations just kept on rising upon learning it was to be penned and partly scored by Vince de Jesus, whose work some friends and I have followed ever since the original Zsazsa Zaturnnah ze Muzikal. Then came Jojit Lorenzo’s stunning photographs that just teased us more with what the production had to offer.
When you go to see a PETA production, you feel there has to be a take-home message of some sort. They are, after all, at the forefront of educational theater. Viewers need not worry about a preachy production since the staging is a riot and the focus of the production is completely accessible: Beauty.
In SKIN DEEP, world-renowned cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Beau Batoctol (Rem Zamora in our show) opens a one-stop beauty resort: the Skin Deep Beauty Sanctuary. For his opening promo, he provides seven texters a month’s stay in the health resort with all the treatments and procedures they want for free. The “Lucky Makeover Seven” consist of Marikit- an obese call center agent (Mary Ann Espinosa), Chonggo- a promdi model wannabe (Red Anderson), Isah and Siso- a couple whose marriage is on the rocks (Isay Alvarez Sena and Enrique Victor Bisa), Happy- an abused housewife (Diana Malahay), Pipay- an aging florist (Phil Noble), and Amor- the reigning Ms. Artificial Beauty who’s in her sixties, but looks like a lady in her twenties (May Bayot). These seven start off with lists of what they want to change about themselves and dreams of better lives after.
One by one, they undergo different procedures with the hope that their makeovers will bring them happiness: a healthier figure for Marikit, confidence and composure for Chonggo, rekindled love for Isah and Siso, a regained life for Happy, true and lasting love for Pipay, and acceptance for Amor. Early on, friendships begin to be formed, but as they learn about one another’s pasts and explore their reasons for staying, the seven personalities start to clash. They continue undergoing the treatments and become more beautiful on the outside, but start to face more troubles and uncertainty on the inside. As changes begin to occur physically and emotionally, requests become more and more drastic leading to a shocking request by one of the patients and a final confrontation with the doctor who gave them the beauty they desired.
As a comedy, Skin Deep does not disappoint. Vince de Jesus is not just a talented musician but a highly-entertaining dramaturg as well. Give or take a few failsafe funny lines, the jabs his characters throw at one another are sharp and witty. Most notable are the scenes involving the youthful-looking lola, Amor de Sangre. May Bayot, draws riotous laughter with her aged insights and the way she delivers her lines with a punch (in full Cebuana accent, of course). The characters’ different “activity groupings” introduce them to us systematically and open up venues for funny interactions. It would be unfair to compare Skin Deep to Zsazsa Zaturnnah in terms of comedy since, after all, a major purpose of the prod is to educate. Nevertheless, it definitely has its laugh-out-loud moments. Though some of the characters’ pasts, dilemmas, and changes could have been explored more (eg. Marikit and Happy’s changes, Pipay’s life), everyone has his/her moment and endears him/herself to the audience as the show progresses.
A personal fan of Art Deco, I was fascinated by Leo Abaya’s production design. The look fit in perfectly with the play’s statement as Mr. Abaya states in his notes in the programme: “The linear, sharp, flat, hard-edged, contrived, and reconstructed quality of its designs inspired from nature and the machine sit well with the forms of the tropes of cosmetic science such as scalpel blades, syringes, lenses, apertures, and objects related to the quest and preservation of physical beauty.”
Musically, there was no immediate and prominent theme like Himala’s kundiman, Zsazsa’s gospel-pop, and Silent Soprano’s Cantopop. Still, the score by de jesus and Lucien Letaba complemented the scenes well. There were some stand-out numbers like the fun and rousing “Ayusin Natin” and “Touch Me, Doc”, both suggesting the wonders of Dr.Beau’s cosmetic surgery. Conversely, Isay Alvarez’ “Iba Yata” and May Bayot’s “Alam Kong Kaya Mo,” are intense and heartbreaking. The latter even reminded my friend and I (both in terms of sound and intensity) of May’s unforgettable Himala performance.
What then of the take-home message? The play, through inserts by Dr. Beau Batoctol, presents a bevy of historical and literary quotes on beauty. By the end of the play, the viewer is dealt an intense wallop on the dangers of the pursuit of beauty and happiness. Beau’s final quote sums the play perfectly: “To think that happiness can have a share in beauty is too good a thing.”
Pisikal na kagandahan ang binabalaan ng dula, subalit ano naman ang masasabi natin sa mas malaking larawan ng kagandahan? Marahil, ang kagandahan naman sa ganang sarili nito ay walang samang maidudulot. Wika nga ng iba, may katotohanan sa kagandahan. Sa mata ng sinaunang Griyego, mabuti at natural ang pagkilos tungo sa Kosmos, sa Sangkagandahan. May kasiyahan din naman sigurong makukuha rito. Ang kailangang mag-ingat ay ang siyang nag-aakalang saya lamang ang maaaring idulot ng kagandahan, o na ito ang magdudulot ng rurok ng kaganapan ng isang tao.
Kahit naman ako, naghahanap at nagnanais magbabad sa maganda: ang pagnanais sa masiglang pangangatawan, sa mabuting hitsura, sa kaakit-akit na tanawin, sa mahuhusay na palabas, sa natatanging akdang-sining at literatura. Gayunman, kahit sinong sanay sa kagandahan ay may pag-unawa sa posibleng karupukan nito: kumukulubot tayo sa pagtanda, natatapos ang mga palabas, naluluma ang mga larawan, nagwawakas ang mga akda. Maraming kalidad pang higit na tumatagal sa mundo at hangal ang siyang hahabol sa tanging panlabas na kagandahan para sa ganap na kaligayahan.
Skin Deep runs at the PETA Theater Center (Just behind QC Sports Club) until March 9. Fri shows at 730pm, Sat and Sun shows at 10am and 3pm. Very enjoyable, so nood na! Then let me know what you think. ☺
When you go to see a PETA production, you feel there has to be a take-home message of some sort. They are, after all, at the forefront of educational theater. Viewers need not worry about a preachy production since the staging is a riot and the focus of the production is completely accessible: Beauty.
In SKIN DEEP, world-renowned cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Beau Batoctol (Rem Zamora in our show) opens a one-stop beauty resort: the Skin Deep Beauty Sanctuary. For his opening promo, he provides seven texters a month’s stay in the health resort with all the treatments and procedures they want for free. The “Lucky Makeover Seven” consist of Marikit- an obese call center agent (Mary Ann Espinosa), Chonggo- a promdi model wannabe (Red Anderson), Isah and Siso- a couple whose marriage is on the rocks (Isay Alvarez Sena and Enrique Victor Bisa), Happy- an abused housewife (Diana Malahay), Pipay- an aging florist (Phil Noble), and Amor- the reigning Ms. Artificial Beauty who’s in her sixties, but looks like a lady in her twenties (May Bayot). These seven start off with lists of what they want to change about themselves and dreams of better lives after.
One by one, they undergo different procedures with the hope that their makeovers will bring them happiness: a healthier figure for Marikit, confidence and composure for Chonggo, rekindled love for Isah and Siso, a regained life for Happy, true and lasting love for Pipay, and acceptance for Amor. Early on, friendships begin to be formed, but as they learn about one another’s pasts and explore their reasons for staying, the seven personalities start to clash. They continue undergoing the treatments and become more beautiful on the outside, but start to face more troubles and uncertainty on the inside. As changes begin to occur physically and emotionally, requests become more and more drastic leading to a shocking request by one of the patients and a final confrontation with the doctor who gave them the beauty they desired.
As a comedy, Skin Deep does not disappoint. Vince de Jesus is not just a talented musician but a highly-entertaining dramaturg as well. Give or take a few failsafe funny lines, the jabs his characters throw at one another are sharp and witty. Most notable are the scenes involving the youthful-looking lola, Amor de Sangre. May Bayot, draws riotous laughter with her aged insights and the way she delivers her lines with a punch (in full Cebuana accent, of course). The characters’ different “activity groupings” introduce them to us systematically and open up venues for funny interactions. It would be unfair to compare Skin Deep to Zsazsa Zaturnnah in terms of comedy since, after all, a major purpose of the prod is to educate. Nevertheless, it definitely has its laugh-out-loud moments. Though some of the characters’ pasts, dilemmas, and changes could have been explored more (eg. Marikit and Happy’s changes, Pipay’s life), everyone has his/her moment and endears him/herself to the audience as the show progresses.
A personal fan of Art Deco, I was fascinated by Leo Abaya’s production design. The look fit in perfectly with the play’s statement as Mr. Abaya states in his notes in the programme: “The linear, sharp, flat, hard-edged, contrived, and reconstructed quality of its designs inspired from nature and the machine sit well with the forms of the tropes of cosmetic science such as scalpel blades, syringes, lenses, apertures, and objects related to the quest and preservation of physical beauty.”
Musically, there was no immediate and prominent theme like Himala’s kundiman, Zsazsa’s gospel-pop, and Silent Soprano’s Cantopop. Still, the score by de jesus and Lucien Letaba complemented the scenes well. There were some stand-out numbers like the fun and rousing “Ayusin Natin” and “Touch Me, Doc”, both suggesting the wonders of Dr.Beau’s cosmetic surgery. Conversely, Isay Alvarez’ “Iba Yata” and May Bayot’s “Alam Kong Kaya Mo,” are intense and heartbreaking. The latter even reminded my friend and I (both in terms of sound and intensity) of May’s unforgettable Himala performance.
What then of the take-home message? The play, through inserts by Dr. Beau Batoctol, presents a bevy of historical and literary quotes on beauty. By the end of the play, the viewer is dealt an intense wallop on the dangers of the pursuit of beauty and happiness. Beau’s final quote sums the play perfectly: “To think that happiness can have a share in beauty is too good a thing.”
Pisikal na kagandahan ang binabalaan ng dula, subalit ano naman ang masasabi natin sa mas malaking larawan ng kagandahan? Marahil, ang kagandahan naman sa ganang sarili nito ay walang samang maidudulot. Wika nga ng iba, may katotohanan sa kagandahan. Sa mata ng sinaunang Griyego, mabuti at natural ang pagkilos tungo sa Kosmos, sa Sangkagandahan. May kasiyahan din naman sigurong makukuha rito. Ang kailangang mag-ingat ay ang siyang nag-aakalang saya lamang ang maaaring idulot ng kagandahan, o na ito ang magdudulot ng rurok ng kaganapan ng isang tao.
Kahit naman ako, naghahanap at nagnanais magbabad sa maganda: ang pagnanais sa masiglang pangangatawan, sa mabuting hitsura, sa kaakit-akit na tanawin, sa mahuhusay na palabas, sa natatanging akdang-sining at literatura. Gayunman, kahit sinong sanay sa kagandahan ay may pag-unawa sa posibleng karupukan nito: kumukulubot tayo sa pagtanda, natatapos ang mga palabas, naluluma ang mga larawan, nagwawakas ang mga akda. Maraming kalidad pang higit na tumatagal sa mundo at hangal ang siyang hahabol sa tanging panlabas na kagandahan para sa ganap na kaligayahan.
Skin Deep runs at the PETA Theater Center (Just behind QC Sports Club) until March 9. Fri shows at 730pm, Sat and Sun shows at 10am and 3pm. Very enjoyable, so nood na! Then let me know what you think. ☺
LINKS TO IMAGES AND ENTRIES ABOUT SKIN DEEP:
Jojit Lorenzo's photographs on Multiply
http://jojitlorenzo.multiply.com/photos/album/125/Pahabol_ng_skin-deep
http://jojitlorenzo.multiply.com/photos/album/104/PETAs_Skin_DEEP_Press_photos
http://jojitlorenzo.multiply.com/photos/album/102/PETAs_skiN_dEEp_cast
Performance pictures on Vince de Jesus’ Multiply
http://vincedejesus.multiply.com/photos/album/15/Skin-Deep_Performance_Pictures
PETA site
http://www.petatheater.com/currentseason.html
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