CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute
At first, Ada is bowled over by the fact that she has become a woman. But then a group of alien lady warriors called “Amazonistas”—Dina B., Sharon C., Nora A., and Vilma S., and their Queen, Femina, try to invade the earth by targeting their small town. They send a giant frog rampaging through the barangay. Ada knows that only ZsaZsah can save her town, and the earth, in an ultimate battle between good and razor-clawed, Celia Rodriguez-inspired evil Femina.
Ada/Zsazsa also has to deal with her burgeoning romance with Dodong, his hunky next-door neighbor. Can love triumph over social conventions? Will Zsazsa defeat the frog and the Amazonistas? And will she get the guy?
This deliciously campy comic book, released in 2003 by Carlo Vergara, created a stir among gay and straight comic-book aficionados, even becoming something of a mainstream hit. Its tongue-in-cheek humor, its steady pulse on 70s and 80s pop culture camp won over many readers despite its heavy use of swardspeak, which left some heterosexuals scratching their heads in incomprehension. When time came to bring Zsazsah to life, her exploits were turned into—what else? A musical!
Tanghalang Pilipino’s exuberant staging of Zsazsah shows how much fun the cast had during the staging. Lyricist, composer, and musical director Vincent De Jesus’ use of gospel and soul music, and the uplifting vocals of the chorus, provide just the right light-hearted treatment of this highly entertaining and outrageously gay musical. The collective crescendo of their voices is infectious; one can’t help but dance and clap along with them. Kudos goes to the production for the excellent casting, even of the small roles.
The cast had a grand time delivering the zingers in the script. Ricci Chan (of Magandang Umaga Pilipinas, most popular for his portrayal of Angel in the local production of Rent) is a scene-stealer as Didi, with his commanding vocals and balahura lines such as “Ikaw talaga, parang hindi ka sanay sumubo ng malaki!” In the hands of skilled Chan, he made the material shine its brightest.
Eula Valdez as Zsazsa, the gay Ada’s alter-ego, was a revelation. With this play, Amor Powers has proven that she can not only play api on screen; she can kick, act, and sing her heart out! Hats off to her, she really gave the performance her all, especially during some of the dramatic scenes. She has emotionally connected to her character. However, her portrayal lacked an indefinable je ne sais quoi. Perhaps, like Julie Andrews in the movie Victor, Victoria, it’s hard work if you’re a woman pretending to be a gay man. While Ada is a soft-spoken barrio bading, Valdez was still acting a bit too feminine for the part.
Kalila Aguilos as Femina plays the villain to the hilt. Her rendition conjures images of all of the istariray kontrabida actresses local cinema could muster. Her snooty faux-British accent, her raised eyebrow, her commanding portrayal of Femina is the icing of this deliciously pink cake. The final showdown between Femina and Zsazsa in an abandoned kakanin factory is hilarious!
Hopefully, Tanghalang Pilipino will re-stage Zsazsa for the scores of people who were unable to buy tickets to the sold-out show. TP didn’t anticipate the popularity of Zsazsa, the comic book and the musical. Perhaps, they will be accommodated in a theatre bigger than the 100-seat Huseng Batute Theatre. While director Chris Millado’s innovative use of the small space is commendable (especially with the use of Barbie dolls in the giant frog scene), the play would have benefited from a larger venue. Such close intimacy of the actors with the audience is not a necessary requirement for the material at hand.
Overall, the musical never hit a false note. It remained faithful to the comic book without sacrificing time, and with minimal changes in the story.
While non-Filipinos and expats may have a hard time catching the gay lingo and the Filipino pop culture references, it does not diminish the power and energy of the play about Ada, a small town bakla who, because of a giant stone from the sky, discovered that he had he heart of a lion.
* to be published in Asian Journal
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