Here Lies Love
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Cititour.com Review
A woman rises from her humble beginnings to become one of the world’s most influential leaders, yet hated by her country for her cruelties and extravagance. Yes, on its surface, Here Lies Love, which has returned to the Public Theater’s LuEsther Hall for an open-ended commercial run, may sound a lot like Evita. But trust me, this musical about former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos is tons more fun than Andrew Lloyd Webber’s often tedious tuner. In fact, it’s one of the finest and most exhilarating shows I’ve ever seen.
The story, told exclusively through the glorious music of David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim, charts 40 years in the life of Imelda (the golden-voiced, stunningly charismatic Ruthie Ann Miles) a ir rakes us from her semi-humble beginnings as a local beauty queen to her exile from her home country in light of the People’s Power Revolution of 1986. In between, we watch numerous significant moments in Imelda’s life, including her many interactions with her early-lover-turned-eventual opponent Ninoy Aquino (a sublime Conrad Ricamora), her troubled marriage to Ferdinand Marcos (a fine Jose Llana), and her visits to the discos of New York in the 1970s (one of the show’s many stunning visual sequences).
Much of the credit for the sheer joy of the production belongs to director Alex Timbers and his blazing theatrical staging of this material. He ensures that we all get a truly 360-degree view of Imelda’s story thanks to David Korins’ ingenious, constantly moving platforms and Peter Nigrini’s effectively evocative projections. The audience, which stands throughout the 90-minute proceedings, also gets directly involved in the show due to some enforced (if gentle) participation, which includes learning a bit of Annie-B Parson’s consistently dazzling choreography. (You could try the rest at home, but unless you’re really limber, I wouldn’t advise it!). You’ll also marvel at Clint Ramos’ sublime costumes; I think if they sold copies of Imelda’s dresses in the lobby, they could make a fortune!
The show’s title number, which serves as both Imelda’s self-claimed life philosophy and her supposed epitaph, may be the single most delicious piece of music in this infectious pop-meets-disco score. But these groundbreaking writers have created plenty of memorable, smartly-crafted songs to tell their story, including “When She Passed By,” sung by Imelda’s childhood friend Estrella (the poignant Melody Bitiu), the haunting “Order 1081,” and the mournful “Just Ask Flowers,” led by Ninoy’s mother, Aurora (a gorgeous Natalie Cortez). Indeed, the entire cast, most of whom play multiple roles, is to be highly commended for their unceasing commitment and energy.
In the end, “Here Lies Love” is one for the history books, in more ways than one. Don’t miss it!
By Brian Scott Lipton
Visit the Site
http://www.herelieslove.com
Cast
Renée Albulario, Melody Butiu, Natalie Cortez, Debralee Daco, Joshua Dela Cruz, Jose Llana, Kelvin Moon Loh, Jeigh Madjus, Ruthie Ann Miles, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Conrad Ricamora, Trevor Salter, Janelle Velasquez
Open/Close Dates
Opening 5/1/2014
Closing 1/3/2015
Box Office
212-967-7555
Theatre Info
Public Theater
425 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10003
Map
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