Comments on: Hairspray in Manila – full review

By: Mae

Mae — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:36:55 +0000

Hi! Hairspray is nearing the end of its run. For those who want to catch the closing night show on DEC. 7, SUNDAY, 8PM, call/text Mae at 09063414559. See you at the theater!

By: Ailee

Ailee — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:48:58 +0000

Finally, someone who didn’t totally love Monica Reynoso’s performance. I thought I was the only one who found her slapstick gesticulations a little off-putting. But to be fair to Ms. Reynoso, more often than not she was a welcome source of comic relief throughout the show. Perhaps she just needs to rein in a wee bit of her rambunctiousness and work for a more natural delivery of her lines, some of which are really very funny by themselves and don’t need to be overdone.

My own review of Hairspray: http://sillingtonhouse.multiply.com/reviews/item/67

By: vives

vives — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:17:36 +0000

Sometimes I kick myself for missing Avenue Q!

By: missingpoints

missingpoints — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:50:31 +0000

It’s partly the director’s fault, I guess. During the final run of “Avenue Q” Garcia amped up the slapstick and Rod’s gay shtick. I’m not sure if he was just trying to get cheap laughs or if he was responding to some sort of audience demand.

By: vives

vives — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:55:18 +0000

you’re most welcome, and thanks everyone for reading my ramblings. Ms Allado, you looked comfortable playing Amber, you looked like you were just having fun.

But I’ve just realized that I’ve forgotten to write something about Monica Reynoso who plays Penny Pingleton – a very important character in the show because it’s what happens between her, Seaweed, and her strict Catholic mother Prudy that is the personification of the racial/cultural divide in the story.

Some people have said that Ms. Reynoso went over the top with her character. Maybe. Big Maybe. Reynoso can be credited for having good comedic timing, particularly physical comedy and slapstick – a great asset if she wishes to continue to do comedic roles. Penny is in a way a source of laughter in the show – she’s the neurotic one who sees things askew as compared to Tracy who sees things positively differently. Reynoso does her punchlines fine.

However, and again this may be attributed to her relative inexperience on professional stage acting – which is not her fault as you already know – I am surmising that Reynoso overcompensated her non-working microphone by exaggerating her gestures. It was a smart move, if such was the case, although, as some have pointed out, it went “over the top.” An experienced stage actor MAY HAVE compensated just enough, but who knows. Blame it on the mic’s battery.

If however the attack or approach to her Penny was like that from the start (meaning it was both her decision and the director’s), I’d say it was only effective half of the time. The one time Penny looked comfortable as herself and not Reynoso acting to look neurotic was in “Mama, I’m A Big Girl Now.” Quite interesting because (spoilers ahead!) Penny makes a transformation at the end, from a prudish/rebellious/dorky/ left-footed cartoon hybrid to a vampy “checkerboard girl.” Those two characters are different – which is a point in the story – but the role seemed to have been played by two Reynosos altogether (the only exception is stated above.) I half-liked, half-didn’t like her Penny.

Still, AS A WHOLE, the show is marvelously fun to watch. And the great thing about live theater is that adjustments can be made to make the next show better.

Thanks again for reading! – vives

By: christine allado

christine allado — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:14:20 +0000

i love this review thanks for the honest and thorough critique

-”amber”

By: dochearthrob

dochearthrob — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:31:50 +0000

Group discounts now available for NOVEMBER 21, FRIDAY, 8PM. Contact 09175366832 or 09227544571. Thanks