My friend Joseph Pangilinan’s FB posts are screaming of his true endless love for his wife Vicky and his adoration for his three wonderful children who are all talented and artistic like the parents. As good looking too.
He kept inviting me and Edmund to watch his theater actress daughter Gabrielle’s shows but natyetyempo there were conflicts of schedule.
“Manood naman kayo ni Edmund.”
But when one OMB reader, Khristian Alvaera, messaged me about their group selling sponsorships and tickets to Ang Huling El Bimbo, I took it as an opportunity to watch. I looked at my schedule and found days and weekends really very tight. Nevertheless to help Ian and to please my friend Joseph, I reserved two VIP tickets for Edmund and me. Oyen had seen the play a week earlier.
March 16, 2019, Saturday
I picked up the tickets at the venue in Resort Worlds Manila. Ian gave me two super VIP tickets rather than VIP for the same price. How nice of him.
There was a girl wearing all black who smiled upon seeing me approach the ticket counter. She said “oh my buhay”. I failed to acknowledge her and to get her name. I only gave her a tipid smile. I was distracted because I left Edmund behind and he didn’t know where I went, daming tao, puro mga bagets.
Gab Pangilinan, third from right standee, plays the lead role.
Our seats were on the fourth row from the stage.
I was actually hesitant to bring my husband along kasi baka ma-bore at makatulog. I told him kailangan manood kami para kay Joseph. Edmund was wide awake during the two hour performance and was very impressed with the singing voice of Gab. Ang galing-galing daw. Magaling talaga. All the actors were extremely good.
Gab’s voice, who plays Joy, is very crisp and of Miss Saigon quality. She could be the next Lea Salonga. She is a good actress and dancer too. Art and music run in her veins.
Ang Huling El Bimbo is the title of a song written by Ely Buendia of the pop/rock band Eraserheads that was recorded in 1995 and released a year later.
The play is about the story of three boys who met in college and a girl named Joy who sells turon and food at the carinderia of Tiya Dely.
I had no idea that the ending would be depressing and heavy to watch. Edmund and I enjoyed the first part because it was light and at times funny. But when the plot moved to the part where they went up to Antipolo (joy ride) and Joy was raped, that kind of turned my stomach upside down. I was jolted and wanted to leave the theater. I didn’t want sad stories like that. Nakaka-dagdag stress. But those who watched this play would appreciate the beautiful story (despite the harrowing ending). The actors and singers were all great. The men had voices parang si Hugh Jackman sa galing. And the lead character Joy was on top of her game. She moved around the stage with intensity and her portrayal of Joy was nothing short of perfection.
Cheers to the Pangilinan clan.
