September 26, 2024 | 12:28pm
MANILA, Philippines — Taller, more handsome, more muscular – Sam Concepcion is all grown up!
From a cute boy next door, a more mature Sam greets the audiences of 9Works Theatrical’s staging of “Once on This Island,” ongoing until September 29 in RCBC Plaza Auditorium, Makati City.
With his bulkier frame and biceps highlighted by only wearing sando at times, Sam is a heartthrob indeed as Daniel, the wealthy boy to whom peasant girl Ti Moune falls in love with in the play. He could also pass as Prince Eric, since “Once on This Island” was based by writer Lynn Ahrens on a Caribbean-set retelling of the fairytale classic “The Little Mermaid.”
Vocally and acting-wise, Sam delivered as expected; although this is frankly not one of his memorable characters, biceps aside. Much of the heartstrings were pulled by the emotionally-charged performance of Ti Moune by GMA talent Thea Astley, who alternates in the role with TikTok sensation Angela Ken. Jef Flores takes turns with Sam in playing Daniel.
Thea effectively balanced innocence with sensuality in her song and dance numbers. Even her Caribbean accent seemed very natural. She indeed is the star of the show, and her spotlight was not overshadowed by more renowned names such as Sam, and the gods in the musical, Lorenz Martinez as Papa Ge; Shiela Valderrama-Martinez as Erzulie; Garrett Bolden as Agwe; the comeback ‘90s pop singer Radha as Asaka. Their melodious blending and on-point timing give justice to the music by Stephen Flaherty.
Also of note is Krystal Kane who seamlessly transitions from the dual and conflicting roles of peasant and the rich girl Andrea.
From costumes provided by Stores Specialists Inc. (SSI), Trunc and Clark’s; to the makeup by MAC, and to the representational one-act set, the musical’s production design gives strong “Moana” island vibes, which makes it a visual treat to audiences of all ages.
Overall, the 9Works rendition was flawlessly executed and at par with the world-class musicality of first Filipino Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, who got another Tony nomination for playing Erzulie in Broadway.
The production directed by Robbie Guevara aptly is a baptism of fire in classic musicals not only for young performers like Thea before they take on more demanding roles; but also for a new generation of theatergoers, especially with the musical’s catchy tunes and repetitive beats that could make one thump one’s foot in one’s seat.
Our only hope is that next time, Sam, 9Works and the rest of the cast would tackle on a deeper material and would also satisfy the Filipino audience’s hunger for fresh, original and not imported, musical that touches on Filipino history or culture.
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