“Television is an invention that permits you to be entertained in your living room by people you wouldn’t have in your home.” All I can say is, “BULL’S EYE, DAVID FROST! YOU’RE THE MAN!”
After encountering Shock Value, I find that quotation absolutely soul-piercing. No exaggeration there. Seeing how “sweet” Little Tweety Girl is, my territorialism overcomes my ethics. There is totally no way I’d be under the same roof as her!
Majority of the people I know have clues of how actors, hosts, producers, and other TV personalities act behind the scenes. Rumors circulate about this “wholesome” couple being victims to vaginismus and this talk show host dating a politician. Turns out, those gossips aren’t enough. Shock Value gave the people a shock indeed by revealing the intensity of drama and trauma being experienced by TV personalities. We were pulled into this black hole also known as backstage the moment we stepped inside the hall. Whether we liked it or not, we met Little Tweety Girl.
I didn’t read any synopsis of Shock Value before watching because I anticipated the highest value the play promised to offer. I was disappointed. I liked some performers and a few scenes, but overall, this play wasn’t able to grasp my entire attention.
Until this point, I am still confused of the real starting point of the play. We were greeted by one of the gay characters who introduced himself as the “Floor Producer of Shock Value”. I was like, “What? Floor producer of Shock Value, the TV show? Or Floor Producer of Shock Value, the 160-peso play?” Setting that confusion aside, I was able to admire him. Certainly not because of his appearance for he didn’t exactly appeal to me. I prefer gays fashionable from head to toe. I cannot also give him that much credit regarding his varying tones. I find that tone usual for a lot of gays I know speak that way. What really got into me was his confidence. While I was listening to him blab energetically about clapping our hands and looking pleased, I did nothing but think if he was feeling even a teeny-weeny bit nervous. Surely the presence of a huge crowd made his heart skip even just a bit? But I never saw a hint of rib-breaking event happening inside him. He sounded like an expert. A true performer. A great entertainer. He managed to bring out real laugh from the audience, not just the polite-and-obliged type of laugh which I have heard every so often. I thought he was meant to be the eye-catcher of the show. The one assigned to hold our breaths captive in anticipation of the play. I was wrong. The moment he walked off the stage, Jojit Lorenzo or Kuya Matt as I prefer to call him, took his place. Literally and figuratively!
As I was watching Kuya Matt took center stage where he belongs and engulfed by spotlights that are his friends, my heart was being eaten by jealousy. I adore the power of his voice. I don’t know why but his voice sounded nostalgic to my ears. That was the voice storytellers use to tell the story of princesses, witches, wizards, and frogs to children. That was the voice magicians use in order to get their audience’s attention. That was the voice used by bad guys in movies when they lure a child into their van to kidnap. Weird. I thought of storytellers, magicians, and goons when I heard him speak. Let me tell you, I was having goose bumps and I kept smiling without effort. His hand gestures appeared natural, even though I know those little things were practiced a hundred times before being presented. I dreaded the time when he would finally leave my mouth hanging open and go behind the black curtains designed to keep the audience’s prying eyes out of their performers who were probably scrambling and wiggling and trashing around trying to get into their costumes. Well, he did after the introduction. And the dancers, who are incomparable to Orosman at Zafira’s appeared.
Kuya Matt left an impressive impression that’s why it was only natural to expect something greater. I thought the dancers would be remarkable given that Shock Value is about show business. I was mistaken. Yes, they were good in dancing but the choreography didn’t meet my standards. Perhaps my amazement with the choreography of the previous play left me hungry for better performances. What I liked about the dancers were their enthusiasm and devotion. I could see their smiles were practiced but in no way striking. Effort seen, though. They managed stiff smiles. I just hope their facial muscles weren’t strained too badly. I could see everything. I was in front.
I am disappointed with Faust Peneyra, the one who portrayed the role of Elbert Gomez. I was hoping for an eye candy on stage in order to keep my attention focused. Yes, he’s kind of good looking and he looks rich. Those are the factors that affected my opinion of him. The jejemon-turned-conyo role that he was depicting didn’t match his English-speaking-since-birth look. I liked his energy when he first came up. He danced as if there were really cameras and that he was on ASAP. One point for him. BUT, his pants were damaged and it was so distracting! Minus one point for him. I don’t like the colors of his attires throughout the whole play, and the ripped pants did nothing to ease my irritation. I felt like I was wasting my time.
I have to admit, thought, that once in a while, I had forgotten this play was filled with horrible characters. I was momentarily in awe of the one who always wanted to showcase her chest. I can’t recall her name but never the way had she played her part. She was awesome. When she first entered I was actually laughing not because I find her funny, it’s because I liked her character! When she was dancing provocatively, I thought I was really watching a sexual worker! She was just great. She managed to pull off the seducing façade very accurately, as if she had seduced men all her life. She cursed like there’s no tomorrow and that only added up to her essence as an actress. Because of her role, I cannot imagine her show up a nun next time.
Another character whose acting I love was Rina. Her accent and voice told us that she really was somebody in the play. That she was educated, and really intelligent. Her voice was still soft even under stress and that was so female. Despite being feminine, she stood up with dignity as if she owned the world. I only see that posture in successful career women. I can’t help but admire her even though she is another wretched character.
I loathe Little Tweety Girl. Come on, is it really possible for a little girl to sexually harass her co-star?I don’t believe that the Philippines has reached that point of modernization yet. I don’t understand the point of getting an obviously pre-teen actress to represent Little Tweety Girl. Was it because of the sexually-harassing-Elbert scene? Then why did she have to speak that way even when there were no cameras? Everybody backstage knows she’s a bitch, I don’t think keeping up the act is necessary. Her little voice didn’t sound sweet. It sounded forced. Her costume was not funny, I find it very stupid. Who would call that girl sweet? Because of her costume, I get the trying-hard-Lolita impression.
Let me tell you the most riveting scene: it was the bed scene. Yes, I find it vulgar and inappropriate to those under the age of 18. But still Kuya Matt and Jayson were amazing actors! That scene was supposed to be awkward for the both of them, what with their hugging each other naked in front of hundreds of judging eyes, but they broke the word vulgar and showcased acting. Jason was able to put on innocence as his mask even though his character was… not so innocent. This irony was actually awesome. It was very funny when John Lapuz arrived together with his cameramen. When that scene was shown, I thought, “Here comes Typhoon Showbiz!”
John Lapuz, as a showbiz reporter was admirable. I cannot think of other actors giving his character a better personality. His hand gestures and facial expressions were outstanding. He showed real professionalism as he tried very hard (and succeeded) in pulling off the I’m-gay-and-I’m-chismosa attitude. Kuya Matt displayed the word panic in bold letters. Right after that scandal, he was back with Rina, and was pretending to be cool about the whole thing by convincing us with “whoop” and “yehey” while he read the ratings. I don’t know how he pulled off the pretending-to-be-happy-while-in-truth-dying-of-utmost-hatred-and-boiling-panic-inside.
I like the ending. Kuya Matt wasn’t able to let go of his world just like the teachers who couldn’t let go of classrooms and of businessmen who couldn’t let go of their offices.
Aside from the few scenes that I mentioned I liked, the rest was corny for me. The punch lines were thrown effectively but the punch lines themselves weren’t that funny in my opinion.
Regarding the setting, I thought it was catchy the moment I got inside the hall but that impression was reduced to just okay to when will they change the background to I hope they will change the background SOON. My eyes grew tired of the colors and those seemingly immovable props. Those things looked not so useful because they did nothing but serve as doors, or walls, or doors, or walls, or doors! The sound effects weren’t that magnificent.
All in all this play was just average and wasn’t able to meet my expectations. But wait. Come to think of it, maybe this show isn’t really that average. After all, the characters that I hated were really supposed to be hated. This play is confusing. Yeah, that’s right. Confusing is the term. Or is it a roller coaster ride? I loved, then hated, then loved, the scenes and the characters. I don’t know. I’m really confused. Kuya Matt actually shook my hand and I will be eternally pleased. So maybe I’d give this play a more than average rating. Thanks to Kuya Matt.
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