Basil & Joey: Incomparable tandem

Curtain-raisers:

• Because the set was off a beach in a southern city, a young actress had to change clothes at a roofless makeshift shower room. That’s where the deafening scream came from. It turned out that the actress spied three Peeping Toms and she was afraid that they might be “video-taping” her. Her ear-splitting scream sent the three scampering, but one of them was caught. The actress heaved a sigh of relief. No, the “suspect” didn’t have a videocam. I guess all he and his friends wanted was a closer look at the actress.

•  Could it be true that a singer-actress has agreed to marry her non-showbiz boyfriend (but related to a TV bigwig)? The wedding date hasn’t been set yet. Will she invite as one of the secondary sponsors her ex-actor-boyfriend now being linked to a gorgeous actress, a sexy young actress and a demure singer-actress?

•  A comebacking actor, now a father of three, said in jest that he decided to go au naturel in an indie film “dahil dala ng pangangailangan.” In short, well, times are hard, you know. He’s now doing another indie with a bold actress with whom he has had a very intimate encounter (including an early-morning one in the shower) when he was a teenager.

* * *

It’s definitely a tandem to look forward to. Basil Valdez and Joey Albert? Yes, incomparable!

It will be a truly hit evening when Viva Concerts & Events presents the OPM icons at the Skydome in SM North EDSA on Aug. 15.

Both made their mark with hit recordings of Original Pilipino Music (OPM). The contemporary classics will be the highlight of their first concert together after many years, aptly titled Incomparable.

Basil’s incomparable singing voice produced such hit songs as Ngayon at Kailanman, You, Lift Up Your Hands, Hanggang Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan, Nais Ko, Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka, Kahit Ika’y Panaginip Lang, Kung Ako’y Iiwan Mo, Let The Pain Remain, SayThat You Love Me and many others.

For her part, Joey was the leading singer of the ’80s with hits like Tell Me, Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin, A Million Miles Away, Yakapin Mo Ako, I Remember the Boy, Sa’yo Lamang, Over and Over, Points of View, It’s Over Now, You Threw It All Away, Only a Mem’ry, Iisa Pa Lamang and many others.

Now based in Canada with her family, Joey makes it a point to come home for special performances when her schedule permits. She was last seen here last March for the repeat edition of the hit concert Legends of OPM at the PICC. She and Basil did some shows together during the ’80s and have remained friends.

The Skydome at SM North EDSA is the newest happening place for concerts in Metro Manila and Viva has scheduled several shows, also including Regine Velasquez’s Most Requested (Aug. 1 and 8), Ladies of the ’90s (Rachel Alejandro, Jessa Zaragoza, Roselle Nava and Geneva Cruz), Men of the ’80s (Raymond Lauchengco, Randy Santiago, Louie Heredia and Gino Padilla) and one topbilling Rachelle Ann Go and Jed Madela.

(Note: Incomparable is sponsored by Manila Bulletin, People’s Journal, Business World, 97.1 Barangay LS and 1 FM 93.9. Tickets are priced at P1,750 for Gold reserved seats and P1,500 for Silver. Call Ticketnet at 911-5555 or Viva Concerts & Events office at 687-6181 locals 627 and 620.)

Who’s Janice’s ‘daughter’ in Last Viewing?

In Funfare’s edition Wednesday last week, I raved about the indie movie Last Viewing which reduced me to tears, “blame” it on Janice de Belen’s absorbing and totally touching performance as a stone-hearted supervisor of a crematorium and Maro Panganiban as her autistic daughter who herself steals scenes in her own quiet way.

The title of the movie, directed by Ronaldo Bertubin from a screenplay by Romualdo Avellanosa (and produced by Lisa Davis for Davis Entertainment Production), refers to the phrase — “Last viewing na po!” — which Janice utters devoid of any emotion before a cremation is done. I won’t go into details to avoid spoiling the suspense and let you watch the movie and have a good cry yourselves during its premiere tomorrow night, July 28, 7 p.m. at SM Megamall Cinema 6 (opening Aug. 5 in Metro theaters).

Back to Janice’s “daughter”...

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Maro is the granddaughter of my good friend Ronald Constantino, thanks to a reader who sent a “front view” of Maro (shown “side view” in last week’s Funfare) taken during a pictorial for a product she endorsed. Yes, Maro, four years old (daughter of Ronald’s niece Rosary) and a prep student at St. Paul Educational School in Quezon City, has appeared in several commercials. She’s that cute and pretty birthday celebrator in an ice-cream TV ad with Vhong Navarro.

Maro was discovered by Last Viewing director Ronald while doing the shoot of another commercial. Ronald urged Maro to audition for the movie. In Last Viewing, Maro gets lost in a tiangge in Baclaran (not Quiapo as earlier mentioned) and was reunited with Janice in heart-tugging, tragic circumstances. I challenge you not to cry when you watch the movie, especially toward the ending.

Maro wondered why she has virtually no speaking lines and direk Ronaldo told her, “May sariling siyang mundo.” Maro understood and played the role with impressive result.

And now comes the VOIZboys

Love for music inspired a law student, a theater actor, and two Pinoy Dream Academy scholars to form VOIZboys. Star Magic premium talents and ASAP 09 performers Nico Antonio, Guji Lorenzana, Jay-R Siabo, and Ronnie Liang make up the all-male vocal group which will be launched in a special concert simply titled The VOIZboys at Metro Comedy Bar (at 47 West Avenue, Quezon City) on Aug. 8 at 8 p.m.

Directed by Victor Felarca and The F Team, the concert promises to leave the audience breathless. Each of them will do a meaningful solo spot. The irrepressible Pokwang will keep the house roaring with her special participation.

For Johnny “Mr. M” Manahan of Star Magic and ASAP 09 who organized the group, VOIZboys is a music diversity waiting to happen. He said that VOIZboys is a fit-in-one music sensation, “We put the boys together to generate additional exposure and interest for the artists. Salamat na lang at swak na swak silang apat.”

Nico is into ballads, Guji and Jay-R are into rock while Ronnie is into pop music.

(Note: The VOIZboys concerts is presented by RCBC, Alaska, Toyota Makati Inc., the Anti-Film Piracy Council and the Phil. Cinema Shuttlers, Inc. Tickets at P1,000 and P500 are available at Ticketnet [911-5555 or www.ticket.com.ph] and Ticketworld [891-9999 or www.ticketworld.com.ph] and at Metro Bar [572-2898 or [email protected]]. For inquiries, call 347-7505 or 412-6514.)

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