Lea gives a purr-fect performance

Last June, I came out with my review of the Sydney production of Cats: Now and Forever. My verdict: Impressive — from music, choreography and especially the execution of these two elements by the cast members.

But like a cat, I became curious about the Manila production. The Sydney version (it is actually a touring group) to begin with didn’t have Lea Salonga as Grizabella.

I wanted to know how they were going to stage it at the Cultural Center of the Philippines where the musical will run until Aug. 22. Bambi Verzo of Concertus (one of the groups behind the Manila staging) invited me to last Tuesday’s gala performance and I had the opportunity to watch it again.

Since it was a special night, there was a sideshow to it — with some of Manila’s finest gracing the affair.

The celebrity watching began at the entrance of the main theater lobby. There was also a sister show that featured those who probably had to drive themselves, park their own vehicles and take the CCP access via the Little Theater. Spotted there were Jericho Rosales, Ryan Cayabyab and Pepper Teehankee of this paper.

At the main theater lobby were even more personalities: Dolphy and Zsa Zsa Padilla, Tim Yap, Leo Valdez, Francis Lumen of the All Youth Channel (another group that helped put together the Cats Manila production), David Celdran, Karylle and Maurice Arcache.

My date for the evening was Toni Rose Gayda and the arrangement to get there was perfect. Since her mother, Rosa Rosal, and son, John Lim, were also watching, she hitched a ride with them and I didn’t have to take her home. Thanks, Toni, for being a considerate date.

The Philippine Star family also came in full force: President and CEO Miguel Belmonte and wife Milette, Anna Marie Pamintuan, Marichu Villanueva and Tony Paño. During the intermission, I bumped into Ricky Lo and he looked so formal and dignified in his black suit — and I’m not used to that because we are always in our most casual every Saturday in Startalk. “Ricky, is that you?” I had to ask when I saw on the mirror this dashing figure literally dashed behind me as I washed my hands in the lavatory.

Beside me was Millet Mananquil and husband, Robert. A few rows away sat Joanne Ramirez and I had wanted to personally give her my condolences for losing her beloved Dad Frank Mayor only recently. (I only read about it in her column the other week.)

Again, during the intermission, as I exited the hall, I heard somebody call my name and the voice belonged to Tessa Prieto-Valdes. I was surprised to see why she was seated way at the very back of the main theater orchestra. The answer came immediately when I saw her again in the lobby. Oh, she looked radiant in a bejeweled long evening dress. But her hair (headdress?) was huge and she was considerate enough to stay at the back where no other row could complain about obstruction of view.

To sum up Cats’ gala performance, there was nothing to complain about that evening (save for CCP’s poor air conditioning system). That night’s presentation was even better than the one in Sydney. Maybe the cast had more energy that time after having experienced genuine Filipino hospitality. The production people paid back by including in the show a Tagalog version of Memory — as translated by salin-awit exponent, the award-winning writer Pete Lacaba (he was there with wife Marra Lanot and she and son Chris must have been so proud of him that evening).

However, I have to point out that we are truly laidback as an audience — unlike in Sydney where the crowd even let out catcalls, not in an offensive way, but to show appreciation after each one of the show-stopping numbers. Fortunately, we made up for it by giving the entire cast a well-deserved standing ovation at the end.

As for Lea Salonga’s performance, I noticed that it was lengthened probably by a minute or two to maximize the Grizabella exposure, which really comes in all of 12 minutes.

But she was glorious in each second she was on stage. And when it was time for her to render Cats’ most popular song, Memory, she gave her very all — like there was no tomorrow. It seemed like she totally forgot the entire message of her Annie signature song and gave whatever she had as if it was going to be the end of the world and that was the last time she could sing.

Of course, some are of the opinions that as the washed out Grizabella, she should have been made to look older and her singing voice lower, which exactly is what is done in most Cats productions abroad (at least, the performer in Sydney did).

But we are in the Philippines where the star system still rules and having national pride Lea Salonga is an added attraction. So make her perform the way we like Lea Salonga — with the famous voice clarity and all — and we all savored it.

No, I wouldn’t have it any other way. As most Cats reviewers would say, it was purr-fect. Anyone saying otherwise is already nitpicking — and, yes, truly being catty.