Ang Huling El Bimbo, The Hit Musical (REVIEW)



Last May 3, 2020, there was news that the hit Pinoy musical play, Ang Huling El Bimbo (trans.: "The Last El Bimbo"), will be aired 48 hours online via YouTube and Facebook; it will air from May 8, 12:01 AM until May 9, 11:59 PM for FREE. The news SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE ON MY FACEBOOK NEWSFEED. Every scroll I make, there was a link leading to an article with a headline about the musical play. As a fan of musical performance arts, I was also excited; I wasn't able to contain my excitement so I also posted a link on my Facebook timeline a link containing the news about it.



The musical play is aired for free not only to entertain us but also to raise funds for the ABS-CBN Foundation's (a foundation run by a broadcasting channel here in the Philippines) Pantawid ng Pag-ibig Program (sorry, I don't know any proper translation for this), which helps poor families who were afflicted by the COVID-19. This was done in the same way as in The Phantom of the Opera, they asked the viewers to donate money by using the information shown on the screen at the start, the intermission break, and the end of the video.




Ang Huling El Bimbo is written by Dingdong Novenario, while the director/choreographer is Dexter Santos. It is a story of friendship told using the songs of Eraserheads, an iconic Pinoy rock band in the '90s. These friends, who drifted apart in adulthood, were reunited by fate to face their haunting past. It was the final run of the musical play that was aired; it was performed at Newport Performing Arts Theatre, Philippines. It starred The musical play was produced by Resorts World New Manila and Full House Theatre Company.




Let's talk about the setup first. The Newport Performing Arts Theatre has a revolving stage (think of it as a turntable of a microwave oven, except that it's level to the surface of the stage). This was utilized to give the audience a 360-degree view of a setting or a prop. It was a great idea to use the revolving stage as it gave more depth and angle to the play. The stage has also an LED wall which helped project different backgrounds for the scenes. The lightings were used excellently; the proper amount of light for each scene was provided. 




In speaking of props, there's wasn't that much if you're talking about quantity; there are few but huge props. Most of the props are used to depict small structures (like small convenient stores) and vehicles. Take note: most of these props are not just simple standees but actual 3-dimensional props! These gave a sense of depth on every scene. Great props, I should say. About the costumes; there's nothing much to say as the story was set somewhere in the '90s, and the fashion that time doesn't differ greatly to the fashion we have in the current time (if you're talking about casual wear, though).


Last but definitely not least, the performers. I would like to commend their excellent performance. The execution of each role is magnificent.  Each character, like what I said in my review of The Phantom of the Opera, gave color to the play, maybe it a minor or a major character. The vocals too are great! It made me sing-along to some songs. I'm just ain't sure if some songs are pre-recorded. The dance group did bust great moves on the stage! It's also great that they also act as minor characters. These people made me dream again of being a theatre actor. In case you don't ask, I'm good at acting being a regular cast of our yearly Senakulo (a reenactment of Christ's Passion every Good Friday). CPA/theatre actor? Why not?


SPOILER ALERT: The climactic scene in the play was the part when the main characters, Emman, Anthony, Hector, and Joy, stood above the car they used for their road trip. Their poses said a lot about them and their destiny. The three college boys raise their hands to the sky as if reaching the stars, which symbolizes the pursuance of their dreams. Joy, on the other hand, didn't raise hers as she doesn't have any clear plans for her future at the moment. Whenever I look back at this scene, it reminds me of those who are like Joy, full of dreams but don't have the capacity to pursue it; maybe due to financial problems or due to the people around them or both. This reminds me of the inequities that are still prevalent not only in our country but also in many parts of the world.


From left to right: Joy (Gab Pangilinan), Emman (Boo Gabunada), Hector (Bibo Reyes), and Anthony (Phil Palmos). Image from https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/05/03/20/ang-huling-el-bimbo-musical-to-be-available-online-for-48-hours


Ang Huling El Bimbo is indeed a magnificent Pinoy musical play. No wonder it was able to gain a whopping 7 million views in just 48 hours! It is indeed something we Filipinos can be proud of. It mirrored some of the realities in our lives, maybe a good one or a harsh one. I would give my applause to Resorts World Manila and Full House Theatre Company and other people involved in the production of this musical play; you did a great job. If there will be another run of the musical play, and if I have cash, I'll definitely buy a ticket. I agree that the Philippines can be on par with the West when it comes to the performance art industry. All we need is the support of our fellow Filipinos.


Thank you for your time! I hope you enjoyed my post. My apologies if you will not be able to watch what I watched online after reading some of my posts like this; it really takes time for me to create a blog post because I want it to be in good quality as much as I can. Don't worry, follow me on my Twitter account and/or like my Facebook page so  I can update you if there will be any free online streaming of our favorite musicals, movies, etc. Of course, I'll share the legal ones. Check the Contact Me page for the links of my social media accounts. You can also click on the Subscribe button; you'll be really updated that way. If you have comments or suggestions, please comment down below. See you in my next post! Have a nice day! :-D


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