Review | Black Box Productions’ Mula Sa Buwan

mula sa buwan

When I saw Mula sa Buwan‘s teaser a few months ago, I immediately decided I’m going to watch this production without even knowing yet what it was about. It was THAT pretty and catchy. I followed their Facebook page, watched out for updates, and panicked a little when they released show dates and realized it was only going to run ONE weekend.

ONE. WEEKEND. Imagine that.

Fortunately, we were able to secure tickets for its closing night last Sunday (December 4), and let me tell you–it was everything I wanted and more.

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Review | PETA Theater’s The Tempest Reimagined

the tempest reimagined review

I walked into The Tempest Reimagined with only the vaguest idea of what the story was about. I already expected to drown in Shakespeare’s words like an inexperienced person was wont to do, but PETA’s masterfully written adaptation always managed to pull me back to shore.

Weaving two different stories from two different cultures, worlds (fiction vs. real life), and eras could not have been an easy feat, but the team behind The Tempest Reimagined made it look like a walk in the park. Special mention to Norbs Portales as the fisherman Jaime, who provided slivers of wisdom and laughter as the show’s narrator. He also tugged at my heartstrings toward the end of the show. (In short, umiyak ako.)

Topper Fabregas was hilarious, especially when he momentarily traded his Trinculo character to portray a masked foreign aid “god.” Kuya Bodjie Pascua‘s portrayal as Papa Bons was heartfelt and inspiring as usual. Seeing him in 3 Stars & a Sun in March made me want to watch him on stage again, so thanks, show! John Moran did a awesome job portraying the “monster” Caliban, while Neomi Gonzales, Gabriela Pangilinan, and Gio Gahol were enchanting as the elemental spirit Ariel. I’m a sucker for music so I always loved it when they played the instruments and sang. I wished there were more of that, actually.

I’ve always loved how PETA designs their stages, and The Tempest Reimagined‘s stage was no different. Almost bereft of color, the dominantly white stage was a great backdrop for the vibrant characters of the play. I also appreciated how functional everything was on stage, especially toward the end when the characters were, quite literally, building something new out of the ruins.

The play’s run was pretty limited (it closed yesterday, December 4th), and it made me sad to see a lot of empty seats when we came to watch. I hope this doesn’t discourage the company from bringing this closer to the viewing masses, one way or another. Every story needs to be seen and heard, and this one, most expecially, needs to be put out there for many others to enjoy and learn from.

Rating

review 4 stars

PETA Theater’s The Tempest Reimagined was a magical attempt at putting Shakespeare in a perspective more relatable to the Filipino viewing public. It wasn’t perfect, but it was heart-wrenching and inspiring all the same. Kudos to everyone who made this production possible! Congratulations!

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Review | Cover (Story) Girl by Chris Mariano

cover story girl review

1) She has amnesia.cover story girl cover
2) She’s on the run from her father’s creditors.
3) She’s enjoying her last days on earth.

Ever since Jang Min Hee walked into Gio’s small museum, she’s given him one excuse after another about why she’s vacationing at scenic Boracay Island. Rarely has Gio’s neat and organized world been shaken like this. Soon he finds himself scrambling over rocks, hiding in dressing rooms, and dragging her out of bars. But how can Gio tell what’s true from what isn’t? Their worlds are getting unraveled — one story at a time.

Buy it on Amazon | Smashwords
Paperback versions available at National Bookstore branches
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What Drew Me In

I think that by now, it’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I am a bit of a koreaboo. Just a bit now, because I’m nowhere near the fangirl I was several years ago, when Dong Bang Shin Ki were THE hottest boys on the block. (I still enjoy my Korean dramas every once in a while, but now I’m a little more choosy as to which ones I watch. So many things to do, so little time, after all.) So of course, when I saw that one of the characters in Chris Mariano’s Cover (Story) Girl was Korean, I knew I had to read it. It took me a while to get to it–the book had been sitting on my TBR pile for a good couple of months before I started reading it–but I did, and boy, I was so happy I did. ^_^

Click on the Continue Reading button for the rest of the review. May contain spoilers–y’all have been warned.

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Review | The Bye-Bye Bouquet by Chi Yu Rodriguez

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the byebye bouquet coverEvery month for the past year, like clockwork, Meile Simon has gotten orders at her shop for the same type of bouquet, from the same guy, delivered to twelve different girls. By the third month, she starts to take note.

Warren Leigh likes women. He does. He knows there are too many beautiful women out there just waiting to be plucked by the right guy. But he firmly believes that personal relationships with them must have an expiration date.

When the girl who likes to watch flowers bloom encounters the guy who’s only in it while the fragrance lasts, curiosity gets the best of both of them.

In the midst of intermittent weather, will their connection blossom or wilt?

Buy it on Amazon | Paperback (print-on-demand, PH only)
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What Drew Me In

Two things:

First, Chi Yu Rodriguez has been my friend since IDK 2007 (?) and we’ve been kind of writing buddies for a bit before I dragged her into this beautiful mess (haha!) called #romanceclass. So of course I knew I was going to read this book, especially since she used my Broadway bias, Aaron Tveit, as a character peg!

Second, isn’t that cover just gorgeous? It’s so out of character for the author, though, but perfect for the story. (Don’t kill me!) Another equally beautiful version of the cover exists, by the way, lovingly created by Carla de Guzman.

Click on the Continue Reading button for the rest of the review. May include spoilers. You have been warned.

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{ BOOK REVIEW + TOUR } Songs To Get Over You | Jay E. Tria

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Hello and welcome to my tour stop for Jay E. Tria’s new release: Songs To Get Over You! This blog tour is organized by the Bookish Diaries Book Tours. You may click on the image below to visit their website.

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Oh and YES! This blog tour comes with a nifty giveaway! Get a chance to win a print copy of Songs To Get Over You and a TRAINMAN shirt by joining HERE.

cover-stgoyIt’s harder to get over someone who was never really yours.

They say rock stars get all the girls. But Miki knows that’s not always true. He, for one, though the guitarist of popular indie band Trainman, just can’t seem to get the girl. It’s kind of his fault, really. No one told him to fall in love with Jill. No one told him to stand still and watch as she moved on from a terrible breakup into the arms of another guy—a Japanese celebrity with the face of an angel and the body of a god.

So when someone else comes along, someone who finds him cute, smart, and funny (sometimes in the haha sort of way), will Miki finally move on? Or will he continue to pine for Jill?

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What Drew Me In

Oh, this? This was an insta-buy for me. I have read the first book in this series–Songs Of Our Breakup–and loved it. It’s only natural that I one-click the shit out of this book, right?

Click on the Read More button for the rest of the review. May NOT be spoiler-free.

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