Romancing the music,
travelling in time and beyond, witty exchanges, and other creative variations
presented in a simple white space. That
is the Red Turnip flavor for you as they executed the play 33 Variations by Moisés
Kaufman in an imaginative and ethereal way.
Red Turnip
Theater kicked off its third season with the opening of its newest offering 33
VARIATIONS at Whitespace, Makati last July 23 for press viewing. The play focused on music as a theme and as a
tool to highlight the emotions of the actors. The additional choreography of light, set design,
and music elevated the experience to another level. It is like music appreciation in a visual
level, at the same time training the audience’s ears to listen to each and
every note, as well as sequences of notes.
The story was
presented in a time parallel sort of way with minimal props but with efficient,
and effective results in progressing the story.
Utilizing the audience imagination to provide the details of an
otherwise grand set design is something I always admire when done well.
Just as
expected, the acting performance of all was flawless and if there were minor
hitches along the way, it didn’t affect the overall experience. I particularly
enjoyed the exchanges between Rem Zamora’s character and Paolo O’hara’s
character because of how they perform such eccentricities. Funny scenes have a tendency to be remembered
overall. There were some lean moments which gave time for minor distractions
among the audience as I noticed some to look away or close their eyes. The “loudness”
or strong stage presence of the characters of Rem and Paolo brought them back
to the stage. The “cockiness” of Roselyn Perez’s character is another attention-grabber,
she can recapture a distracted audience member with her quips and distinctive
voice.
The dying scene
and “cross-over” scene of Shamaine Buencamino and Teroy Guzman is another memorable
part of the play that hit a high note for me.
33 VARIATIONS tells the story of a renowned
musicologist, Katherine Brandt, who is on a mission to discover why Beethoven
composed the Diabelli variations, considered as one of his greatest
masterpieces. Her daughter, Clara, is on a mission to find her place in her
mother's world. Together, they maneuver through Beethoven's colorful life,
their own challenging relationship, and somehow find their answers within his
music. Shifting between periods and places, 33 VARIATIONS is the story of
mothers and daughters and the legacies we long to leave behind.
33 VARIATIONS
also marks Red Turnip’s first show to incorporate live music: critical moments
in the play are underscored by the Diabelli Variations themselves, played live
and on stage by Ejay Yatco (“Sa Wakas”, “Dani Girl”, “The Boy in the
Bathroom”). Although he is mostly known as a composer and musical director, the
24 year-old has also competed at the 2013 World Championship of Performing Arts
under the Classical Piano category, where he made it to the final 3
instrumentalists of the world and took home one gold and three silver medals.
Yatco will be playing the Variations on a baby grand piano, provided by LYRIC.
33 VARIATIONS
opens July 24 and runs weekends until August 23 at Whitespace, Makati.
Tickets are
available through TicketWorld (891-9999 or www.ticketworld.com.ph) or Red
Turnip Theater (redturniptheater@gmail.com or
https://www.facebook.com/RedTurnipTheater)
