THEATER | Ang Huling El Bimbo The Musical

Ang Huling El Bimbo The Musical

Quick Thoughts

ANG HULING EL BIMBO (AHEB) THE MUSICAL featuring the hit songs of the 90s band "Eraserheads"  awed and delighted a huge number of theater fans in the Philippines. This original Filipino production made audience laugh and cry as we journey through the nostalgic triumph and fall of a group of friends who are bonded by their experiences in the University.

Best part of the production are the songs of Eraserheads and snippets UP Diliman life.The rest become a typical "Maalala Mo Kaya/SOCO" material. It was a tear jerker though not because the bida was a victim (i'm not spoiling don't worry).It wells you up because you can identify to that feeling the feeling of trying to be strong; the feeling of abandonment; the feeling of disillusionment. 

There is no doubt that I enjoyed this musical because let's face it - Eraserheads songs will always evoke memories of the past especially for us 90s kids who grew up listening to them over and over again on the radio, commercial ads and TV shows. It is almost like synonymous to childhood and goes side by side. What I'm really trying to say is that Eraserheads songs will never go wrong any way you hear it.

The story of AHEB however is a little complex - bringing with it issues that it tries to resolve in a matter of two-hours performance. But it was the plight of the main character Joy which somehow got tangled in the arena of political correctness. Critics easily drew flak for how Joy did not get justice in the story; of how as a woman, she became an unwilling victim of her situation unable to tranverse her predicaments despite her positive outlook in life.

But when I ponder on this, I realize that hey, we are forgetting that this is a play and this is a mere reflection of what is happening in our society. Truth is inconvenient but it doesn't mean we need to avoid showing it to the public. 

Some critics are even questioning why it has to be a woman to suffer and die?

But we are missing the point. No matter who suffer and die in the narrative will always be a subject of debate and a question of morality. Kill any of the male characters and you will just unlock pandora's box with a whole different sorts of social injustice. 

This is not a question of whether Joy deserves or not deserve a befitting ending. This is more of how humans fail in general and despite failings - finding the strength to owe up to these failings, act according to what is morally right. At the end of the play, the three male leads find denouement and realize the mistakes they did in the past. Was it enough to be redeemed? Who are we to judge.

Some of my favorite lines,

Tindahan ni Aling Nena Squence,
All: Isang araw pumunta ako sa tindahan ni Aling Nena para bumili ng
Hector: Suka
Eman: Burger
AJ: Shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, noooooooodles - yun lang

ROTC Sequence,

Banlaoi: Private Cruz, look straight.
AJ: Sir, I'm trying sir.
Banlaoi: Anthony Cruz Jr., kilala ko ang papa mo eh. Bright ka daw sabi ng papa mo, ang problema lang malamya. You know what malamya is? Do you know what malamya is?
AJ: Sir yes sir.
Banlaoi: Ano?
AJ: Sir soft sir.
Banlaoi: Pucha, pinaganda mo pa. Ang ibig sabihin ng malamya bakla. Bakla ka ba Private Cruz?
AJ: Sir no sir. 
Banloi: Talaga lang ha, back in line.

After the ROTC,

Joy: Uy nasan na yung milyong milyong estudyante?
AJ: Wala pinalaya na ang sarili, umuwi na.
Hector: Isa lang naman hinahanap mo eh, kunwari ka pa.
Joy: Alam mo na naman pala eh. Pumapapel ka pa.
All: Supalpal.
Joy: Dun kayo kumain sa may amin ha. Masarap magluto yung Tiya Dely ko.
AJ: Surely.
Joy: Uy bago yun ha, sosyal pakinggan. Surely. Kita tayo ulit?
All: Surely.

Sa tindahan ni Tiya Dely after ng break up ni Joy with Andrei Antonio

JOy: Uy Hector may naiwan ka?
Hector: Oo, ikaw.
Joy: Nye,
Hector: Joke lang, upo ka muna. Ah, gano katagal na ba kayo?
Joy: 1 week
Hector: Di ba - 
Joy: Joke lang. Malamang hindi.
Hector: Malay ko ba.

Of course, the memorable songs sa play include -

1) Tindahan ni Aling Nena

2) Alapaap

3) Huwag Kang Matakot / Sembreak / Hey Jay / Wishing Wells / Fine Time (Medley)

4) Minsan

Did you also enjoy ANG HULING EL BIMBO THE MUSICAL? What did you think of it?