REVIEW: "Here Lies Love" at the Broadway Theatre on September 3, 2023
This highly immersive show took nearly a decade to make it to Broadway, and I have to say it left me a bit cold. Pre-recorded disco pop is just not the way to my empty Sondheim heart. Written by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, this episodic musical covers the 20th century political history of the Philippines in ninety minutes with no intermission.
The simplistic plot revolved around Imelda Marcos with Ferdinand more of a shadow figure. Constantly challenging their regime was Ninoy Aquino presented as Imelda's former childhood sweetheart. The set-up felt very much like the demagoguery in "Evita" but on a more shallow level like a Vegas-style variety review targeted to indiscriminate tourists much like Rock-a-Hula on Waikiki.
The production's chief novelty is that the Broadway Theatre was turned into a Studio 54-era disco with multi-dimensional screens on the surrounding walls. The seats were removed to allow the actors to perform and move about on modular elevated walkways. Half the audience (including Jamie and me) stood on the main floor for the duration of the show...but that's not all.
Between key scenes, we were signaled by uniformed ushers to move to allow for different configurations of the walkways. Periodically we were directed to dance as if no one was watching. All of this led to the inevitability of squashed feet and jousting elbows. It was exhausting, and even though we were past the days of mandatory social distancing, it made me feel anxious. The cast was energetic but frankly not all that impactful.
Arielle Jacobs made an especially buoyant Imelda, but understudy Aaron Alcaraz delivered a particularly tone deaf Ferdinand. Conrad Ricamora fared much better as the fiery Aquino. A couple of other performers had standout moments: Reanne Acasio as Aquino's mother Aurora on the ballad, "Just Ask the Flowers" and Moses Villarama, the DJ, leading the chorus on "God Draws Straight", poignant given another Marcos is running the country now.
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