The biggest asset of the local production expertly directed by Chari Arespacochaga is the superb cast led by Rachel Alejandro who is definitely the most marvellous musical theatre actress in the country today. She might not be playing the title role here but it starts and ends with her and she plays the tragic-comic role of Amneris so perfectly. She has a fine comic sensibility (already seen in “Avenue Q” and “Xanadu”) but also stuns even in her emotional scenes.
The big revelation here is DJ Myke Salomon, the beat boxer of Akafellas and sometime rocker who found his true calling in musical theatre. We’ve also seen him in “Magsimula Ka” but he truly shines here in his first lead role. He has magnetic stage presence and a powerful voice.
Ima Castro sings so beautifully but she doesn’t seem suited for the role of Aida. Her girth is distracting and she has no chemistry with DJ Myke who is so fit and buff. The original Aida in Broadway is as slim as the late Audrey Hepburn and projects the regal and graceful presence the role calls for. Sorry but, Ima, in spite of the earnestness of her performance, fails to supply that.
The stage design is simple but correlates the story visually. The costumes were imaginatively modernized. We enjoyed the inventive choreography and the ensemble cast is uniformly splendid. The songs are varied in style (“Gods Love Nubia” is gospel, “Dance of the Robe” has African flavour, “My Strongest Suit” is Motown sound, “Written in the Stars” is a pop ballad), not as memorable as Elton John’s ditties in “The Lion King” but they do move the story forward. Among the supporting cast, Hajji Alejandro as the villainous minister shines in his “Another Pyramid” reggae number and Josh Santana is touching in his death scene.
