“She had a stroke and we maintained her life through machines na lang and 24-hour nurses looking after her in the hospital,” he says. “Doctors said 5 years lang tatagal but she stayed with us for 12 years more. It’s obvious she’s suffering as she can’t even communicate, so we agreed it’s time na and we’ve decided to take off the ventilator. Our friends said goodbye to her muna, like Cocoy Laurel who even sang to her.”
Our condolences to the family. His three sisters are all abroad. Monique is teaching in London. Gina is in Germany, married to a German, but she’s home now. Trixie is in New York, married to an Italian. Jamie himself was once married but they’ve called it quits. He has a daughter, Misha, now 16. He remains very active in theatre. We just saw him doing a hilarious role in “Aladdin”. He’s now in two new plays: “Piaf” and “The Full Monty”.
“I play four roles in ‘Piaf’. The biggest roles are as the guy who discovered Pinky Amador, who plays French singer Edith Piaf, and as her doctor. In ‘Full Monty’, I play Dave Bukatinsky, the best friend of Mark Bautista who’s Jerry. Ako yung mataba rito played in the film version by Mark Addy.”
They’ll be required to disrobe in the play’s last scene. Does he feel any hesitation about this? “None. I’ve done it twice before in ‘The Blue Room’ and ‘Parents Terrible’. What I’m afraid of in this play is the dancing, as I have no training in dancing.”
“Piaf” is different from the film version starring Marion Cotillard. This new musical version by Pam Gems was staged at London’s prestigious Donmar Warehouse before a West End transfer in 2008. It incorporates over 25 of Edith Piaf’s songs including La Vie En Rose, Hymn of Love, and Non, Je non regrette rien. Both “Piaf” and “Full Monty” will run at the RCBC Carlos Romulo Theatre in Makati. “Piaf” from March 8 to 23, “Full Monty” from April 19 to May 5. For information, call Atlantis Productions at 892-7078 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.
