It's a whole new cast since the first time I watched it. The actors were more fit and moving in their performance. A more fit character typifies the role while audience can focus on the performance than a heavier character who can look uptight in their role. The lead girl was astounding as her words were clear in the songs. Her sweet youthful voice befit the tone of the story. Her sweet voice is complemented by the voice of the shoe fairy. “Anong silbi ng sapatos, kung wala naming paa?” (What’s the use of shoes, if we don’t have feet?) - This rhetorical question or an interrogative statement not intending to be answered but rather to call attention toward a specific emotion, repeats over the course of the songs in the play, is one strength that makes audience remember sentiments of the characters which also captures the essence of the story. Other statements such as “Anong silbi ng pagsulat kung sarli lamang ang sya’y lumiligaya, kung wala itong maaaring handugan?” (What's the point of writing when it only pleases the self, and no one else to serve?), and later “tinatawid ng pagmamahal ang pangarap,… upang pangarap ng minamahal ay tuparin.” (love crosses over the dream… the dream of a loved one to be fulfilled) The former being a question from the distressed lead girl, young, and wanting to fulfill a dream, and the latter being the answer from the shoe fairies trying to convince and comfort the young girl, effectively connects the thought how love is carried through the story by the supporting characters. The response follows through a loving parents’ concern to their distressed child who must accept the reality of being different among other of its kind in society. The sound was clear enough at the start of the play, with any audience deeply connected would burst into tears in the sympathy of the scenario. In that sense, as the audio is clearer, it is also easier to notice if an actor’s voice trembles unnecessarily while singing.
The story is magical through its creative characters and at the same time heartbreaking with the young subject singing all in distress and almost lack of hope on selected scenes. This double-edged scenario can be common among children who know little of the world, and having parents who also similarly not know much to find better solution to the situation. The black box setup makes the characters more alive with up-close eye-level perspective from the small audience. One can extend their imagination with more variation of height in the stage especially as the lead girl goes up and down the bed as well as entertained by the shoe fairies, but at those times, the catwalk stage seemed quite small. The light spots saved the obscurity of stage in some intended magical scenario. The other side of the stage, raised, has the opposite condition, mostly depicting a room scenario, but the raised platform with open sides make the space too large to focus, but saved again by the spotlights. The costumes are better, with the dress of the lead lady made simpler in plain color, which helped the shoe fairies rainbow color pop. The winged fairy looks better with a more popping bubbly dress that stands out on the black catwalk stage.
At times the scenes would touch the heart of an adult more, and there are times the magical ambience would entice more a child, and this is quite tricky to watch all in one-length play and stage. The question is on who is the play better to be watched for? The adult? The children? Or both whom the recommender would notice similarities in the characters of the story such as the distressed child who could not appreciate the gift of the father, or the father who could not understand how to please his child or the shoe fairies like any comforting supporter get involved in the sentiments and takes on a side.
Like many sad plays, the sadness makes audiences tired, so it was good how positively exalting the ending song was and how it clearly addresses the question thrown dramatically at the start of the play. The shoe fairies evidently sing really well together by the end of the play and justifies their roles as singers also aside from the fancy fairies in whispers.
Another comparison a female millennial could have is to compare with the character of Disney’s Mulan voiced by Christina Aguillera, who portrayed the role of a women, struggling also in acceptance of her condition, as she is drawn from her traditional marriage destiny to a war soldier. There could be another comparison depending on what one can refer to. Overall, the play can be a tearjerker for an already compassionate viewer, or someone struggling to find compassion for one’s unappreciative behavior. I am unsure however if it would hold the same, for someone with the exact same issue about a feet condition, as the story like any other story, defined already an ending for the person concerned.
The play is remarkable as it profiles a scenario that many of us could have been experiencing where our empathy and compassion is challenged.
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