‘Here Lies Love’: Interactive Marcos muscial

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: Arielle Jacobs & cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

HERE LIES LOVE
Concept, music & lyrics by David Byrne
Music by Fatboy Slim
Developed & directed by Alex Timbers
Broadway Theatre
1681 Broadway at 53rd Street
(212-239-6200), www.HereLiesLoveBroadway.com

By David NouNou

Sitting through Here Lies Love, one cannot help but see the parallel lives of Eva Peron in Evita—which coincidentally also played at this same theatre—and Imelda Marcos (Arielle Jacobs) in this musical. They both started with poor origins, became working women, married men who sought power, and they both were the women who stood behind their men and got them to the top. And yes, they were both corrupt and landed their countries into poverty while they both enriched themselves through greed. Imelda did to the Philippines what Eva did to Argentina, and both were “High Flying Adored” by their countrymen—to quote a great song title from Evita.

The similarities end here. Whereas Evita was a cohesive musical with a brilliant, straightforward narrative and score, Here Lies Love is literally all over the place. I mean it; it plays all around and through the Broadway Theatre. The orchestra section has been gutted out, and you have an empty dance floor with a runway jutting out through the middle of the theatre. The runway has a life of its own and revolves all around the floor, thus making the audience move around the theatre with it. For some strange reason, the creators of Here Lies Love felt it should be an interactive musical. If you have a bad back or can’t stand for 90 minutes, I suggest you sit in the front mezzanine. Even the people who are in the mezzanine or balcony are not immune to all this interaction; they are brought in to join in the revelry and made to stand up and participate in some dance moves on two separate occasions.

After all, this is a David Byrne musical, and like his Broadway concert mega-hit American Utopia, he wants the audience to participate and be part of the experience. Truth be told, he has captured the essence of Imelda Marcos and added a layer of theatricality to her. This layer is in large part due to the direction of Alex Timbers who made it possible to have Imelda presented as a theatrical extravaganza. All you have to do is remember Mr. Timbers’ Moulin Rouge and Beetlejuice and you know the excesses that he can present.

When so much is going on all around you, through sound effects, projections, a giant disco ball, glowing neon lights, a DJ, even helicopter sounds airlifting the Marcos, it is difficult to concentrate on the performances. Arielle Jacobs does a valiant and admirable job of capturing Imelda’s essence, and her voice is powerful. Jose Llana as Marcos isn’t given much to make him interesting amidst all the goings on. However, Conrad Ricamora as Ninoy Aquino manages to break from all the noise around him and give an excellent performance as Imelda’s first love and her political rival. Alas, Lea Salonga has a very small part near the end, as Aurora Aquino, Ninoy’s mother, singing the haunting “Just Ask the Flowers.” Ms. Salonga is still in splendid form and voice.

Here Lies Love is one of those musicals that one cannot just label as “gimmicky.” It all depends on whether you’re into the gimmick of audience participation or not.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published July 27, 2023
Reviewed at July 26, 2023 press performance.

‘HERE LIES LOVE’ Lea Salonga & cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: Conrad Ricamora. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: Conrad Ricamora (left) & Arielle Jacobs (right) & cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: Arielle Jacobs, Jose Llana & cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).

‘HERE LIES LOVE’: The cast. Photo: Billy Bustamante, Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman (2023).