Greenbelt and the arts 2: Tuesdays with Morrie @ Rep

The last Rep show I had seen was their wonderful staging of Man of La Mancha in 2005, so I felt that it was about time to go back to Greenbelt 1. I computed that the Silver Pass (P1,200) costs roughly £15, which would get you the cheapest seat in one West End show. Good seats in four plays versus a bad seat in one play--no contest.

After getting season tickets, my mom and I found ourselves in a long queue. It was a good thing a front-of-house staff member sought us out and told us to use the other door.

The first production of the season is Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie running until next weekend. I read the book in college and, despite my friend Nikka's gushing, I was not sold on it. Repertory Philippines, I am pleased to report, successfully brought it to life.

As expected, the set was simple. The size of the playing area was decreased in keeping with the scale of the show, so the orchestra side sections had to be adjusted for sight lines. I came to the theater with a bias: Bart Guingona is one of my favorite thespians. But here, I was completely taken by Jose Mari Avellana's performance as sociology professor Morrie Schwartz.

The play, like the book, was relatively brief (running time 105 minutes without interval). But the lessons should last a lifetime.

Verdict: don't read the book, see the show instead.