ZZZ Zizzzles on Ztage (Zsazsa Zaturnnah, Camp Theatre)

Zsazsa Zaturnnah Ze Muzical combines bizarre setting, and fantastic good-vs- evil story with the the very real pathos that often underpins gay love.

It is self-proclaimed (or self-confessed) "camp theatre." Indeed, it flaunts homosexuality, plays on the "curious attraction that everyone -- to some degree ... has for the bizarre, the unnatural, the artificial and the blatantly outrageous." (Center of Gravitas)

ZZZ's playbill explains "camp" further:

Ang camp ay pananaw na nagtatampisaw sa artifice (ITSAFAKE), theatricalization (DRAMADRAMAHAN), irony (TARAY), playfulness (HARUTAN), exaggeration (EKSAZH!) at kawalan ng meaning (GAGA-GAGAHAN). (Susan Sontag)

Camp nga ba sya?

There is nothing fake, overly theatrical, playful nor inane when Ada, small-town beauty-parlorista, delivers the opening monologue.

"Sa buhay, may mga pangyayaring hindi natin maipaliwanag. Ang pagsabay ng buhos ng ulan at pagsikat ng araw. Ang pag-aaway ng aso’t pusa. Ang paglaho ng inasahang walang kamatayang pag-ibig. Gayunpaman, tuluy-tuloy ang buhay. .... Tulad ko. Ilang taon ko nang iniisip kung bakit ako ganito. Kung bakit malambot ang galaw ko. Kung bakit matinis ang boses ko. Kung bakit hindi ako…normal. ... Ngunit sa dulo, tinanggap ko na.

Bakla ako."

It is Ada who by some fluke transforms into a Darna-like character -- powerful, brave, beautiful, and babaeng-babae. In her skimpy sequined bikini, s/he basks in being a girl:

Babae na ako! Babae na ako! Mula kilay hanggang kuko! Babae na ako! Ang taray na ng lola! Sa akin nang korona! Tingnan mo… babae na ako!!! (I’m a gherl!) Ang taray na ng lola! (Ang ganda!) Awwww!!!

Ada, now Zaturnnah. then proceeds to fight one evil element after another that invades her village, threatening destruction and death. She doesn't do this by her lonesome but rather by inspiring her kababayan, including Dodong, the village hunk, to rally around her.

AT the end of the skirmishes with a giant frog, rampaging zombies and power-tripping extra-terrestrial amazons, , she and villagers emerge triumphant. But the superbabe is not unbruised. As she licks her wounds, she also nurses a heart broken by what she thinks is unrequited love for Dodong. She is weary, confused, -- and now wants to leave town for the bigger world.

And where is "camp" when Ada poignantly sings out her confusion and heartbreak?

Kailangan nang lisanin ko ang lugar na ito. Sa hawak niya ako’y nasasakal. Kunwari daw tanggap nila ako, pero alam ko’ng totoo. Ayoko na. Ayoko nang mabuhay ng ganito. ... Maiwan man kabiyak ng puso ko. Ano pa nga ba ang bago… nasanay na ako. Sawi na naman. Puso’y duguan ngunit kailangan kong lumisan. ... Talikuran man ang iniibig ko. Ano pa nga ba ang bago … nasanay na ako. Sawi na naman. Puso’y duguan ngunit kailangan kong lumisan

What she doesn't know is that Dodong has learned to love not only Zaturnnah the superbabe but also Ada, the gay parlorista. Ada isn't within earshot when Dodong sings:

Ikaw ang superhero ng buhay ko. Hindi ka man lumilipad, napakalayo ng iyong narating. Nais kong sumama saan ka man magpunta. Hawakan mo ako. Maglalakbay tayo. ... Tulad mo’y nagsimula akong managinip. Ang bugnot kong mundo binuhay mo. Ikaw ang superhero ng buhay ko. Pagod ka man ngayon, ako naman ang papasan sa iyo. Halika na sa piling ko, kita’y iuuwi.

The story ends happily as Dodong follows Ada out of the village amidst a rousing sendoff by grateful townsfolk.

The theatergoer comes away happily too after imbibing heady admixture of camp and soul.

(ZZZ still runs at RCBC Theatre Makati with the following playdates/time: June 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, July 1 - 8 pm; June 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, July 1, 3 pm. Call ticket world 891-9999 and CCP Box Office 832 3704).


Acknowledgment: Gibbs Cadiz, theatre blogger and PDI lifestyle desk ed.

Photo credits: Dine Racoma aka sexy mom, inspiring blogger and friend



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