The Last 5 Years - and My First Year

The Last 5 Years starring Nikki Gil and Joaquin Valdez

This August, 9 Works Theatrical staged The Last 5 Years to celebrate its 5 years and I am so thankful to be part of it. To those who missed L5Y, you missed a wonderful show, just make sure to watch the rerun of Grease this November and La Cage this February.

Anyway, L5Y is about the roller coaster love story of Cathy, a struggling theater actress, and her beau-turned-husband Jamie, a rising novelist. Cathy tells her story from end to beginning, while Jamie tells her story from beginning until end, both way saying two things - it was a hopeful relationship but crashes harshly down.

Mio Infante's wonderful set

A first look at Mio Infante's set is already a sign that the audiences are up for an unusual play. The stage was not made to face the center of the audience area but to the right side of the audience area. The platform was uneven with five pillars/frames and scattered chairs attached all over it, which I heard many people interpret as the last five years of the couple and how unstable the relationship was. However, personally I interpret the set as frames (like those in photographs) which symbolized the memories of the couple's last five years. A key set piece in the play was the bed which served as indicator of the mood of the scene, as well as how long time had passed.

Nikki Gil as Cathy Hyatt, a struggling actress

Joaquin Valdez as Jamie Wellerstein, a rising writer

The lights and projections were another story. Each sequence in the play has their own special lighting and projections which, together with the music, helps deliver the love story. A personal favorite of mine was during the boat scene, in which the lights were blue and made to look like the flowing river in New York as well as the projections of the sights in New York.

Cathy and Jamie during their wedding, featuring 9PO :)

The pivotal part of the play, which I think made the audience realize how the story flows, was Jamie and Cathy's wedding. The wedding was the only part of the play in which Jamie and Cathy were physically together and the only song where they sing the same song.

 

Watching L5Y once is not enough for the audience to fully understand and appreciate the play. Structurally, L5Y was written to be watched twice - or even more, making the first viewing have the purpose of understanding the story, while the succeeding viewings have the purpose of appreciating Robbie Guevara's direction, as well as Nikki Gil's unbelievably wonderful voice and Joaquin Valdez's unnaturally long-ranged voice.

Goodbye...

My personal take on L5Y is that Cathy and Jamie's relationship did not prosper because Jamie was too busy managing his fame that even though he loves Cathy so much, he somehow neglects her sadness for not being able to be as successful as he was, as well as his tendencies to look, and eventually sleep with, other women. But I am not saying that the failure of their relationship was exactly all Jaime's fault, actually, I believe that it was otherwise. I believe that Cathy was very ambitious that her inability to level with Jaime's fame and success was a huge blow to her that it made her pity herself so much. And through Cathy's songs, I can say that she is also too self-centered, most of her songs were about her and her dreams, while Jamie's were about his dreams which were to be happy with Cathy, and how he wants Cathy to be happy too.

I would like to thank Ms. Camille Santos for giving me the opportunity to usher for The Last 5 Years. Without her, I wouldn't be able to have this wonderful theater experience which I will treasure for the rest of my life. I'd also like to thank Rob, Ms. Anna, Sir Santi, Sir JonJon, and the whole 9 Works family for being so friendly and nice to me. I'd also like to thank my co-ushers and FOH guys, Ate Claui, Ate Gabby, Ate Ann, Ate Shirl, Ate JB, Ate Karyl, Karl, Nico, Nica, Teena, Marj, and Erik - I hope to see you and work with you again! And lastly, I would like to thank my friend, Kat, who I feel is my long lost theater buddy :D

with my long lost theater buddy, Kat

with Cathy

and Jamie

and the man behind this great show, Rob

Congratulations again to everyone who made The Last 5 Years possible! See you guys in Grease!