REVIEW:
Imelda at KXT Bakehouse
Reviewed by: Bridget Whitford
Date of Performance: Sat 8 August
Photo Credit: Andrea Magpulong
Three Words: Confusing. Camp. Intriguing.
Best Thing: The singing - it brings great humour and freshness to each scene, and showcases the cast’s impressive vocal talent.
Watch if you feel like: Learning more about the Marcos family and exploring how the influence of dictatorship can persist even within our ‘democratic’ world.
Best Line of Dialogue: ‘Do you want to sing out of tune!?!?’
How the audience reacted: This is undoubtedly a story that resonates with the Filipino community. There was a palpable buzz from an audience being given the opportunity to see themselves and their culture represented onstage in this way, and it was quite electrifying to witness.
Lighting: Clever lighting design by EJ Zielinski, alongside innovative AV design by Alyssa Dimarucut and writer Donita Cruz, helps immerse us in the world of the piece. The TV segments and karaoke machine are particular highlights, with their cultural specificity enriching the experience in ways the script itself does not always achieve.
Set/Costume: Rachel Adams keeps the set bare and intimate within the already compact KXT space. It would be interesting to see how a more ambitious and detailed approach to the set and design might further enrich the storytelling.
Acting: Teresa Tate Britten is a standout as Imelda, moving effectively between moments of camp entertainment and the volatile mood swings of her character, while also showcasing impressive vocals. Despite a strong voice and clear differentiation between her younger and older selves, Alex Gonzalez struggles to fully realise the three-dimensional arc of her central role, leaving the audience without a strong enough emotional anchor at the centre of the piece. Tamara Lee Bailey and Ahlex Leyva are excellent in their supporting roles, bringing nuance and variety that help ground the work.
Writing: While an interesting concept from an emerging writer, the piece would have benefited from further drafts and dramaturgical development. An ephemeral work like this needs to strike a careful balance between providing the audience with enough context and trusting them to form their own interpretations. Cruz sometimes risks alienating the audience by allowing the narrative to become overly confusing; from the outset, it is difficult to understand who we are with and precisely what the piece is trying to communicate, meaning the non-linear structure can feel messy rather than innovative. There are also too many narrative strands competing for attention: What is the significance of the magic? Who is Maria’s mother? Who is the actress on the television? A clearer central idea would allow the work to explore its themes with greater depth and focus. It is a shame, as there is strong character work and a deeper message at play, but it remains difficult to connect with when the audience is not given enough grounding to make sense of it.
Directing: In his directorial debut, Aden Abedela demonstrates a clear focus on storytelling and the relationships at the heart of the work. Greater attention could be given to establishing the political context of the piece, particularly in helping audiences draw parallels between its exploration of dictatorship and the influence of authoritarianism in contemporary life. Nevertheless, Abedela elicits strong performances from much of the cast, who carry a significant amount of the storytelling weight.
Overall: As with many new works, this is a piece that would benefit from more development time and greater clarity in its structure. However, KXT remains a pivotal space for artists to make these discoveries, experiment with their craft and test new work in front of audiences. Supporting spaces like this is essential in giving the next generation of emerging artists the opportunity to develop and grow.
Diamond Rating (out of 5): 💎💎💎.5
Runs until: 15 August
Tickets can be bought at: https://events.humanitix.com/imelda/tickets