We watched ‘Cats’ and I stole the show
Posted on 07-26-10 · The Mommy Journals Tags: Alex, Sam, SpeedyWe bought the tickets many, many months ago. In fact, almost as soon as the announcements were made that “Cats” would be staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), we bought tickets. Yesterday, we went to see it. But this isn’t about the musical. At least, not really. It’s more about the spectacle I created right there at the CCP main theater.
It was raining yesterday. Speedy dropped us off at the theater entrance, went off to park the pick-up, and we agreed to just meet him inside. The three of us — Sam, Alex and I — went in (I should mention that I had to sass a couple who were trying to jump the line), did the rest room routine and off we went to find our seats. It’s been years since the last time I went to the CCP main theater. If I remember correctly, the last show I saw there was Miss Saigon. When the girls were younger, we’d watch musicals at the William Shaw Theater at Shangri-La Plaza, mostly Repertory Philippines productions, but I’ve never gone to the CCP with them. In the past, I’ve gone with friends, with cousins… but never with the girls and Speedy.
So, yesterday, after so many years, I didn’t remember the set up and that was probably why I decided that the front row balcony tickets (P2,000.00 each) were “okay” and there was no need for the more expensive lower balcony seats (cost twice as much). I was surprised that we had to take the elevator to the fourth floor. It’s been that long.
As soon as we entered the door to the balcony section, I already knew there was a problem. Steep. High. Height. No railings. Speedy had caught up with us by that time. We started descending the steps to the front row but by the time I was on the second to the last step, I froze. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t manage to walk the few steps to our assigned seats because to my right, there was only a two-and-half-foot (okay, maybe three) high wall between me and the floor below — four stories down. Speedy was already in his seat, he was waiting for us, the girls were waiting for me… And I blurted out, “I can’t. I’m scared.”
That may sound crazy especially for someone who felt an adrenalin rush while taking photos of the street from the 89th floor of a skyscraper. But there’s a huge difference when there’s a taller-than-myself wall between me and the abyss below — even if it’s clear glass. It’s not the sight of how far “below” is — it’s more the knowledge that there’s nothing but thin air between me and “below.”
Okay, so I sat down on the steps, holding on to the backrest of the seat nearest me and I refused to move. It was a mere five minutes before show time and the girls and I still weren’t in our seats. And people were starting to look at me — not just the ones near me but the ones far away from me. And I found myself laughing. Because I knew I looked ridiculous but couldn’t help it. Other people would probably feel embarrassed. I didn’t. Heck, everyone’s scared of something. Why should I pretend? But the thing is, I knew I had to get to my seat or walk out before the show started because the moment the lights were turned off, there was no way I would ever reach my seat.
Speedy suggested that I enter through the second row and step over to the front row. The people on the second row were very nice, and encouraging, and as I passed each one of them, muttering apologies, they were saying, “Don’t look down, keep your eyes toward the opposite direction.” Somehow, I managed to reach the seat right behind mine. But I still had to slide down to mine. By that time, I knew I was running my own show in there. Everyone who could see me was watching me. I could feel their eyes. Center stage, baby. If there’s something I’ve never been afraid of, nor balked at, it’s being the center of attention.
So Speedy was holding my hand, I had one foot over but couldn’t manage to swing my other foot. Good thing that cameras weren’t allowed in the theater or I probably would be all over the internet by now. I felt Speedy pulling me (he later said he wasn’t — he said I was pulling away and he thought I would tumble backward), I told him not to and, I don’t know how but, somehow, I swung my left foot over and I felt myself sliding safely to my seat. I was almost expecting the audience to break into an applause. And, surprised, I found Sam and Alex seated in theirs. How the hell did Alex manage that? Heck, in my family, it is Alex who has problems with heights. At least, we thought so. She doesn’t even like escalators. It appears that I have more serious problems.
The girls were giggling. They said there was a young child who had been laughing at me. Sam said, “Mommy, you have to blog about this!” And I laughed, amused at my stupidity. The lights went off soon after that. We watched the show, enjoyed some parts (others were boring), Lea Salonga was Grizabella. For the most part, I felt that she tried too hard to project her powerful voice but who the heck doesn’t know that she has a powerful voice and the rendition of “Memory” would have been more effective if she had managed to inject the melancholy that really characterizes the song. At any rate, she did still make my hackles rise near the end of the song so I was happy enough. I’m still trying to find out who played Rum Tum Tugger and Mr. Mistoffelees because it was they who really made the show worth watching (Sam thinks that Adam Lambert is just perfect for the Rum Tum Tugger role, and Speedy and I agreed).
When the show was over, we waited until most of the people had gone out before leaving our seats. But I didn’t put on a show this time. Going up was no problem because my back was on the abyss. So, the exit was rather uneventful. If the other viewers were expecting an encore from me, so sorry to disappoint them.
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I know what you mean. I, too, am afraid of heights and when I watched Ms. Saigon, I was way up there so high that I couldn’t see the huge sculpture
who was it, Ho Chi Minh?) My reaction was the same as yours as I thought it was so steep that a little misstep and I shall fall off all the way to the orchestra..
Easier actually if it weren’t the front row. Cheaper too. But, darn, it was I who chose the front row.
Dapat sa baba nalang tayo. Hindi pa magsstairs.
Opo, sa susunod po.
I’ve been in Meralco theater, William Shaw theater, this one in Manila along UN Ave (I forget it’s name), but the balcony section of this theater in Ateneo Grade School also had that same low wall. From memory, it was more like a footrest for those in front more than a protective barrier.
Imagine, pag nagtulakan at ma-off balance lang ng konti… yikes.
hey, i know exactly how you felt =) i was there at yesterday’s matinee, at the very same section (though not at the front row!). was actually surprised that even with the price we paid, super nosebleed rafters section na pala yon. i think the stairs were way, way too steep. who constructed that anyway?! anyone could very easily have a fatal accident there. one wrong move and you’d be on your way five stories down. i pitied the people sitting at the very front row which, as you said, only had a very low wall between them and the abyss below (and we’re talking at least 5 stories here!). there should have been at least a setback between the row of seats and the wall. i imagined if i were sitting at the front row and had to stand up while lupang hinirang was being played, i’d surely get vertigo from the view below. imagine, my friends and i were already seated at the mid-section and they were still too scared to stand up during the national anthem. i can never, ever imagine bringing my little kids to that balcony and having them sit at the front row. horrors!! mental note: if ever phantom of the opera is brought here, i’ll probably just shell out more for the tickets rather have a near-death experience.
by the way, i really loved the show especially rum tum tugger’s and mr. mistofelees’ parts. lea’s performance was flawless. i had my misgivings about her playing the role especially after associating it with elaine paige’s for so long, but she nailed it. imho.
Leandro “Lindy” Locsin, National Artist, is the architect.
Alex and I didn’t stand for the National Anthem. Sorry na lang talaga but we couldn’t.
I’ll never get tired of watching Cats, I’m waiting for it to be played here again in SF, I guess you have that fear of height jan sa Phils dahil you know very well na wala tayong 911 if ever something happens, dito kahit doon pa sa pinakatuktok yong tickets namin first row sa wall ok lang kasi we are so assured of the safety plans installed in every bldg
you can’t really care much about emergency when you’re already dead… hehehe. they should at least have steel railings on the balustrade. better safe than sorry, right?
Tama si Sam, dapat kasi, sa baba na lang and pinili niyong seats. hehehe.
Buyo, o hahahaha
Awww miss connie.. i can just imagine the situation.. LOL. For me , the best play or show i have ever watched was ‘SIAM NIRAMIT ” in bangkok. Grabe.. galing..galing.. free international buffet pa before the show..
Acrophobia is a genuine fear that has absolutely nothing to do with the presence of 911 emergency rescue services or lack thereof. Just recently in the US a baseball fan fell from the rafters. Where were your precious safety plans in that instance? And 911 can only respond after the damage has already been done. Bellicious is right. In the Philippines we say, “Aanhin pa ng tao ang patay na damo?”
Mayroon ba nyan sa San Francisco?
yes, kaya nga ayonkong umuwi jan sa Pinas, parang palaging nakabitin ang buhay ko he he he, dito sa US, pag may mga big events lahat may safety measures, naranasan kong pumunta sa New Years Eve Ball Drop, talagang magaling ang system nila, meron space for the ambulance, may mga pulis na naksakay sa kabayo to patrol and keep everyone safe, dahil sobrang daming tao talaga, kahit maginaw, hindi mo mararamdaman ang ginaw dahil dikitdikit lahat ng tao, we recently have the biggest GAy Pride celebrations dito sa SF at talagang napakaayos ng lahat, yong mga nahuhulog naman pag nanood ng ballgame dahil they try to catch the ball, but I haven’t heard anybody who died
Uh-oh… Ms. Connie, we too have the same tickets pero sa August 1 matinee pa naman kami. Gotta check the seats pala. Maraming salamat, just in case front row yung ticket namin, ihahanda ko na ang kalooban ko. May fear of heights din ako pero slight lang. hehehe…
Question… medyo malayo sa usapan. How is parking outside CCP? Where did Mr. Speedy parked the truck?
Across the street (side of CCP), there’s a pay parking area where all the restos are.
alright! the last time we went to CCP was about 10 years ago when we went to see Miss saigon and we did not have to worry about parking because we stayed the night at a nearby hotel. pero ngayon matinee na ang binili namin so there’ll be plenty of time to drive back home to Laguna.
Thanks loads!
btw, your chili fries rock! at may nadiscover pa ako. masarap pala ang ang chiz whiz sa mainit na kanin! haha!
hay buhay!
same price ang tickets natin though i didnt check where we’ll be seated…it was my friend who brought the tix… given your experience, it wouldnt be practical,too, to wear stilletos there, no? i dont have any fear of heights but you’d never know when you’d falloff-balance…i read at anton’s awesome planet the same complaint about the steep height and the abyss