This Month in BM History: October 2008
A review in Business Mirror says La Fille Mal Gardee deserves to be seen and danced more often. Clipping from the Ballet Manila Archives collection
Although many ballets tell tragic tales, La Fille Mal Gardee (The Naughty Daughter) is the exception. With many interpretations by various companies since its premiere in France in 1789, Ballet Manila came up with its own with no less than People’s Artist of Russia Sergey Vikulov as choreographer.
Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Rudy De Dios, as Lise and Colas, manage to steal some time together to celebrate with their friends on the farm. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
Vikulov choreographed his version on principal dancers Lisa Macuja-Elizalde and Osias Barroso. La Fille Mal Gardee made its debut at the GSIS Theater in 2001 and was restaged in Star Theater in 2005. By October 2008, it was on its third performance run, and the first time for it to be staged at the bigger Aliw Theater which allowed for a larger cast.
La Fille Mal Gardee has a simple plot but one designed to elicit chuckles from the audience in between the dancing. With the country farm as locale, it centers on the young girl Lise and her beloved Colas. Mother Simone disapproves and wants to marry Lise off to Alain, son of the wealthy Thomas. But in the end, she allows her daughter to have her choice.
The show, set in the countryside, opens with dancing hens and a rooster. Photo by Ocs Alvarez
In this restaging, Macuja-Elizalde was reprising a role she had first danced almost nine years before. She shared the role of Lise with soloists Mylene Aggabao and Jennifer Olayvar.
As Mother Simone, Jonathan Janolo steals the show with his antics, with a little help from Marcus Tolentino as the wealthy Thomas. Photo by Ocs Alvarez.
Dancing as Colas was Rudy De Dios who in this role, said a critic, “came to his own in this demanding role.” In his review for Business Mirror, Joseph Cortes noted: “His leaps were secure, his twists confident, and he had finally come to terms with his character’s persona, able to trade acting chops with Macuja-Elizalde.”
But apparently, it was Jonathan Janolo as Mother Simone who brought the house down. “Dressed in drag and truly exaggerated costume and makeup, he stole the show with his patented bump-and-grind routine… When Mother Simone was onstage, the house simply erupted in laughter,” Cortes wrote.
La Fille Mal Gardee in October 2018 was the third time for Ballet Manila to stage the comic ballet choreographed by Sergey Vikulov. Program from the Ballet Manila Archives collection
