After several deliberations with me, myself and I, I finally gave in to my i-wanna-pretend-i-am-cultured self and organized a weekday night out with 3 friends to watch Fuerza Bruta.
Fuerza Bruta is a postmodern theater show created by Diqui James in 2005. It originated in Buenos Aires and has been seen by 500,000 people worldwide. It is an energetic spectacle under the motto "Brutally Happy" and is packaged as a 360-degree experience.
I can summarize the entire show as a misty (the water-kind), acrobatic, dance show party with great club music. The music reminds me of Hans Zimmer's Inception soundtrack. There were around 8 performers and the stage is the entire space including the walls and the ceiling! If that's not enough, it is a highly interactive show that performers dance with the crowd. In certain parts of the show they join the audience and carry out the acts with the crowd. Two of the performers loved to shuffle my hair.
Given that the acts are carried all over the venue, the production staff heralds the crowd where the performances are gonna be. No amount of research prepared me for the actual show. The experience was more intense and more out of this world than expected.
The Highlights
1. Running Man Act
Show starts with the running man on a moving stage. In my interpretation he battles the forces of nature until he gets shot.
My friend thinks that it's putting man in a jellyfish's shoe. He's one of my more interesting friends.
2. Witches Scaling the Wall
Sideways.
This is one of my favorite acts. Two ladies walk, run, fly and roll on the silver wall. The experience is taken a notch higher with the shrills they make and the varying intensity of the music.
3. Crazy Tap Dancing
I find this fun. The steps were simple but it was executed with too much gusto, crazy passion and a lot of shouting. Raw, brute force. I love the sound of their boots hitting the steel floor.
Intense.
4. Bashing, lots of smashing.
What garnered a lot of shrieks and applause from the crowd are the breaking of slabs. It was executed in so many form from falling ceilings to moving walls and there were also smaller slabs that you can hit people with. The performers joined the crowd and smashed several slabs with random people. I think it's a good form of stress relief.
5. Overhead Swimming.
Look Up!
The final act is performed in a translucent pool of water viewed overhead. It won't be surprising if people say this will be their favorite act. Performers peer, swim, splash and glide. The moves were pretty simple but what made it really good is that it can be viewed from a different vantage point. The pool lowers to the audience that you can actually touch the dancers in the water. It is also risque. You get the picture.
6. You get to dance with the performance and actors!
At the end of the show there's a shower that you get to party wet. Our party of 4 did not do that. We are boring.
The Lowdown
The show lasted only for an hour. I would have preferred it to be at least an hour and a half! I wouldn't mind watching and dancing even for 2 hours. That would have tired out the cast.
In Summary
1. Fuerza Bruta is one unique show that everyone should experience at least once. More so if you love dancing, acrobatic act, club music and something out of the ordinary. It helps that the performers are very attractive. This is not for anyone who can't appreciate club music, dancing crowd, intense performance and anything unique.
2. Since I consider it a party, it is best enjoyed with your special someone or friends. Families can enjoy the show as well as long as they don't have young kids with them. I don't encourage bringing children under the age of 12 since there are risque parts and well, I am not an advocate of exposing kids to parties. Especially for very young kids, they might find it too noisy and might get hurt as the crowd moves. Although a 5-year old kid had the time of his life the night we watched the show: he had slabs smashed on his tiny frame and even danced under the shower after the show. He was the favorite of the performers.
3. I find the Php 2500 tag expensive because it lasted only for an hour. Other than that, the entire experience is worth all the money. The ticket comes with 2 free drinks which you can enjoy before and after the show.
4. Do come in your most comfortable attire and footwear. It's good to wear something chic but it is more important to be in something really comfortable. Remember, it's a standing show, you move around and you may opt to dance so aching feet should be the least of your concerns.
5. For the Manila run, it is held at the Manila Hotel Tent, if you still have money to spare, have dinner at the 3 restaurants within the grand dame. The food may not be the be in the top 1% in town but still good and it's also nice to experience old elegance. The hotel has been recently renovated, it's way nicer as compared to my visit in 2008.
6. Lastly, pick a night when you think there will be the less show-goers. It will be easier to move around and it doesn't get too crowded.
Manila Hotel Tent
Roxas Boulevard, Manila
February 14-26, 2012
Mon - Thurs (8:00 PM), PhP 2500
Fri - Sat (8:00 PM and 11:00 PM), PhP 3000
63.2.320.1111
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