[Ba]Ding, ang bato!



I watched the Darna musical this afternoon. Liked the soundtrack. Lots of techno and house music in there. Plus they have those portable panels framing the characters on some important plot points--as an homage I think to Darna's roots in komiks.

Darna kicks ass. I like the nature healer and superhero theme. There's this moment early in the first act where a huge white cloth shone with lights. It's supposed to be a volcano eruption, but seemed to me like they were being invaded by aliens. Darna got her powers because she was abducted. Hehehe. Nah.

Valentina is really a misunderstood character. The other kids made fun of her because she was kalbo. Nah. She was different, and therefore cast out from the normalcy of the neighborhood. Then she got spurned by the crush ng bayan Arman. Valentina suffered a very mean and cruel childhood. That's why you should treat your playmates really well. You never know how they'll turn out when they grow up and grow snakes on their heads. Oh, and there really weren't any moving snakes on Valentina's head.

I think for a Pinay superhero, Darna and Valentina still haven't escaped the patriarchal shit of Pinoy society. I mean, ano ba ang conflict nilang dalawa? Pinag-aagawan nila si Arman. Like hello? I liked Valentina's aria though, and the Boytoys' song about how life is: You have to know how to suck up to the ones who are in power. Ganda at kisig lang ang puhunan nila.

But I liked the music, and those riggers really deserve special thanks. Galing ng timing. And it really must be hell to be hanging up and down those steel rigs the entire two hours.

There was a Darna exhibit on the third floor. My favorite part was the Alternative Darnas from the contest where they photoshop various women and what they would look like if they portrayed Darna. I liked the Assunta de Rossi as Darna picture best, then the "FrankenDarna" with the face of Janna Victoria, the boobs of Geneva Cruz, Mrs Montano's legs and Donita Rose's arms. One of the girls viewing the exhibit stared at the Vilma Santos as Darna pictures. She said, "Ay mukha siyang Baby Darna!"

Of all the recent Darna incarnations, I think Anjanette Abayari made a very good Darna. She can carry a Tamaraw FX on her shoulders. But I'm starting to like the very first Darna Rosa del Rosario. She looked morena enough, but also chinita. And maybe from UP. The Mango Comics incarnation has her in a white hanging shirt and jeans, and although she's probinsyana, she speaks in Taglish. But more than anything, I think Darna should really be morena and kickass and not fight about boys with her childhood playmate. It's like Darna, girl, after fifty years and you're still squabbling over some guy.

I also liked the Darna "tiaras" the kids were wearing. When the President watched the show, and they gave her a Darna tiara which Valentina had to rearrange on her head. [Aside lang ha: She actually reminded me of Prince Hal, and how her rule was an uneasy one. Mutinies not withstanding, hm.] For a moment there, I thought "Buti pa si GMA binigyan ng tiara, kami wala." Considered sneaking out the tiara from the take your picture as Darna standee, but my sanity kicked in.

Catch the show if you still can. It's their last run this weekend. For more Darna goodness, you can get wallpapers and stuff from the Darna musical website or Mango Comics. And if someone out there can tell me where I can get the Darna soundtrack, please give me a holler.