Diane, my niece Elise, and I sat in the balcony while Patrick, Katie, and their friend Josephine danced on the floor of this interactive musical. Platforms moved the people on the floor around throughout the show. Other platforms carried the actors across the venue during the performance.
Here Lies Love is a musical with music by David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame) and Fatboy Slim, and lyrics by Byrne. This biographical musical is based on Byrne’s and Slim’s concept music album based on Byrne’s research on the life of former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos. The musical’s score is described as “disco pop.”
The sold-out performance, full of flashing lights, archived photos and videos from the 1960s to the 1980s show the tragic story of the Philippine Government drifting into an autocratic regime ruled by Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. Imelda grew up in poverty but found her way into the wealthy ruling class of the Philippines–she had a 1000 pairs of shoes!–and purged her poverty-stricken past.
Dancing, singing, impassioned speeches (quoted from the originals) prove to be a heady mix of music and corrupt politics. Many people around us cried as the tragedy unfolded. Here Lies Love crackles with energy and unique staging while telling a heart-breaking story. GRADE: C+
MUSICAL NUMBERS:
Musical numbers
| “American Troglodyte” “Here Lies Love” “Child of the Philippines” “Opposite Attraction” “The Rose of Tacloban” “A Perfect Hand” “Eleven Days” “When She Passed By” “Sugartime Baby” “Walk Like a Woman” “Don’t You Agree? / Pretty Face” “Dancing Together” “The Fabulous One” | “Men Will Do Anything” “Star and Slave” “Poor Me” “Please Don’t” “Solano Avenue” “Riots and Bombs” “Order 1081” “Seven Years” “Gate 37” “Just Ask the Flowers” “Why Don’t You Love Me?” “God Draws Straight” |
I take it that grade implies, Worthy but not compelling? I can see it. (I have at least one old friend who is a Byrne superfan…I imagine she might be on-stage, given the opportunity.) Anti-pop disco at first seems like a contradiction of terms, but disco that only the most devoted could appreciate or dance to is not that unlikely…
Todd, HERE LIES LOVE is a spectacle with Byrne music, dancing, moving stages, and a bizarre story.
I wonder what Patrick and Katie would grade it? Maybe you need to take part to enjoy it.
Patti, Patrick and Katie–who were on the dance floor for the whole musical–like HERE LIES LOVE more than Diane and I did. But we’re glad we experienced it.
Never heard of it. Jackie and I do NOT do shows that require standing. We have been to “standing only” concerts in the past – Dave Barry and the Rock Bottom Remainders – but those days are gone. We once went to a Grateful Dead concert with my brother and his then-wife, where they danced around for hours and we stood in the back and felt totally out of place. We did see Byrne’s last show on Broadway – I’m out, so can’t look up the title – but we liked it a lot.
But this is definitely not for us. And a C+ from George is not a good grade.
Found it. The Byrne show was American Utopia in 2019.
Jeff, we watched AMERICAN UTOPIA on one of the streaming channels a couple years ago. Byrne is a very different artist.
Jeff, Diane and I don’t like to stand for long periods of time, either. That’s why we opted for the balcony seats and while Patrick, Katie, and Josephine danced the night away. HERE LIES LOVE is memorable for its staging, but the music really didn’t move me.
Need I say it? No way in hell I’d see this! Talk about standing, I can’t do it for more than a few minutes! I got my handicapped parking placard today but was disappointed when I couldn’t find a handicap space available at Safeway! I got one close by anyway!
Bob, I loved my Handicapped Parking sticker when I had my knee replacement surgeries. It was a sad day when they expired!