ONE MORE CHANCE THE MUSICAL IS JUST LIKE THE MOVIE, AND THEN SOME

(SPOT.ph) Any doubts about whether One More Chance, The Musical would be well-received should be out the window by now. The jukebox musical, based on the 2007 John Lloyd-Bea cult-favorite flick, sold out 79 shows on its first run—50 shows before rehearsals even started and an additional 29 shows due to public demand. Not only that—just weeks after they wrapped up in June of this year, they announced another rerun from August to October.

ICYDK, One More Chance: The Musical is produced by the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) and directed by Maribel Legarda (Rak of Aegis, Melodrama Negra). For the most part, it follows the storyline of the 2007 film—college sweethearts Popoy and Basha navigate the adult world while dealing with mismatched goals, personal insecurities, and everything in between. But the stage version, of course, comes with a lot of singing. This staging employs Myke Salomon's musical direction to add dramatic flair to the already emotionally charged script, weaving songs from the popular nine-piece folk-pop group Ben&Ben into the narrative.

Popoy and Basha 2.0

Fans of the movie looking to re-experience the celluloid Popoy and Basha will leave the theater satisfied. The stage adaptation keeps all the hard-hitting, crowd-favorite scenes and lines. We all know you felt some rage during the infamous fried chicken scene; ugly-cried to hugot lines such as, "Sana ako pa rin, ako na lang, ako na lang ulit;" and memorized by heart the cathartic "She loved me at my worst, you had me at my best." Trust us, this adaptation will make you go through all that all over again.

But fans will also note a few tweaks. There's a lot of smartphones, video calls, and group chats in Bene Manaois’ multimedia projection mapping— letting audiences know this is no longer set in the flip-phone era of 2007 when the movie came out. Zillennials will recognize of-the-moment slang such as "red flag" and "safe space". Jokes also noticeably pepper the conversations, bringing more com to this rom, while little nuances add more depth to the issues Popoy and Basha face.

The play is 2.5 hours long, 35 minutes longer than the movie. This gives audiences more time to digest the drama and all the quarter-life issues that beset the characters. You'll be stewing in all the feels because it will remind you of the challenges you may be going through or have experienced: defining yourself outside a relationship, getting up from rock bottom, learning to let go of the one you truly love.

It's a lot to take in even for two hours and 30 minutes. Thank heavens the cast is up to the challenge, and deliver engaging, heartfelt performances. One More Chance, The Musical has a powerhouse cast led by Sam Concepcion and CJ Navato alternating as Popoy, and Anna Luna and Nicole Omillo alternating as Basha.

We caught the show that featured the pairing of Navato and Luna. Navato charmed audiences—not just with those dimples you can spot a mile away but with his deft acting and singing prowess, giving Popoy a redeemable heartbreak-induced softboi persona.

His partner, Luna, made for a lovable and relatable Basha who is only too happy to have successfully gotten out of her first serious relationship.

Suffice it to say, the pairing had palpable chemistry, giving audiences a large dose of kilig. We found ourselves going through what Popoy and Basha went thru, feeling what they felt, which is a testament to how effective the actors were in their roles. Even if you're already familiar with how the story flows and ends, you’ll love watching Poy and Bash’s character development unfold throughout the play.

Long Live One More Chance's "The Thursday Barkada"

Aside from the play's strong lead couple, audiences shouldn't sleep on "The Thursday Barkada"— Popoy and Basha's tight-knit, ride-or-die friends. Miah Canton as Anj, Johnni Moran as Chinno, Jon Abella as JP, Rica Laguardia as Krizzy, and Paji Arceo as Kenneth all shine in their roles.

This stage version of this ragtag gang is given more dimension than their movie counterparts. We found ourselves rooting for their wins and following their individual subplots on top of the Popoy-Basha storyline.

Of the members of The Thursday Barkada, Canton and Moran deserve the biggest shoutout. They were the show's standout comics, delivering jokes that poked fun at current events in the Philippines and landing them. Often, they'd even break the fourth wall and elicit more laughs, making audiences feel part of the drama—or comedy—unfolding. Claps for that.

Aside from their powerful acting, The Thursday Barkada is also equipped with a set of pipes enough to give you goosebumps. If you think Ben&Ben’s smash hits such as Kathang Isip, Araw-Araw, and Elyu are heartbreaking and emotionally charged, wait ‘til you hear them from this stellar cast. Prepare to get chills when the friends harmonize in Leaves— one of our favorite numbers in the entire show.

Although not part of the core group, Kiara Takahashi's performance as Popoy's new girlfriend, Tricia, deserves a nod. Although fans of the movie know Tricia is the real victim here, it's hard to root for her when we all know what happens to Popoy and Basha in the end. But we fell hard for Takahashi's smooth, jazzy vocals. It was almost enough to make us jump ship to Team Tricia.

Another pleasant surprise in the musical is how it tackles mental health issues, such as—spoiler alert—symptoms of depression and suicidal ideations. In the movie, they seem to be just elements meant to move the story along, but onstage, their realities are magnified, and the discussions about them more poignant.

Should you watch One More Chance, The Musical if you've seen it the first time around?

If you ask us, yes.

If you've been keeping up with the production, you'd know that despite its blockbuster ticket sales, the musical received mixed feedback. Fans of the film gave the musical glowing reviews, but many also nitpicked on the show's technical aspects. The first run's three-hour runtime proved too tiring for many, while production numbers were said to be "overdone", the blocking and choreography leaving much to be desired.

But just as you would give an ex more chance, this musical deserves the same. If you don't want to take our word for it, here's One More Chance, The Musical's assistant director J-mee Katanyag saying there are improvements to look forward to: "We revisited some scenes and production numbers by updating the blocking, choreography, and video projections. We also reimagined some of the scenes with songs ni Popoy, Basha, and the rest of the Thursday Barkada."

But really, catch this musical, especially if you loved the movie. We won’t be surprised if this gets another run. And if it does, don't let us wait too long. By all means, break the three-month rule.

Catch "One More Chance: The Musical" until October 27, 2024, at the PETA Theater Center, New Manila, Quezon City.

Also read: PETA Apologizes for Bad Theater Experience in One More Chance A Jose Mari Chan Musical Is Coming This Year

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2024-09-18T16:12:13Z dg43tfdfdgfd