Asian Premiere of Love, Loss, and What I Wore
Runs at the RCBC Plaza Until July 17 Only
Is a dress just a dress, a shoe just a shoe?
In the Nora & Delia Ephron play titled “Love, Loss, and What I Wore,” they most definitely are not.
Described as “an intimate collection of stories about life and fashion,” the play presents clothes (and various accessories) in the role of time machines and oracles, as these mundane everyday items capture & bring back memories, explore and enlighten relationships… even define (or distress) the personalities of their wearers.
Clothes become the link that binds mothers to daughters, as one daughter recalls the many years of her mother sewing clothes for her because they couldn’t afford to buy them… and another daughter thought she looked beautiful in the new dress her mother gave her, until she walked down the street and “the love of her life” saw her and laughed… and how another daughter treasured the last dress her late mother ever gave her, not being able to find it in her closet, and then suddenly seeing her dress on their cleaning lady’s little girl – apparently given away by her stepmother without even telling her.
Various items of clothing also spark lively conversations between family members (“What will you do with a tiara?!”), mark the passage of time (“But I’ve always been a size 8…!”), bring back fond memories (“I dressed up as Madonna!”), reflect wavering states of self esteem (“I have nothing to wear!”), and influence critical life choices (“I look so good in heels, but they’re so painful I can’t think! Heels… or Think?”)
This whole wardrobe of complementing stories originally came from a book by Ilene Beckerman, and tailored lovingly for the stage by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron.
Towards the end, Beckerman recalls asking about her book: “Who would buy this? It’s too personal.”
As it turns out, her collection of stories became “personal” to a lot of people too. From the page to the stage, “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” has inspired countless off-Broadway audiences to revisit fond memories of childhood, puberty, and early adulthood, while taking out from their minds’ closets the clothes and shoes they wore to each one.
Featuring stunning performances by Bituin Escalante, Cathy Azanza-Dy, Jay Valencia Glorioso, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, and Teresa Herrera, this Asian premiere of “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” is directed by Michael Williams and Cathy Azanza-Dy.
It runs from July 14 to July 17, 2011 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of the RCBC Plaza in Makati. Tickets are sold via Ticketworld through www.ticketworld.com.ph and 891-9999.
