Creating magic in the land of KAOS

It’s easier to sell one big show than several small shows happening simultaneously. It’s like the difference between one big blockbuster movie and five short films. The little stuff is cool, but you’ll pay to see That One Big Thing because, well, it’s probably worth your money. That’s pretty much the deal with KAOS – Resorts World’s first exclusive stage production. Packed with acrobats, death-defying stunts, catchy music and jolly choreography, it’s ten kinds of entertainment packed into one extravagant production. For the variety show you’re watching, the ticket prices are well worth it.

The Prince, the King, the Advisor and the Princess The story is set in a fairy-tale land. An unmarried Prince and his rotund father the King are at the center of nefarious schemes hatched by an evil Advisor, who sends for ladies from all lands to present themselves as brides for the Prince. These exhibitions are the pretense for the dramatic shows staged by various acts from all over the world. But alas, none of them, no matter how spectacular the display, can captivate the Prince’s heart. Finally, a strange magic trick opens a mysterious portal into the future, and there the Prince sees his one true love: a Princess from the land of KAOS, centuries away. It’s no candidate for Best Original Screenplay, perhaps, but the dialogue is simple and witty – especially as delivered by the charming Joel Trinidad. It’s like a cross between a Disney movie and an animated Dreamworks comedy, and really does provide fun for the entire family. The Prince is sensitive and handsome – a man in search of something more than a pretty face. The King is a jolly caricature, fawned over by dandy courtiers and intent on seeing his only son happy. And like many an animated villain, the Advisor has the best lines, the sharpest wit, and the limelight. Of course, no animated adventure is complete without a Disney Princess archetype, here a character from the future. Just like any modern heroine, she’s strong-willed and feisty, struggling against the Advisor’s dastardly deeds at every turn. But she’s also beautiful and gracious, a perfect match for the Prince. Wicked Stepsisters But if there’s a Disney Princess, there have to be wicked stepsisters, right? In this case, the roles are filled by two ladies (if the word could be applied to such boisterous characters) who are trying to woo the Prince. The Ugly Sisters take every opportunity to steal the show and plant themselves in the Prince’s way in the hope of winning his heart. If Trinidad’s Advisor were not comic relief enough, the silly sisters more than make up for the deficiency, especially since one of them is played by a very tall man. Incredible athleticism But you don’t watch KAOS for the story. You watch KAOS for the amazing feats of magic, flexibility, and showmanship. As the Prince or the Advisor sings, a Chinese acrobat runs across the stage and dangles from a long sash attached to a pulley in the ceiling, dancing in the air above the audience. Another acrobat dangles from his legs, and they perform their pas de deux as we all gasp in the fear that she will fall from his grip. But of course she never does. Many ladies try to charm the Prince, each one accompanied by dancers and singers in fantastic costumes, and each set more spectacular than the last. Each lady is armed with her own production, intricately designed to attract the Prince, and each one really does dazzle. “Princess Flora from the Philippines" glides onstage, her voice like silk across your fingertips, her backup singers and dancers dressed like the exotic foliage of this country. A lady from Scandinavia arrives with muscle men bearing ships at least five feet tall on their shoulders. It felt a little bit like a classic MGM production merged with a glittering Las Vegas show. And then there’s the Good Wizard, illusionist Enrique Polo, whose sexy assistants disappear and turn into big cats. One stunt has members of the Defying Gravity Troupe rolling on the floor whilst other troupe mates jump over each other’s bodies. The gasping audience holds their breath in the fear that no jump could be high enough to traverse such a distance. And they’re good-looking too! The two stunt men of the Human Time Machine from Colombia perform stunts of such amazing dexterity and balance that they would make any gymnast weep. A metal contraption rotates, suspended from the ceiling, with huge wheels on either end. The stunt men walk inside the wheels as the device moves faster and faster. They look rather like hamsters in a cage, except they’re quite well-muscled and very good-looking, and watching hamsters run in a wheel makes you laugh, not gasp. They run faster and faster, until they’re no longer running but leaping within the wheel! The Power Duo from Belarus look like nothing more than muscle-bound—okay, and really good-looking too—men in tights. If they’d gone onstage to lift dumbbells, a car, or a box full of small children, you would not have been surprised. But instead they were there to lift each other – that was truly surprising. One man would balance on one hand atop the other’s head, or dangle from the other’s arms in perfect form. More is more Each stunt is something you’ve seen before, maybe in another show, a circus, on TV, on YouTube. You expect to see the same old banana. But KAOS takes each spectacle to another level. Where on TV you only saw five acrobats rolling on the floor and jumping over each other, here there are ten! If in another show you saw four motorcyclists circling inside a metal globe, here you see more! In Araneta Coliseum you may have seen a dance troupe from a noontime show, but here, in Resorts World, are the award-winning Philippine All-Stars! The stage is flanked by two giant LED screens that tell you – in English, Chinese and Japanese – what’s happening in the story. Though all the music is in English, the songs used are familiar tunes that audiences will recognize whatever language they speak. And the choreography suffices to convey what the music does not. It’s a really spectacular show, and the amazing production is worth the price you pay for your ticket. Expect no profound insights but prepare to be amazed at the capacity of the human body and daring. You may also need a cup of tea and a relaxing massage afterwards, because the entire show—both the stunts and the entertaining music—will definitely excite and titillate. - AY, GMA News The show runs Wednesdays to Sundays until June 2011. Tickets sell at PHP 988.00, PHP 1,188.00, PHP 1,888.00, PHP 2,688.00, and PHP 2,888.00. For more information, visit the KAOS website.