Theater review: A sneak peek into the life of Diana Vreeland in ‘Full Gallop’

It was as if Diana Vreeland just started anew after she was terminated as editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine for ten years. After a four-month vacation in Europe, the fashion icon returned to the Big Apple and decided to host an impromptu dinner with some of her wealthiest peers, hoping they would bankroll her pursuit to start a magazine of her own.

"Full Gallop" centers on the story of Vreeland, four months after she was fired from Vogue. It had been a life full of contemplating for her, thinking whether she should start her own magazine or accept the offer as a consultant at the Costume Institute, which she does at the end of the play.

"...Simply, her era was over," the New York Post said about Vreeland being out of a job.  But was it true? Her look after reading this quote answers the question, as she wrinkles her face in disgust and calls the the Costume Institute to reconsider the offer.

Vreeland started out as a columnist for Harper's Bazaar, then its fashion editor only six months after she is hired. After almost 30 years with Harper's, she then went on to become the editor-in-chief of American Vogue for ten years. Needless to say, Vreeland knew that her influence in fashion would continue to inspire others who breathe the industry of glamor.

"You've got to have a dream of something," she said.

The local adaptation of the one-woman play is a show worth your every penny. Cherie Gil plays the character with much thought and understanding.

Gil's flavorful performance showed the good and the bad side of the late fashion icon. She was fearless in delivering the lines, notably when she started talking about her late husband, where everyone basically felt her vulnerability as she dived into that part of her life. Gil's portrayal unveiled her depth as an actress, showing that she is arguably one of the most talented stars in this country. She did not disappoint her audience; she received a standing ovation at the end of the play.

And even though the production of "Full Gallop" is hit or miss—especially in a Philippine setting, where the fashion industry is not a priority—it is sad how this only has a two-week run, considering how much one would be able to understand the industry of fashion by watching the play. The character's life choices can inspire a lot of dreamers, and that maybe someday the industry of glamour and beauty can have a big impact in this country.

The story of her life

Inside Diana's famous New York City apartment on Park Avenue, everything is red: from the walls to the velvet curtains, the chairs, and even her shade of lipstick; all bold red hues. Items in the living room included a vinyl player, books, a telephone and portraits, including a Vogue cover.

"I loathe nostalgia," Diana muses as she parades around the living room in her signature black dress with a high slit and cape, reminiscing about the day her family left England during the World War in 1937, even giving a saucy comment about Adolf Hitler's mustache.

She then recalls her glorious days at Vogue. "I have everything," she confesses right after reading a newspaper article criticizing her. Diana crumples the broad sheet angrily before saying how "Vogue was never really good at letting people go," while arranging her excessive order of flowers all over the room.

"I was made about clothes, about makeup, about everything," she says. A life in fashion is "strenuous", she adds; all fashion is "a lie"; and she wants to be "drowned in beauty."

The depiction of Vreeland in "Full Gallop" shows a powerful woman following a genuine passion to reach the paramount of her career.

"I had to work or I'm going to starve for work," she declares. — VC/BM, GMA News

"Full Gallop" is a one-woman play written by Louise Wilson and Mark Hampton about fashion editor and icon Diana Vreeland, portrayed by actress Cherie Gil. Show dates are on March 21 and 22 at the Carlos P. Romulo auditorium in RCBC Plaza, Makati City.