Theater review: ‘The Last Five Years’ will scratch, pierce, break hearts—and you won't mind

9 Works Theatrical kicks off its fifth year with Jason Robert Brown's award-winning Off-Broadway musical "The Last Five Years," under the direction of Robbie Guevara. The 90-minute sung-through musical features Nikki Gil as struggling actress Cathy Hyatt and Joaquin Valdes as successful writer Jamie Wellerstein, who were once hopeful lovers turned bitter exes.

Opening with Cathy's stark words, "Jamie is over and Jamie is gone. Jamie's decided it's time to move on," The Last Five Years goes straight to the point: This musical is meant to break your heart. Breaking the ice, a lively Jamie then enters the stage as the about-to-be-celebrated novelist gushing about his new inspiration, his "Shiksa goddess" Cathy.

Okay, that may look a bit confusing for a while, but the two-actor play is known for its innovative storytelling: Cathy's story is told backwards while Jamie's story is told chronologically. The characters will only interact at one point in the entire musical. That is when they exchange "I do's" while belting out "The Next Ten Minutes."

The musical's only characters, Cathy and Jamie, are too real for you to believe they are Brown's figment of imagination. They could be your friends, your ex-lovers, or you yourself.

Nikki Gil as Cathy was painful to watch not because she was terrible—not at all! You can feel her heartbreak, especially during her first few songs of the musical. But, Nikki shone brightest when she sang "A Summer in Ohio," Cathy's letter to a touring Jamie, who just successfully launched his debut novel. The song was her transition song—from the estranged wife to a still-hopeful partner to Jamie.

Joaquin Valdes, meanwhile, has a certain charm as Jamie. He burst onto the stage full of energy, overexcited about life. Why wouldn't he be? He found "The One" and his career was finally going somewhere. But it was when Jamie's zest for his marriage was starting to dwindle down during "If I Didn't Believe in You" that Joaquin proved his versatility as an actor.

"The Last Five Years" would never be one of the most popular Off-Broadway musicald if it weren't for Brown's music and lyrics. The lyrics are too familiar; they could be the very words that anyone whispered or screamed at their special someone. The music that 9 Works' very own orchestra 9PO brought to life is hard to forget—just like that one great love you had that unfortunately got away.

Overall, "The Last Five Years" is an honest play about falling in and out of love, a story everyone knows too well. 9 Work Theatrical's vision rendered it as painfully but still beautifully told. So, will you share your life with "The Last Five Years" for the next 90 minutes? — VC, GMA News



The Last Five Years runs all weekends of August at  the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City. Check 9 Works Theatrical's site for more details