Ferdinand and Imelda, Back on the Disco Floor A New Run for ‘Here Lies Love,’ at the Public
Ben BrantleyMay 1, 2014: Discothèques make strange bedfellows. To confirm this dangerous fact of life, just boogie on down — and you must — to the glittery dance palace at the Public Theater. There you’ll find yourself dancing hip by pelvis with one of the most notorious power couples of the 20th century. I mean Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, the former president and first lady of the Philippines, who turn out to be a lot of fun if you just go with the sweaty flow. After all, who’s thinking about morality in politics when the music’s this loud and catchy? Be careful how close you get to them, though, or you might wake up to one hell of a morning after. Here Lies Love, the exciting poperetta conceived by the musician (and former Talking Head) David Byrne, sets a new standard for audience participation. Or do I mean coercion? In this heady show about the heady life of Mrs. Marcos — which has been staged with infinite inventiveness by Alex Timbers and one of the hardest-working tech crews in town — all the world’s a dance floor, and all the men and women merely disco rats.
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