New musical ‘Silver Lining’ raises the question, why do we cling to the past?

The story and repertoire contain witty lyrics and unpretentious dialogue. Much of the conversations between characters flow off the tongue in a natural demeanour, and the musical numbers range from poignantly sombre to humorously earnest. Most songs were written by renowned gallerist Jack Teotico, with librettist Joshua Lim So for additional lyrics. Vince Lim, who served as its musical director, also added songs to the production. An incredibly rousing moment of the musical is the concluding song of the first act, Losing Our Way, a mournful ballad performed by the entire company.

Perhaps the most compelling part of the production is the framing device used to tell the story of the teenage main characters as university students in the 1970s. Since the story’s premise revolves around making a musical, the adult characters have taken it upon themselves to choose and audition their younger counterparts, a successfully tongue-in-cheek creative decision.

It is a story that doesn’t shy away from the dirtier aspects of the Seventies. After all, a significant part of the narrative revolves around the issue of historical revisionism. Political issues were seeped into every aspect of the play, enough to hold the audience’s attention and engage them in the question: why is it essential to keep bringing up the past?

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In what could be a hasty attempt by the production team to shed light on intergenerational differences, one curious aspect was how the adults somehow managed to recruit their offspring to join in this endeavour in the first place. The three children, Rico, Mart and Dalai, played by Jep Go, Shaun Ocrisma and Maronne Cruz, respectively, are opinionated though well-meaning and struggle to comprehend their parents’ “boomer” mentality. They represent the enlightened “internet generation” of current times and often clash with the older trio’s nostalgic tendencies.

Among the talented actors is Krystal Brimner in a captivating performance as the student activist Julia, the great love of Leo’s life. She is swept in the revolution’s chaos and ends up a victim of voluntary disappearance. Her brief but lasting impression on Leo is the driving force behind Silver Lining. She is the reason why he and his friends took up arms and joined protests, and is the defining cause of why he was compelled to bring up the story of his youth.

Some other bright spots include the endearing relationship between husband and wife, Anton and Josie, played by Joel Nuñez and Nenel Arcayan, with Noel Comia Jr and Sara Sicam as their younger counterparts. Their humorous courtship is a soothing balm against the turbulent backdrop of the past.

Silver Lining is a true gem of a production that succeeds, despite minor setbacks and loose threads, in its mission to inspire hope. It leaves audiences enthralled by its lightness and provoked by particular issues that should never be glossed over as we learn from the play. The point of remembering these issues is not to reminisce or romanticise but to remember so that we can never be compelled to repeat them.

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