Review: THE NOTEBOOK Transcends Trite Melodrama
'The Notebook’s' first-ever non-replica production now plays at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, now through Sept. 20.
Manila, Philippines—When American novelist Nicholas Sparks released “The Notebook” in 1996, it had enamored many romance fiction fans through its saccharine love story of Noah and Allie—a literally rain-soaked melodrama driven by a one-summer romance in North Carolina in the ‘60s (based on the musical's book) and a fateful separation brought about by meddling parents.
In contrast, “The Notebook’s” Broadway musical adaptation, featuring music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and a book by Bekah Brunstetter, veers away—as much as possible—from this all-too-familiar narrative’s overwrought sentimentality. The stage version reimagines the story with three sets of actors playing Noah and Allie, respectively, at different stages of their lives, examining the fragility of human memory and the quiet devotion of a married couple.
Ergo, “The Notebook’s” stage adaptation has gone beyond its book and the 2004 film’s label as a classic tearjerker. It’s now a haunting, beautifully nuanced exploration of what it truly means to love someone.
Add to that Michaelson’s irresistible folk-pop music and conversational lyrics, such as in “Carry You Home,” “I Wanna Go Back,” and “CODA.” These earworms stay with you for the long haul.
Besides its non-linear storytelling, a similar approach to any memory play, “The Notebook’s” strongest theatrical device is its “triple helix” casting, where the Younger, Middle, and Older Noahs and Allies occupy the stage a pair at a time or at times, simultaneously. However, rather than the usual chronological flashbacks, this three-time Tony-nominated musical allows these temporalities to bleed into one another. Come to think of it, it’s an absolutely striking visual metaphor or an ingenious theatrical exploration of how memory absorbs, remembers, and shapes love, devotion, and compassion.
Together, Benedix Ramos (Younger Noah) and Sheena Belarmino (Younger Allie) effortlessly capture the uninhibited attraction and wide-eyed tenderness between the young lovers. Laurence Mossman (Middle Noah) and Morissette (Middle Allie) deliver the grit—alongside a few out-of-the-blue hilarious moments and power vocals—during their most tumultuous, passion-filled middle years post-Vietnam War. On the other hand, Rody Vera (Older Noah) and Celeste Legaspi (Older Allie) ground their love story, past its prime, in the heartbreaking realities of dementia and fading memories.
In this Manila staging, director Nicholas Polonio, associate director Jamie Wilson, set designer Miguel Urbino, who also designed those impressive set panels in Theatre Group Asia’s (TGA) “A Chorus Line,” and lighting designer Cha See, who also lit “A Chorus Line” and “Into the Woods,” opt for an understated, dreamlike minimalism that’s streamlined and clean, and whose pastel color palettes are warm to the eyes. It’s a good call that they avoided installing elaborate set pieces to depict a nursing home, a pier, and the house that Noah built. Its visual design efficiently relies on moving panels, scrims, and semi-transparent screens that function as portals through time.
See’s delicate lighting, for instance, which was a bit tentative on gala night, bathes the panels, scrims, and screens in soft, progressive shades of blue, which evoke the calming, persistent flow of water and memory, and the predominantly quiet halls of an assisted-living facility, where we first meet the Older Noah and Allie.
As anticipated, the evening's theatrical highlight comes when Noah and Allie are reunited after 10 long years. As years of unfinished business, longing, and repressed feelings are dealt with, the physical atmosphere shifts dramatically, with real water cascading from above, surrounding the lovers in a torrential shower. Also, Morissette’s rendition of “My Days,” the show’s beloved anthem, unveils a multitude of stars and a soaring live orchestra, led by musical director Farley Asuncion, behind her, all of which readily bring the house down.
Set against the Broadway production and the current North American Tour, this local staging, besides featuring an all-Asian cast, hits a far more resonant nerve with Filipinos and Southeast Asian audiences. In Asian cultures, the topic of love is often woven into the family dynamics (think: “Crazy Rich Asians”), filial obligation, and caring for older people. “The Notebook” pivots directly into this distinct cultural reality through its unflinching, tender portrayal of dementia’s ripple effects across generations. Watching Older Noah steadfastly sit beside her and read their story from a notebook strikes a powerful chord in every Asian family, especially those who have had similar firsthand experience caring for an aging parent, spouse, or sibling.
This landmark staging of “The Notebook” is an absolute must-see. It isn’t just another recent Broadway title—it’s a stunning showcase of world-class Filipino actors and creatives making their mark in showcasing an already beautiful piece of theater on a regional stage.
“The Notebook” plays a strictly limited engagement at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati, running until September 20, 2026.
Photos: Jyllan Bitalac and Sherie Bolo
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