Review: CRIERS FOR HIRE Deliver Much Laughter & Tears

CRIERS FOR HIRE/by Giovanni Ortega/directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera/David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts/thru March 13, 2016

The East West Players' latest, the world premiere of Giovanni Ortega's CRIERS FOR HIRE, most entertainingly introduces a wonderful injection of Filipino culture in early 1990's Los Angeles via a fusion of laugh-inducing situations and tear-duct-emptying relationships. Jon Lawrence Rivera quite ably directs his talented ensemble in Ortega's depiction of a group of professional funeral criers as one's long-separated teenage daughter migrates to America. With a sufficient proportion of the dialogue in tagalog, projected subtitles keep the non-tagalog-speaking audience in the loop.

CRIERS FOR HIRE refers to a group of women (who can weep on cue) that various Asian funeral homes hire to professionally mourn at any given services. Giselle "G" Töngi ever so deliciously plays its leader Meding as an incredibly over-the-top novella diva. Not sure how anybody could experience these 'professional' criers (Meding, Aurora and Henny) and not just howl. Who knew there were so many different, and effective ways to cry! These various crying scenes' simply comedy gold!!!

The seriousness enters with the arrival of Aurora's teenage daughter Gaya. Aurora left her baby Gaya to be raised by her own mother in the Philippines while Aurora traveled to America to make a living.

Joan Almedilla totally embodies Aurora, the part-time crier and full-time caretaker at the "Live Long & Prosper" nursing home. As Aurora attempting to stay in shape, Almedilla hysterically goes through the workout routines of "Richard Simmons' Sweating to the Oldies." Almedilla's gorgeous vocals get exhibited in a touching tagalog ballad Aurora sings to Gaya.

Nicole Barredo's quite lovely as the not so naivé Gaya, all new to the USA. Anxious to assimilate and not stick out like a duck, Gaya learns quickly how to correct her pronunciation of English words, getting lots of help from fellow outcast classmate Narcisco (a winning and charming Rudy Martinez). Barredo and Martinez' nail their meet-cute, coy flirting bus stop scenes. Very sweet!

As the American-born, boy-crazy crier Henny; Samantha Cutaran revels in her seductiveness and born-in-the-USA street-smarts. Cutaran reveals Henny's actual emotional depth in her taking newbie Gaya under her wing.

Christopher Scott Murillo has designed an unique set with a front wall downstage instead of the usual back wall upstage. Rolling panels in the center slide to reveal the different locations behind (churches, Aurora's apartment, bus stop, Meding's office, a soundstage set (?)). Besides the projected necessary subtitles, projection designer Lily Bartenstein super-imposes a number of storefront signage depicting the various locales.

Don't want to give away the ending, but tears will flow, much more than the laughter. And that's definitely a good thing!

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