Hi Mark. I understand the concern you and your bf have. You might find that the tone of the piece or the idea of “dancing” with the Marcoses is truly vile. I do think the show is geared more toward non-Filipino audiences who don’t know the history and atrocities of these people and how their legacy is actually alive and well (and running the Philippines). The show, after all, was written and created by white people. The Filipino producers and talent who were brought on might bring in more of a nuanced perspective on the subject matter, but it is being marketed as a fun night at the disco. I’m Filipino and had a blast at the Public, but I don’t have immediate ties to the Philippines, so I do have that distance that some don’t.
If you’re wondering the viewpoint of the production, this was addressed in a post on their IG account back in January. Back then, they said:
WHY NOW?
History repeats itself. Democracies all over the world are under threat. The biggest threat to any democracy is disinformation; Here Lies Love offers a creative way of re-information - an innovative template on how to stand up to tyrants.
WHY ON BROADWAY?
We cannot tell the modern history of the Philippines without the United States. They're intertwined.
Here Lies Love is an anti-Marcos show. It is a pro-Filipino show, being told in a quintessential American form: the Broadway musical. Two cultures, two histories, continuing a centuries-old complicated dance.