Growing pains on ‘Sarah G. Live’ - By: Nestor U. Torre - Philippine Da
Growing pains on ‘Sarah G. Live’
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]By: Nestor U. Torre[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Philippine Daily Inquirer[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]The first telecast of Sarah Geronimo’s new TV show, “Sarah G. Live,” began auspiciously with an all-out, slam-bang production number that showcased the popular star’s singing and dancing abilities—and her more young-adult projection.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Later, however, for the requisite “kilig value,” it showed Sarah on a yacht with her current rumored squeeze, Gerald Anderson, so Sarah went back to giggly teen mode. One step forward, one step back?[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Again, to please the fans, Sarah had to go on birit singing mode, with predictably “ear-cleansing” results.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]All told, however, the new show could make it easier for Sarah’s fans to develop, grow and mature as much as the young-adult star obviously wants to.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]At 23, it must be a bit discomfiting for her to still have to be all gushy, frisky, feisty and flirty, like she’s been doing for the past five years. But, old habits—and fans’ preferences—die hard.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]After three telecasts, however, an interesting pattern or template has began to emerge on Sarah’s new musical-variety show: The ambitious production is trying to present its young but already veteran star in a new light, as a versatile young-adult performer.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]That’s an ambitious agenda, but we wish the program and its star well, because the growing-up is long overdue. However, the “make-over” move’s success is more than just a matter of expanding her performing skills, updating her musical repertoire and wardrobe, and “sexing-up” her image: It has to help Sarah “fill in the blanks” in terms of all of the time she spent working rather than going to school and living.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]She had the best and most altruistic intentions in doing so, but it’s left her not as mature and “life-experienced” as her young-adult contemporaries, and that “gap” has made her a skittish performer who tries to get by with superficial approximations rather than real substance and insightful portrayals.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]There’s no doubt that Sarah is trying to fill in those blanks, but she’s not quite there yet. One of her awkward gaps is her efforted approach to comedy. In the first two telecasts of her show, she was made to do cut-up comedy with experienced comics, and she came off as “TH.”[/font]
Spotlight
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Instructively enough, in her third show, she wasn’t made to do any actual comedy herself, but was relegated to merely reacting to the antics of three gay impersonators. That may have taken the spotlight away from her, but until she really learns how to tickle viewers’ funnybones, that may be the wiser tack to take.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Sarah’s dancing isn’t as bad as her comedic chops, so she should go on doing it. But, she shouldn’t be made to compete or keep up with the best in the business, as she’s sometimes being required to do, because it’s unfair to her. The better move would be to either tone down her star-partners’ moves, or make her do solo dancing turns instead, so unfair comparisons aren’t invited.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]The biggest no-no occurred when Sarah was recently made to dance in tandem with an unknown female—who performed better than she did! The newcomer ended up upstaging Sarah and underscoring her shortcomings as a dancer—a really bad move all around.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]The show does better when it tries to “deepen” Sarah’s musical performances by way of her solo singing spot toward the end of the show. Trouble is, she has been working so hard for years that she hasn’t gotten enough “life experiences” to provide her with the genuine “emotional capital” that such a “maturing” showcase requires.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]So, instead of “forcing through” in this regard, the production should bide its time and wait until its star is “emotionally ready” to make the big transition to believable and empathetic “emotive singing.”[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]In due time, the show will reveal Sarah’s real performing strengths, so it should concentrate on those major plus points and not require her to do everything.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]That way, it will become a realistically prismatic showcase for the “maturing” Sarah G.[/font]
http://entertainment.inquirer.net/34397/growing-pains-on-sarah-g-live?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]By: Nestor U. Torre[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Philippine Daily Inquirer[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]The first telecast of Sarah Geronimo’s new TV show, “Sarah G. Live,” began auspiciously with an all-out, slam-bang production number that showcased the popular star’s singing and dancing abilities—and her more young-adult projection.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Later, however, for the requisite “kilig value,” it showed Sarah on a yacht with her current rumored squeeze, Gerald Anderson, so Sarah went back to giggly teen mode. One step forward, one step back?[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Again, to please the fans, Sarah had to go on birit singing mode, with predictably “ear-cleansing” results.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]All told, however, the new show could make it easier for Sarah’s fans to develop, grow and mature as much as the young-adult star obviously wants to.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]At 23, it must be a bit discomfiting for her to still have to be all gushy, frisky, feisty and flirty, like she’s been doing for the past five years. But, old habits—and fans’ preferences—die hard.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]After three telecasts, however, an interesting pattern or template has began to emerge on Sarah’s new musical-variety show: The ambitious production is trying to present its young but already veteran star in a new light, as a versatile young-adult performer.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]That’s an ambitious agenda, but we wish the program and its star well, because the growing-up is long overdue. However, the “make-over” move’s success is more than just a matter of expanding her performing skills, updating her musical repertoire and wardrobe, and “sexing-up” her image: It has to help Sarah “fill in the blanks” in terms of all of the time she spent working rather than going to school and living.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]She had the best and most altruistic intentions in doing so, but it’s left her not as mature and “life-experienced” as her young-adult contemporaries, and that “gap” has made her a skittish performer who tries to get by with superficial approximations rather than real substance and insightful portrayals.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]There’s no doubt that Sarah is trying to fill in those blanks, but she’s not quite there yet. One of her awkward gaps is her efforted approach to comedy. In the first two telecasts of her show, she was made to do cut-up comedy with experienced comics, and she came off as “TH.”[/font]
Spotlight
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Instructively enough, in her third show, she wasn’t made to do any actual comedy herself, but was relegated to merely reacting to the antics of three gay impersonators. That may have taken the spotlight away from her, but until she really learns how to tickle viewers’ funnybones, that may be the wiser tack to take.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Sarah’s dancing isn’t as bad as her comedic chops, so she should go on doing it. But, she shouldn’t be made to compete or keep up with the best in the business, as she’s sometimes being required to do, because it’s unfair to her. The better move would be to either tone down her star-partners’ moves, or make her do solo dancing turns instead, so unfair comparisons aren’t invited.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]The biggest no-no occurred when Sarah was recently made to dance in tandem with an unknown female—who performed better than she did! The newcomer ended up upstaging Sarah and underscoring her shortcomings as a dancer—a really bad move all around.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]The show does better when it tries to “deepen” Sarah’s musical performances by way of her solo singing spot toward the end of the show. Trouble is, she has been working so hard for years that she hasn’t gotten enough “life experiences” to provide her with the genuine “emotional capital” that such a “maturing” showcase requires.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]So, instead of “forcing through” in this regard, the production should bide its time and wait until its star is “emotionally ready” to make the big transition to believable and empathetic “emotive singing.”[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]In due time, the show will reveal Sarah’s real performing strengths, so it should concentrate on those major plus points and not require her to do everything.[/font]
[font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]That way, it will become a realistically prismatic showcase for the “maturing” Sarah G.[/font]
http://entertainment.inquirer.net/34397/growing-pains-on-sarah-g-live?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Comments
Nobody claimed that Sarah G Live was perfect but it was entertaining and continue to entertain the audience . Neither did anybody claimed that Sarah G is the greatest@this point for she is still young and she herself says and humble enough to recognize that she needed to grow though through the years she continue to reinvent herself. However, could anybody name any artist from the past and present generation who could sing,dance&act? When she sings,she owns the stage, when she dances, it was not learned but one could see that she is a natural dancer, when she acts, she brigthens the screen..... yes, she might not be the greatest but she is one of the BEST and the ONLY ONE on top in this generation.
Surely, there is room for improvement when it comes to hosting a show but I don't think it was for the lack of talent but mainly because she is a shy and very polite person. Sarah G was one who never tried to overshadow her co-artists when performing.She is always a team player and that is what differs her from others.
I wonder if Nestor Torre had seen SarahG perform LIVE. Maybe he should......
Yes may mga pagkukulang... But SGLIVE is just 1 month old... Come on mr. Torre!!! Matanda ka na talaga.
Thanks for sharing this article by Nestor Torre. Contrary to what you allude to Mr Torre did not come out to diminish Sarah G or her show in fact the intention comes across as an encouragement to do better by showing what he perceives as some of its weaknesses. Ive been a reader of this respected writer and suffice it to say he has all my respect and admiration. But I do not always agree with him, the same way that I do not always agree with tabloid writers though some of them are no less respectful and respected. But their work is not to be agreeable all the time, and we should be able to live with that, but to provide their own opinion on things that they find relevant to the times and to people. It is their own opinion. Now we can do what we want with it - accept the useful, throw away the useless. Our choice.
In this article I must say that Mr Torre raised some interesting points. The title was very fitting. As a new show there will always be birth pains. Growth is always like that. Change is not overnight. And the people behind the Sarah G. Live show are I'm sure cognizant of this fact and welcome all constructive feedback from not just fans but also the general public whom they hope to entertain every Sunday night.
A musical variety show such as this does not lie entirely on the main artist but is a collaborative work among creative, production and technical teams including all the other performers. Sarah gets the biggest share of the pie because it is her name, career, life and reputation that the show carries.
Its always easy to bring down the work of anyone but the most difficult thing is to build up a life, career, work, house. Sarah has never claimed that she was perfect or flawless which makes her who she is right now - at the top of her game but always humble, always learning, always improving, never resting on her laurels. This is the very reason why she is loved by many because of her humility and dedication to her craft and sincerity to her audience. She has worked every inch of the way to where she is now... through rough times and through long hours, through fatigue and sometimes missing out on stuff that a normal youth of her age would have enjoyed because she wants to always give her best in all that she does.
Mr Torre did raise some interesting points though in his article and let me highlight them here:
1) He said the show's concept is ambitious but the growing-up is long-overdue - If a show will not be ambitious then what should it aim for? No one aims for the same thing. We are constantly growing and that takes us to all manners of ambitious goals. Like going where we have not gone before, doing what we have not tried before. Only naysayers and those who have not tread on the same path would cry "ambitious"! Initially I found this statement conflicting. At first saying ambitious and at the same breath saying growing up is long overdue. So which is it? Is it too much, too late? or too little, too soon? It is safe to assume that he means the former. Too late...we cant do anything about that anymore. Too much... well, the people behind the show would realize this if it is indeed so and they would calibrate as such as they go along. You can never get it right the first time but the good thing is you tried.
2) He said the show tried to pit her against veteran comedians and she was found wanting - Precisely! How do you learn the tricks of the trade? Only from the veterans and experts in their field. Since this is one area where Sarah is not well-versed the show hopes to hone her in this aspect by placing her alongside them. I agree that the show might be trying to be all things to all people and Im at two minds whether Sarah should venture in areas where she might not be comfortable in. But I saw her sashay her way as Shamcey Sapsap and was delighted with her natural comedic timing. With better script/set-up she can definitely do this part of the show with the same effortlessness that she does everything else. Also, wasnt the show promoted as such...bringing Sarah to different and new experiences and letting us share in her natural reactions in said environments? Who said she will be in her comfort zone anyway?
3) He said Sarah was made to perform with dancers who are better than her and thus stole the stage from her - First and foremost, I cannot remember her dancing with another girl in a tandem but Mr Torre must be referring to the guy with the long hair who did the ballroom dancing with her. Again, precisely the same logic applies. Why pit her against mediocre dancers? I dont think Sarah has that big an ego to be afraid if others are better than her. Her audience and followers are also more broadminded than that and do not require her to be better than all the people she performs with. And for an active learner, its always a joy to be guided by experts in the field. And if the people did think that dance partner was better (he should be), it did not diminish Sarah's star quality at all. In fact, it enhanced it more cause she was able to dance in step with him and was able to hold her own. Heck! She nailed that production number as if she was a pro.
4) He said the "Kilig" portion with the yacht date with Gerald Anderson brought her a step back from an attempt to be more mature - How can this be? Love makes fools of all of us notwithstanding age, race, color or creed. Ive seen older people gush and squeal in the face of their love interest. Maturity in love is not measured by lack of emotions but rather the balance of it with the intellectual and the spiritual. If the author had followed closely this love story and the background of these two and how they tried to dance and sing to a different tune from what this industry tries to drum up in the minds of the young artists around them then he just might have a double take. If he was watching closely then he would have noticed that both Sarah and Gerald were not too keen on the on-cam yacht date but as professionals they recognized the effort made by the people behind the show to let the viewers share in one of their date experiences. As the show is packaged as a reality-cum-concert show then it follows there could be such kind of segments to showcase the different facets of Sarah's personality.
And so in conclusion, Ms Cuatro4Kim, there is nothing extraordinary to what Mr Torre wrote. It is expected as the show goes through growing pains to encounter both agreeable and not-so-agreeable comments. We should live with that and choose to learn from them. Get the good points and throw away the bad ones. Those who are able to roll with the punches deserve to conquer their fears and face others squarely in the face.
Im happy for Sarah for being braver, bolder and fiercer as she faces more challenges that come her way not just in doing her performances in her new show but also in facing not just any and all
kinds of criticism but also all sorts of praises, deserved or otherwise. Since both has the capacity to destroy when the intent and motive behind it is not sincere and edifying.
Thanks,
AteMyx
Itong Nestor Torre is an old typical Pinoy with crab mentality, wala siyang pinagkaiba sa mga basher and haters sa social media. Wala siyang ibang maisip kundi manira para siyang anay. Akala ko wala na ang mga ganitong tao sa mundo na wala ibang nakikita kundi negative.
hindi nya kasi matanggap na magaling at sikat si sarah.......
Thanks for sharing..
agree po ako sa sinabi nyo...si bebe sarah kasi e may pagkamahiyain,likas na yun sa kanya..tuwing naghohost sya o nagpeperform with other artists yaw nya ng may nasasapawan sya..mas pipiliin pa nga nya siguro na tumahimik na lng kesa mafeel nya na sya ay may nasasapawan...mahirap naman talaga ang maghost kung mahyain ka pero ndedeliver pa rin naman nya nang maayos ang mga lines nya..pero pag mag-isa na sya sa stage,iba talaga ang presence nya..sya lang ang nakita ko na ganun kasarap panoorin.ung sa closing speech nya last sunday,masaya ako na inacknowledge nya na hindi sya perfect..aware sya na marami pang bagay ang nagaadjust sya..pero di masama un,lahat naman ng bagay na 1st time mahirap pero darating din ang araw na matutunan mo ito at makakabisado pa..1 buwan pa lang naman ang show at di naman ito puro hosting lng,mas shinoshowcase dito ang galing nya sa pagsayaw at pagkanta..sa sinabi naman ng writer na mas nasasapawan sya nung partner nya sa pagsayaw,mgaling talaga ung partner sya kasi professional na sya at un ang expertise nya..baguhan pa lng naman sa pagsayaww si bebe sarah pero once na sumayaw sy ae mapapawow tlaga lahat sa kanya..napakagraceful nyang gumalaw.nagulat nga ako nung sumayaw sya ng ganung klase ng sayaw,kinabahan talaga ako kasi mabilis ung sayaw pero nagawa pa rin nya ng maayos na maayos with poise pa...hindi tlga ako magsasawang manood ng sarah g.live,sana nga maextend pa ng 1 hour ito..nabibitin ako hehe
yna ang hirap sa mga krittiko KUNO kahit
alam na magaling ang isang performer
nagbubulag-bulagan .......kasi nakatigasan na
at ayaw mapahiya sa publiko..i dont give a dang
to what you say about sarah.sarah is the best for me..