By Cecille Santillan-Visto
Theater Review
Cookin’ Nanta
The Theater
Solaire Resort and Casino
Until Nov. 15, 8 p.m.
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THERE ARE LESSONS to be learned in Cookin’ Nanta. First, language (or the lack of it) is never a barrier to an entertaining material. Second, there can be rhythm in chaos and it can be pleasant. Third, a musical may be more than a feast for the eyes and sweet sound to the ears. It can, although very rarely as in Nanta, stimulate the sense of smell and touch – making for a completely involved experience.
Nanta, Korea’s most popular and longest-running nonverbal musical, has been on stage since October 1997. The storyline is simple enough. Four chefs are tasked to prepare a wedding banquet in just one hour. The menu, prepared by the manager, is long and complicated, and the show centers on the cooks’ hilarious attempt to meet what appears to be an impossible deadline.
The kitchen, as can be expected, is very busy. Between skillful vegetable chopping, drumbeating, kitchen utensils banging, there is a passionate tango; a plate-throwing duel; and of course, even live cooking. At one point, the faint smell of bulgogi wafted from the stage.
Although there are almost no speaking lines, occasional one-liners add spice to the scenes. Interestingly, the Manila show incorporated Tagalog spiels to better connect with the Pinoy audience. “Linisin mo ’yan (Clean that)”; “Tsupi (Get lost)”; “Manong (referring to an older brother)”; “Masarap (delicious)”; and “Bilis (faster)” were delivered with much gusto to the delight of the spectators.
Interactive and spontaneous, the cast — in at least three instances — selected a few audience members to go on stage and participate in activities. Two were picked to play a newlywed Korean couple; two pairs to slug it out in the siomai-making contest; and one to pull out Head Chef from a plastic trash can he was stuck in. Perhaps in light of their experience and having done the show several times over, the actors successfully coaxed the onlookers to be active and to perform. No English translations necessary. The viewers were generous and happily indulged the Korean actors.
Nanta was a little bit of everything – a pinch of slapstick, with a teeny trace of toilet humor, a dash of magic, and a speck of sexy. The lone lady, Hot Spice, showed her belly button throughout the show while Sexy Guy and the fumbling nephew were shirtless towards the end of the performance.
It also offered a heavy dose of blade brandishing, martial artistry, and everything entertaining in between. It may have started slow and a bit bland but when it reached the boiling point, it was pure frenzy.
Massinun kyeongheom isseoyo. Nanta was one truly delicious experience.
