Name any president after the People Power EDSA Revolt, except for one, and they have gone and watched shows at the glittery Club Mwah in Mandaluyong City.
From Cory Aquino to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, they have paid the club visits and enjoyed the world-class dance moves and colorfully designed costumes and wardrobes of the performers.
It was only Rodrigo Duterte who hadn't experienced the glitzy and glamorous shows of its dancers and stage movers.
"Ayaw kasi ni Duterte ng mga bading (Because he doesn't want gays)," quipped Pocholo Malilin, the half of the ownership and management of Club Mwah, the other half being Cris Nicolas.
Yes, most of Club Mwah's artists are gay terpsichores and choreographers.
But Digong's daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, has delightfully witnessed the wonders and enchantment of the Club Mwah magical spectacle not necessarily at the main hall of the venue in Boni Avenue but in Davao City.
A friend of Pocholo in a way spread some good news about Club Mwah.
"Narinig daw ni Sara na maganda ang show ng Club Mwah kaya inimbitahan kami sa Davao kaya dinala naming lahat ang buong produksyon doon. Gustung-gusto ni Sara ang show namin (Accordingly, Sara heard the beauty of our shows so she invited us to perform in Davao. We brought the production there. Sara liked our shows)," recalled Pocholo.
However, during the tenure of the Dutertes at the Palace, Malilin found out an unauthorized person, an impostor, scheduled and sold a Club Mwah performance in Malacanang without his knowledge and consent.
"Inday Sara told me Club Mwah was scheduled in Malacanang but she was wondering why I wasn't the one negotiating," disclosed Pocholo.
It turned out some dubious persons Malilin thought were his real friends proved to be fakes, going under the tables and opportunists.
Another thing that piqued Malilin was the pirating of most of his talents when his bar was closed during the dreadful three and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Mayaman ang may-ari ng bar na nag-pirate ng mga talents namin (The bar owner who pirated our talents is a rich man)," he insinuated.
"Magagaling din ang mga bagong recruit pero pinagagaling pa sila (The new recuits are also good but we are making them the best)," assured Pocholo.
Despite the new recruits who are being trained by Cris who takes care of the concepts and contents of each nightly production like stage design, music, dance steps etc., Club Mwah is back in action.
"We reopened early part of December last year after three and a half years of inactivity because of the pandemic. It was a success. We expected only 150 persons because they booked beforehand. But more than four hundred people showed up," Pocholo smiled.
Although the next time they planned to run the show, there were regrets for a number of reasons.
"Okay lang. Some said members of the visiting groups got sick. Others wanted to resched because of emergencies," he said.
This year, though, according to Poch, marketing will be massive.
Because of the meticulous prep ups of musical numbers, Club Mwah schedules advanced bookings.
It's better to have a polished production than be sorry for creative faux pas and technical glitches, reassured Malilin.
Audiences and guests are the prime assets of the club.
When Pocholo invited us entertainment writers Art Tapalla and Robert Silverio to watch and savor Folies de Mwah, the official dance group of the club, part of his hospitality, souvenir gesture and gratitude to the guests and regular habitues was to include them in the photo-op after the curtain call with him, the performers and Cris.
Aside from being the creative director, Cris is the innovator of the whole hall.
"We loaned four million pesos from the bank just to refurbish the theater. Most of the sets are imported. Except for the chandelier at the center, all the props including the lights are new," Malilin said.
Cris and Pocholo, the finance officer, don't rest on their laurels.
They always make sure they adapt new trends and techniques from various entertainment capitals of the world, particularly, Las Vegas.
Club Mwah is Las Vegas-inspired especially the dynamic terpsichorean moves.
"I hope you can help us spread the news of our reopening," he requested.
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