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Vegas-style shows at Club Mwah
by Lynn Anne V. Eustaquio
A kiss
may mean a lot of things to anyone. It may be
a kiss of love, or of affection, or simply for
respect. But along the busy Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong
City, the kiss gets a new meaning-and this is
only at Club Mwah.
The Venue
Tower on Boni looks like any building, except,
maybe, for the bright marquee--the words "Club
Mwah!" inside the giant pair of lips--that lights
up the facade when dark sets in. At the third
floor, you immediately hear the disco music playing
when the elevator doors open, as if urging you
to hurry and get into the groove. But the lobby
and reception area are already impressive with
fluffy couches and black, well-polished glass
mirror panels lining the wall.
And, from
here, you can already see the wide dance floor.
You wouldn't miss it, as it immediately greets
you as you enter through the heavy curtains with
dangling Swarovski crystals. There are comfortable
lounge seats and tables on both sides of the dance
floor, but the best vantage point is from the
gallery which is a flight of steps higher. Conveniently
located in the center of the gallery is the DJ's
booth, which also serves as the main main control
room for the audio-visual effects. To its right
is the well-stocked bar, and behind the control
room is The Quiet Room-an enclosed lounge area
ideal groups of 20 to 30 people.
You can
enjoy your own function in The Quiet Room. It
has its own videoke machine, and you can request
for your own tv station to be aired. The overall
motif of the room, zebra stripes matched with
black and red furnishing, gives it a boudoir effect.
The noise outside is filtered out, but just in
case you change your mind, you can open the glass
door on one side of the room to access the front
area of the gallery and watch the shows.
Doing
It Las Vegas Style?
The theater-club
is the dream of Pocholo Malillin and Chris Nicolas,
which took years and a lot of money to complete.
What completes the dream are the shows that are
staged nightly--Follies de Mwah on Mondays to
Thursdays and BeDazzled 2 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Very talented
"showgirls" perform excerpts from various musicals,
injecting their own style and humor into the show.
Colorful, glamorous and extravagant--these are
few of the words that could describe the costumes
worn during the shows.
And it
is not a joke to produce these shows. Practice
is a must, in the main dance hall (one of eight
training rooms) within the building, as it always
leads to perfection. A separate area in the building
is dedicated to the creation of costumes and accessories
alone. Just below the stage are the dressing rooms,
the source of the hydraulic lift center. This
adds drama to the entrances and exits of the main
performers, giving the show an extra visual impact.
The combination
of grandiose artistry and technology have earned
Club Mwah its reputation as the home of Las Vegas-class
shows, reminiscent of, and even as opulent as,
those performed at Caesar's Palace.
Don't
Forget To Dance
Yes, dancing
is an important activity when at Club Mwah. And
I don't mean you just have to sit and watch the
showgirls dance.
When you
hear the disco music from the 70s and 80s, and
see the blinking lights underneath the psychedelic
dancefloor, the strobe lights bouncing off the
mirror balls, you will definitely hit the dancefloor
with your partner to show off your terpsichorean
skills. Now, you are transported to Studio 54.
The audio-visual
delight is not confined to the shows, but to the
dance floor. Since all controls are computer-controlled,
all lights blink to the beat of the music. I also
have to point out that there are dance platforms,
or ledges, strategically located by the entrance,
at the forefront of the stage and on opposite
walls where resident dancers, as well as guests
dance their hearts out.
A mix
of popular bar chow and international dishes,
plus cocktails and specially concocted drinks
can also be ordered all night.
Club Mwah
is open nightly from 9 p.m., with shows starting
at 10:30 or later.
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