Review: Imelda Marcos Returns to The Public in Rousing

I’d wager that many New Yorkers have a limited grasp of Philippine history, beyond Imelda Marcos and her shoe obsession, or the details surrounding the demise of opposition leader Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, which thrust his widow, Corazon, or just “Cory,” into the political limelight. Musicians David Byrne and Fatboy Slim changed that last year with Here Lies Love, a 360-degree “immersive” experience akin to Fuerza Bruta or Sleep No More that had Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos storming The Public Theater while rubbing shoulders with a small audience. This month, the musical—think of it as a history lesson by way of Studio 54—returns for an open run in the same space, and it remains an attention-demanding and exhilarating night out.