MANILA, Philippines – He sounds earnest, but since Andrew de Real owns the famous sing-along/comedy bar, it could also be a joke.

“I used to say that my dream was to own a place as big as the National Library,” he quips. He never imagined that The Library, which opened its doors to Malate night owls 22 years ago, would ever need to move to a bigger venue.

From the 270 sq. m. hole-in-the-wall on Adriatico Street, it recently transferred to a 600 sq. m. property on Orosa Street, also in Malate.

Pop culture landmark

“The original could seat only 180 people; this new one, 300,” says De Real, known as Mamu in show biz circles. (He also built a cozy acoustic/dance bar called Fab next door.)

To think that he kept postponing the move. He recalls, “We extended the lease on the Adriatico place for two more years. I found it hard to leave.”

Malate habitués regard the original as a pop culture landmark, having produced the current, and also emerging, superstars in local comedy—Arnell Ignacio, Ai-Ai de las Alas, Philip Lazaro, Rey Kilay, Vice Ganda and Pooh.

According to De Real, Library was born on the eve of the first Edsa Revolution and, as such, benefited from the era’s uncertainty and/or sense of reckless abandon.

“At the start, the jokes onstage revolved around politics,” he recounts. “For example: If Imee and Irene Marcos were stranded on a desert island, who would survive? At the time, Arnell was always ngarag (spaced out) because he needed to memorize new scripts every night.”

The comedy bar’s lineup of shows evolved with the changing times. “We started doing ‘Nura at Velma,’ as well as other concept shows,” says De Real.

“Nura at Velma” was a huge smash for lead stars Allan K and Leonardo Obal who played rabid fans of rival superstars Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos.

The Library continues to “reinvent” itself, says De Real, “constantly discovering and training new talents.”

An aspiring comic goes through a screening committee composed of Library graduates, led by Lazaro, De Real explains. “We want to make sure that the newcomers are really talented. They also go through rigorous workshops before we launch them.”

De Real considers these newbies as promising: Poca, a gay Lani Misalucha mimic; Krista Mae, a female Rufa Mae Quinto impersonator; and Bobby Tuvillo, a dead ringer for Joey de Leon.

“Bobby used to be a drag queen and one time, I saw him without makeup,” De Real says. “I told him that he’d be a hit as Joey de Leon. My only request was that he treat Joey with respect.”

Unique design concept

True enough, when Bobby made his debut last weekend, the regulars adored him.

It’s a good guess that Library groupies would feel at ease in the new place because it showcases the same décor and memorabilia. “These include caricatures of past Philippine presidents made by LVN actor Jaime de la Rosa. I found them abandoned in an antique shop,” De Real says.

It also sustains the same unique design concept—walls of shelves lined with over 2,000 books, and waiters clad in graduation toga.
How erudite.

“I started a book drive among my celebrity friends,” De Real says. Shyr Valdez, Lynn Tamayo, Joy Cancio and Melissa Perez-Rubio donated volumes. We even have ‘Harry Potter’ novels 1 to 7. Guests can actually pull out the books and read. They can even do research if they’re so inclined.”
Then again, when a person wanders into Malate, higher learning is the last thing on his mind.