You should definitely catch the Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) stage adaptation of BONA, their 45th theater season opener, When in Manila.
Eugene Domingo plays for the title role, BONA, for PETA‘s stage adaptation.
In a press preview held Thursday, August 23, the Theater Center of PETA was heavily crowded by theater lovers, and they didn’t let the viewers down. Eugene Domingo playing as Bona gave her total performance for the show. She was able to give justice to the role once played by Nora Aunor. Bona 2.0 — that’s how I would like to name it — is somehow different to what we have seen in the cinema. On stage, Bona 2.0 sustains not only for herself but also for her family and even friends.
Although there were some changes on the role BONA remained devoted to the Señor Nazareno.
In my humble opinion, Eugene Domingo definitely made the titular role as her own. She added spice to the play by throwing comedic punches at the right time and even giggling like a teenage girl when recalling how Gino sang to her and do heavy drama scenes when asked of her. Which just shows how versatile of an actor Eugene is. Bona‘s sidekick is played by Joey Paras, named as Baldy who has a “nagbi-binaklang” boyfriend Raf, played by Gabs Santos. Both Bona and Baldy works as a call center agent, showing the contemporary side of the story.
Bona 2.0 works as a call center agent with her best friend Baldy.
But there are still parts of Bona 1.0 that remained to the stage adaptation. Like for example the deep devotion of the character to the Black Nazarene and to Gino Sanchez. You might be wondering who is Gino Sanchez? Gino is the stage adaptation’s Gardo. Edgar Allan Guzman, tagged as the Prince of Indie Films, plays as Gino who is an actor-wannabee who joined Star of Tomorrow.
Edgar Allan Guzman plays as Gino Sanchez, an artista reality search reject.
Gino who’s a native of Isabela promised to his mother that someday he’ll be an actor. That’s why Ronald, Gino’s talent manager, signed him up to be a hopeful on Star of Tomorrow. But Gino was the first to be eliminated and marking his showbiz venture into an end. But he has this “never-say-never” attitude, that’s where Bona came into his life. She, being his number one fan, told Gino that being eliminated in the contest is not the end of his dream. So she made arrangement with Ronald, played by Jeff Henson Dee, to revive the career of Gino.
Ronald, played by Jeff Henson Dee, is Gino’s eccentric manager.
As the quest of opening the doors of showbiz to Gino, Bona became his alalay and producer at the same time. As she tends to Gino, Bona’s relationship to her family and friends was strained. Her love for Gino came to the point where she sold her personal belongings and even properties just to sustain the ill-fated career of Gino. Remarkable scene on the play, as well as in the original film, is how Bona tends to Gino, where she even prepares the bath water of Gino and bathe him.
The production set of Bona was also remarkable, the presence of a bath tub with real water in it is just amazing.
But in the end, Bona realized that her life in entirety revolved around Gino. She forgot to take care of her self, her relationship with her family and friends. She even turned down an offer of good life that will be given by Gino’s landlord.
Bona shows the reality of idol-fan relationship and connected it to the audience. Watching it will make you realize that at one point in your life you had been just like Bona, ready to do everything for the sake of idolatry, where sometimes the thin line of admiration and obsession is broken.
Bona is written for stage by Layeta Bucoy and directed by famed director Soxie Topacio. It will run Fridays to Sundays of August 24 to September 23.
Other notable stage actors are: Olive Nieto who played as Bona’s younger sister; BJ Forbes who played as Bingo, Bona’s nephew; Juvenir Tabor and Dudz Teraña who played as part of Gino’s managerial team, Chiqui and Nini respectively; Juliene Mendoza who played as Bert, Gino’s landlord who’s in love with Bona; and Anna Luna who played as Gino’s girlfriend, Katrina.
When in Manila don’t forget to catch BONA, a stage adaptation of Lino Brocka’s classic masterpiece. It will run Fridays to Sundays, August 24 until September 23, at the Theater Center of PETA. Click here for the run through of the schedules. For inquiries you may call PETA at :
Philippine Educational Theater Association
No. 5 Eymard Drive, New Manila, QC
(02) 725 6244 / (02) 725 6911 / (02) 410 0822
0917 576 5400 / 0917 309 0707
petatheater@gmail.com
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BONA: Not Your Ordinary Fan! Brought to us by PETA
