I can still remember when I had my first encounter of the film Bona that was a masterpiece of Lino Brocka that features Nora Aunor and Phillip Salvador during my film class in college. Bona before was a very heavy film in terms of the theme and the flow of the story that shows the struggle of a fan named Bona who became obsess to a stuntman named Gardo. But instead reciprocating her love, Gardo uses Bona in order to sustain his caprice until she reaches her limitation and poured boiling water during the bathtub scene. While in the theater adaptation of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) they modernizes the set up, character and story to cater to the bigger audience and show how fans look like in the modern times where most of them are professionals and can manage to support their idols.
With the tandem Eugene Domingo and Edgar Allan de Guzman, PETA brings Bona in the present time as a woman trying to sustain the needs of her family and holding on to her faith to the Black Nazarene to help her to go on with her life. But things change when she was introduced to a reality-talent show entitled Stars of Tomorrow and became an instant follower of Gino Sanchez. Having the same plot of the BONA film, Bona became obsess with Gino and supports his needs to be a full pledge celebrity. Unfortunately, Gino is not the person that he is showing in front of the TV and Bona became the victim of the mistaken fanaticism.
With the modern approach of Bona, PETA perfectly gives Eugene a wonderful comeback in theater which was her first love and playing the role of the artist she admired the most. As Uge mentioned before she was a Noranian and follows most of the films of Nora Aunor. Eugene gives a great transition of different emotions in the play that shows how her versatility as an actress and comes natural. I really enjoyed how Joey Paras compliments with Eugene in all their scenes that offer the lighter side in the life of Bona.
Here are some of the Photos of Bona which can be found on my blog’s Facebook Page
Lastly Bona, gives a chance to peek on the life of every fans that religiously supports their idols. But sometimes as the theater adaptation say some became worshipers of their idols and became obsess, they end up giving all their love to them which sometime not all knows how to give it back which Bona had experience to Gino.
So don’t miss the chance to see theater adaptation of Bona and also Eugene Domingo returning to theater through PETA. Bona will be staged at the PETA Theater Center in Eymard Drive, New Manila, Quezon City on August 24-September 23, 2012. Ticket prices: VIP – PHP1, 000, Orchestra – Php 800, and Balcony – Php 600, for inquiries and reservations call PETA Marketing and PR Office at (02)410.0821 and (02) 725.6244.
For those who wanted to watch on September 16, 8pm show you can buy tickets by calling 0917-5688469.
