Standout stage portrayals recalled

Lolita Rodriguez

After our review of “Wit” came out, other acting buffs seconded our motion in citing the pivotal lead portrayal by Tami Monsod as a “best of the best” thespic treat. And they hoped that the production could have a repeat run soon, so more theater buffs could appreciate and savor Tami’s performance.

A reader also asked us to cite other excellent portrayals we’d seen in local theater productions through the years.

In our recollected view, they would include Behn Cervantes in “The Mikado,” Bibot Amador in “Mother Courage,” Celeste Legaspi and Mario O’Hara in Tony Perez’s “Sa North Diversion Road,” Lolita Rodriquez and Rita Gomez in Nick Joaquin’s “Larawan,” Laurice Guillen, Wahoo Taylor and Ricky Silverio in “Poor Marat,” Mitch Valdes in “Katy” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” and Hilda Koronel in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” in Filipino.

Rita Gomez

It would be great if some of these standout stage portrayals would be made available to today’s acting buffs and students by way of recorded video discs—there’s a niche market for them!

Janus Pellicer appreciates our occasional focus on “alternative” or “unusual” TV shows, because they expand his viewing options, but hopes that we can do more reviews of current films. And a “Boob Tube Booboo” compilation per month will do.

Adding to our recent review of “Taboo USA,” he shares that he caught a telecast of the show that focused on a man who has lived all of his life as a dog! He even ate dog food, lapped up water from a bowl—
and lived in a literal doghouse. Seriously?

Another respondent notes that a new showcase for standout Filipino films at the Museum of Modern Art states that Philippine movies have had three Golden Ages thus far, while a recent “Viewfinder” column puts the number perhaps at four, citing the “forgotten” film of the ’30s.

Shouldn’t a more formal review of the “disremembered” productions be made, to help make up for the discrepancy? Good suggestion.

Unfortunately, most “firsthand” viewers and appreciators of the cinematic gems of the ’30s are no longer around, and only a literal handful of the actual movies have survived the onus of time and cavalier neglect.

Hilda Koronel

So, researchers will have to bank on printed movie reviews or verbal recollections of old-timers to—fill in the blanks!

Finally, our recent piece on Pinoy-looking movie stars through the decades elicited contrasting reactions.
Some readers agreed with us that our TV and movie actors should look like the people viewing them, not the tisoy or “Amboy” minority.

But, others begged to disagree, saying that the movies are a world of fantasy and escapism, so foreign-looking local film stars are A-OK! What do you think?