Playwright Bienvenido M. Noriega, Jr. won first prize for this play in the 1981 Palanca playwriting contest, the same year National Artist Franciso Sionil Jose won first prize in the English Division. It was an exemplary and remarkable accomplishment even made more outstanding as playwright Bienvenido M. Noriega, Jr. also won the second prize for “Juan Luna”
Undoubtedly, he was perhaps the most prolific playwright and his plays were the most staged in the 70s up to the 90s. It was even more consequential as his plays were staged by prominent directors like National Artist Rolando Tinio, Tony Mabesa, Nonon Padilla, Anton Juan, Maryo de los Reyes, Tony Espejo, Pio de Castro, Lito Casaje, including himself and many others
In UP Lagindab’s staging of Bienvenido Noriega’s Idolong Romantiko. its review stated that “the play that was rich with context and representation as it discussed many sins and defects of a Filipino citizen that contribute to Philippine society’s demise… Albeit covering popular Philippine social cancers, Noriega is courageous to discuss sensitive issues such as rebellions and feudalism… Perhaps satirical, the must-awaited conclusion provides the audience the whole point of the play – a Greek tragedy in the Philippine context. Overall, the play’s theme of justice was given what was due for it – justice.”
National artist nominee for Literature, Jose Dalisay also wrote: “Mga Idolong Romantiko is a much more accessible and eventually funnier play than W.I.S. because of the shorthand, instantaneously comic the archetypes gain; thus its humor is more public than private. That Noriega is making fun of everyone’s fun simply adds, again, to everyone’s fun. Oddly enough, is “killing” his pet archetypes, Noriega has made them alive.”
The play was staged by UP Repertory with Roderick Paulate heading the cast. It was subsequently staged as well in UP Los Banos in a Lagindab production.
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