Dulaang UP’s 49th Theatre Season Reimagines Rizal’s Noli and El Fili for a New Generation

Dulaang Unibersidad Pilipinas’ 49th Theatre Season echoes Dr. José Rizal’s call for interventionist action with the theme, "Paano Umalala nang may Pag-alaga?" This milestone season tackles the urgent question of how a society remembers its past and protects its collective memory with radical care, especially in an era facing rapid historical amnesia. Commemorating Rizal's 130th death anniversary, we bring you back-to-back stagings of Rizal’s revolutionary novels, Noli Me Tángere and El Filibusterismo. Dulaang UP brings together two of the country's most prominent theatre directors to breathe new life into foundational Filipino texts, a continuation of our founding Artistic Director National Artist for Theatre Tony Mabesa’s legacy of rendering timeless pieces in present-day contexts and struggles.

By presenting Rizal’s two landmark novels in dialogue, Dulaang UP’s 49th Theatre Season elevates traditional history archiving by turning the stage into a living archive. Instead of confining history to textbooks, the theatre animates heritage, enabling actors and audiences to physically engage with, question, and pass on the nation's cultural memory. This vibrant space bridges classroom theory and today’s world, serving as a rigorous training environment where experienced professionals and student scholars collaborate. Ultimately, this artistic practice grounds both performers and audiences in truth, fostering a living, multi-layered understanding of our shared societal challenges.

Rizal’s novels are still highly relevant today because the issues they revealed—such as systemic corruption, abuse of power, and civic apathy—still afflict the modern Philippines. The characters like Doña Victorina and the corrupt friars showcase political opportunism, greed, and manipulation, reflecting current political dynasties and institutional graft. Rizal's novels remind us that, although the oppressors' faces have shifted from colonial rulers to local elites and aspiring kleptocrats, the fight of the masses against injustice remains unchanged. Reading these works today are revelatory of societal problems that have only evolved from the 19th century, not vanished.

Additionally, the contrasting methods of reform through Crisostomo Ibarra and Simoun provide an enduring lesson in social activism and nation-building. Ibarra’s focus on education and institutional change emphasizes the importance of truth, critical thinking, and intellectual freedom—crucial tools in combating today's widespread misinformation and historical inaccuracies. Meanwhile, Simoun’s turn to radical revolution serves as a warning about the harmful effects of extinguishing peaceful paths to justice. In the end, both novels encourage contemporary Filipinos to reject complacency, seek enlightenment, and actively participate in fostering a society grounded on equity.

The season opens with José Estrella’s direction of a reimagination of Noli Me Tangere (based on the Filipino translation by National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario), titled Fiestas y Muertos. Estrella's staging presents Noli Me Tangere through two contrasting visual and emotional themes: the chaotic, forced happiness of public fiestas and the quiet, eerie reality of societal decline and death (muertos).

 
Noli Me Tangere The Opera (2011)

This production mirrors the societal issues of Spanish-colonial San Diego, where lavish religious events are used by the ruling elite to hide extreme poverty, corruption, and psychological suffering. Framing Rizal’s novel within this dramaturgical approach transforms it from a conventional period piece into a dynamic, ritualistic cycle of life, death, and societal spectacle. This viewpoint offers a deep reflection on a people, as Elias quietly states at the end, who might perish in darkness without witnessing the dawn.

Following this, Dexter M. Santos takes the helm for Nitrogliserina; a new play by Guelan Varela-Luarca, based on and inspired by El Filibusterismo. This alternate narrative pursues the revolutionary possibilities left unresolved in Rizal’s final novel. What if the story we inherited was not the one we needed?

Isang Panaginip na Fili (2010)

Interrogating the limits of reform, the violence of established orders, and the fantasies of liberation that continue to haunt the Filipino imagination, Nitrogliserina confronts the precarious aftermath of a revolution. As power structures collapse and new futures emerge, the play offers a meditation on the price of remaking a nation.

Fiestas y Muertos will run from October to November 2026, with Nitrogliserina scheduled for February to March 2027; ticketing information will be announced soon. The season will feature both regular evening performances and weekend matinees at the IBG-KAL Theatre, UP Diliman. For sponsorship opportunities, block reservations, showbuying, and early ticket inquiries, contact the Dulaang UP Marketing Team at dulaangup.marketing.upd@up.edu.ph or follow Dulaang UP’s official social media pages for updates.

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NOLI at FILI 2000 review

Watch PETA's Noli at Fili Dekada 2000 not just for your academic requirements. It should be deeply understood and examined how it concretely reflects the Philippine society as how it was seen by Dr. Jose Rizal during his time.

In this adaptation of Rizal's great novels, it starts with one issue that is greatly attached to us. Flooding caused by illegal logging which happens to be protected by the government and the church which secures personal interests and profit at the expense of the little people. We are also exposed in the wrong doings of those in the people's levels that resembles corruption on so many levels. I just wish that many would be able to watch this.

I like how they started the play with this relevant issue. Water flows like rain from the ceiling and the actors gave an effective visualization and feels of what's going on in an actual flood tragedy. They kept the sense of Noli and Fili, and the actors Lucho Ayala and Kris Bernal playing Ibarra and Clarissa, not only provided the "celebrity" touch to the production, the roles of Rizal's novels were properly internalized.

Lucho Ayala and Kris Bernal

Then the fights were intense. Gun fires are almost realistic with sparks and sounds from the stage. In a way, the audience were captured from every corner of the theater as the cast comes in and go.

With the good production value invested in this, we hope that we will be able to reflect and think about ourselves especially at these times. Put our conscience to what's right and hopefully that the nation will be great again.

PETA's Noli at Fili 2000 will return this October 10 and 11. For tickets, you may call 725 6244 or +639175765400.

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Roeder Camanag to retell El Filibusterismo

For the 7th time, Roeder Camanag reprises his role as Don Simoun in Gantimpala Theater's restaging of El Filibusterismo, based on the second novel of Dr. Jose Rizal that sparked revolution during the Philippine Spanish era. El Filibusterismo is also the comeback of Crisostomo Ibarra under the guise of Don Simoun.

Roeder Camanag, who just finished another patriotic stint in "Ang Huling Lagda ni Apolinario Mabini," the role will set the audience to an eye-opener and deeper study of Rizal's novel.

“El Filibusterismo, whose alternate title is The Reign of Greed, is a very dark novel, it was set in a dark time, written during the dark days of
the Spanish tyranny, the themes progression is wheeled by an unseen dark force, a force that is so powerful that it controls even the characters trivial actions and choices that often lead to nothing but tragic endings. This unseen and destructive force is greed,” said director Jose Jeffrey Camañag.

“It is the intention of this production to reconstruct the face of greed as painted by the great Jose Rizal in this novel and to resonate Rizal’s definition of greed as the key evil that chains and enslaves the mind, heart and soul of a society away Camañag continues.

Watching El Filibusterismo will be an excellent approach to teach the students of history through artistic presentation and languages will give more appreciation on the messages of Dr. Rizal. Watch El Filibusterismo by Gantimpala Theater in the following dates:

PLAYDATES:

November 14 & 15 - AFP Theater 9AM/12NN
November 21 & 22 - STAR Theater 9AM/12NN
November 28 - SM Southmall Cinema 3 11AM/2PM

For tickets, call Gantimpala Theater at 998-5622 or 872-0261.

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