Into The Mind of A Theater Critic
In “Critic on Critic,” reviewers redefine their role in the theater community beyond the misconceptions that portray them as enemies of the craft.
Words Marc Nathaniel Servo
Photo courtesy of PalabasTayo
November 13, 2025
Aiming to debunk negative perceptions on how critics tear down productions, PalabasTayo.com announces the release of a two-part video series “Critic on Critic,” featuring theater reviewers Vincen Gregory Yu and Ryan Robert Flores, that would take viewers inside the world of theater criticism in the Philippines, exploring their origins, why they do it, and the challenges reviewers faced along the way.
PalabasTayo.com, a lifestyle and entertainment portal for the arts, in collaboration with Magnify MNL and powered by Playful Prescriptions, spearheaded the series as an eye-opener on the role of reviewers as allies to the craft, by helping theaters grow through constructive insights.
“With theater booming in the country, ‘Critic on Critic’ is most welcome. The role of the critic cannot be stressed enough, sparking conversations that deepen our appreciation of the play as well as the human condition,” Philippine Star columnists Ricky Toledo and Chito Vijandre discussed.
“We may not agree with everything critics say, but they definitely get us thinking, making their work indispensable for those involved in the production as well as the audience, and can only help in making our theater industry more robust and progressive,” they added.
Across different fields, critics are both feared and loved—an experience shared by the local theater community. Each review could make or break a production, but theater critics are not enemies, but friends that help improve quality of performances.
According to Regional Editor Oliver Oliveros of Broadway World, offering critique has to be impartial, and should be more about uplifting than disparaging. Therefore, they try to be fair and offer constructive suggestions to improve art form.
Throughout the series, Vincen and Ryan will share to the audience what lies behind a critic’s thought process and writing approach that makes a review purposeful.
This is highlighted by Playwright Luna Griño-Inocian who sees fair critic reviews as chance to grow, “As a writer, I welcome honest criticism since it helps me identify the strengths and flaws of my work, see it from other’s eyes, allowing me to take a good hard look, analyze which of their opinions are in sync with my vision or they do not fully get what I’m trying to say. Either way, I grow and learn, and hopefully come up with better work.”
“Critic on Critic” will also dig deep into the hosts’ encounters in the field through engaging games—from theater preferences, memorable lines from past reviews, to candid experiences. Together, they will explore various moments in their career like getting banned from shows, being subjected to terrible sound quality, and many more.
Theater fans may stream the series on PalabasTayo.com’s official Facebook page starting November 3, 2025. For more updates, you may follow them on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
