Cover Jon Santos
Jon Santos
1 / 1
The idea of mental health, depression and grief has been seen as taboo in traditional households for long enough. With ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ aiming to destigmatise this conversation, The Sandbox Collective presents the ‘Bawat Bonggang Bagay’ for a much more intimate discussion.
Number six. Rollercoasters. This was the sixth brilliant—or bongga—thing the unnamed character wrote down in the list. And as a viewer, I can only describe Jon Santos’ performance in Bawat Bonggang Bagay as a rollercoaster ride. The ups and loops were exhilarating, filling me and the rest of the audience with genuine laughter as Santos waltzed around the stage. The lows were like a punch in the gut, asphyxiating me with the painful sorrows of being a child with a suicidal mother. Though similar to the character, we coped. We focused on the good things in life. The things that were truly bongga.
More from Tatler: Duncan Macmillan’s ‘Lungs’ and ‘Every Brilliant Thing’: an intimate theatrical experience
Through Guelan Luarca’s translation and Jenny Jamora’s direction, Santos didn’t just deliver the Filipino version of Every Brilliant Thing. They also gave us the male and queer perspective. Having seen Kakki Teodoro’s previous performance, I was curious as to how much this changed things. The essentials were kept, characters, and their dialogue, the stage props, and key plot points were all there. It was how they executed it that was different. This is where Luarca’s conveyance could be seen.
A clear example of this is the marriage. In Teodoro’s performance, the wedding was straightforward; this, however, has the characters travelling to Canada to get married. Here it highlights and subtly criticises what the Philippines lacks as a country. The list itself was localised. For instance, the first brilliant thing listed was ice cream, this version had halo-halo. This was my first indication that this iteration isn’t just a translation. It was grounded in Filipino culture.
1 / 1
Santos’ interactions with the viewers were like no other. Every time he’d pull someone from the audience, it was met with applause and laughter. A particular instance stood out for everyone. When someone tried to sneak away to head to the bathroom, Santos took notice and suddenly asked, “Saan ka pupunta (Where will you go)?” like a grade school teacher catching one of their students cutting classes. Santos then said, “I’ll wait for you”, and froze, stood his ground and waited for what seemed like thirty minutes for him to return. Upon returning, Santos remained frozen, and the moment the audience member sat down, he snapped back to character, picking up where he left off. These are moments that might not be seen again in another show—unless someone goes to the bathroom again—and Santos capitalises on any movement the audience makes to create a bit out of.
In case you missed it: Ballet Philippines opens its 54th season with ‘Coppelia’
Above Jon Santos
Jon Santos
1 / 1
As a comedian, making people laugh is Santos’ strength. He does it so effortlessly that even the tiniest mannerisms invoke joy from the audience. Though when the scene calls for a more serious tone and we hear about the character’s battles with depression, he gracefully sets the scene, and instantly, it’s like the stage is filled with a hazy mist that puts everyone in an uncomfortable state.
1 / 1
The topic of mental health is rarely talked about anywhere, especially in the Philippines. So our instinct is to feel uneasy when it’s talked about or visualised. But that’s why it needs to be seen. Bawat Bonggang Bagay does exactly what Every Brilliant Thing was trying to do. Spread the word about mental illness, destigmatise it, and show that it is okay to feel these things and that there is hope. There will always be hope. What makes Bawat Bonggang Bagay different, aside from the literal translation is that it’s localised so much that it hits so close to home. This isn’t a mere translation. This was a masterful adaptation meant to speak to Filipinos directly, opening up the conversation we desperately need.
NOW READ
Floy Quintos’ ‘The Reconciliation Dinner’ shows us how everything can be political
Much-anticipated Broadway musical ‘Here Lies Love’ officially opens on July 20
Philippine Ballet Theater opens its 37th season with ‘Ibalon’
Credits
Photography: The Sandbox Collective
About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
Work
A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
