I Accept That I Am A Millenial #SandboxNoFilter

When I first heard of the concept of monologues by millennials, I was unimpressed. All I had heard of my generation, and yes, technically I am still one, consisted of stereotypes that tick me off. This comic by Gemma Correll sums that up nicely:

Yes, I do need my bottle sometimes. No, I do not have skinny jeans. Maybe I crave recognition too. All the time, I do want to be heard. Who does not? Like other millennials who get curious about successful things, No Filter slowly drew me in. Thank you, The Sandbox Collective, for sowing seeds of FOMO in me. Thank you also, Sandbox, for staging an upgraded version of what I missed.

No Filter 2.0 features the great talents of Sam Concepcion, Cai Cortez, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Mikael Daez, Sarah Facuri, Carla Humphries, Khalil Kaimo, Saab Magalona-Bacarro, Micah Muñoz, Paolo Valenciano, and Lauren Young in monologues. Director Toff de Venecia shares that it is like The Vagina Monologues, but featuring millennials.

I thought things were going to be pretentious, but then it turned out everything was simply honest fiction. It starts with a monologue on the nostalgic days of dial-up internet, when you could be disconnected by someone simply lifting the phone. It progresses to different topics including intimacy, relationships, musings after a party, being a foreigner in another country and another city, death, stereotypes, job interviews, and other relatable topics. These are the things we tackle head-on every day. Being there is to witness the collective struggle of our generation.

During the Q&A, Jasmine Curtis-Smith shared that the monologues show the millennial mindset despite different backgrounds. That we all melt together, despite the different things millennials go through, there is an “us.”

Monologue after monologue is thrown at you. Just when you crave more, it ends and a new one is served to you. Director Toff de Venecia says this is on purpose. The structure allows you to bring the conversation outside the theater and make it a conversation starter, especially since people will have different takes on them.

Carla Humphries hits home when she mentions that we live in a time where there are numerous choices. The way we identify ourselves is through confusion.

Millennial or not, come for the entertainment, learn from this generation, and come out enriched and maybe with more curious questions. Then watch it again as there are different sets of millennials. There would be different attacks and different treatments, all worth watching.

No Filter 2.0 ran until October 25, 2015. Ticket prices were P836 to P1,567.50 via Ticketworld. The production was part of The Sandbox Collective’s early archive of conversation-driven theater in Manila.

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FAQ: No Filter 2.0 by The Sandbox Collective

What is No Filter 2.0?

No Filter 2.0 is a Sandbox Collective production built around monologues about millennial experiences, identity, relationships, work, stereotypes, and the need to be heard.

Who appeared in No Filter 2.0?

The production featured Sam Concepcion, Cai Cortez, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Mikael Daez, Sarah Facuri, Carla Humphries, Khalil Kaimo, Saab Magalona-Bacarro, Micah Muñoz, Paolo Valenciano, and Lauren Young.

Who directed No Filter 2.0?

The production was directed by Toff de Venecia.

When did No Filter 2.0 run?

No Filter 2.0 ran until October 25, 2015.

Why is No Filter 2.0 important in the Sandbox archive?

It is part of The Sandbox Collective’s early archive of conversation-driven theater, using millennial monologues to turn generational identity into a stage event and audience conversation.