Toff de Venecia's bold vision for 'Side Show'

Originally published in Manila Bulletin

In “Side Show,” now playing under Sandbox Collective’s daring and evocative staging, director Toff de Venecia revives more than just a cult classic musical — he resurrects a story of identity, visibility, and shared humanity, breathing new life into the tale of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. The result is both haunting and heartfelt, a theatrical experience that lingers long after the curtain call.

Set against the backdrop of 1930s vaudeville and the fringes of showbiz, “Side Show” follows the lives of the Hilton sisters as they rise from side-show curiosities to celebrated performers, all while navigating the painful realities of love, autonomy, and exploitation. While the musical's themes remain timeless, De Venecia’s direction grounds the show in fresh urgency and unexpected intimacy.

This production marks a significant moment for De Venecia — a full-circle return to the very first musical he directed solo back in 2010. Coming off the heels of “Little Shop of Horrors” last year, “Side Show” feels like a natural, if deeply personal, evolution of his theatrical voice. “It’s really almost like a full-circle moment,” De Venecia shares. “This show is special to me.”

But nostalgia isn’t what drives this version. Eschewing the more polished 2014 revival (familiarly staged by Atlantis Productions in 2018), De Venecia boldly embraces the rawness of the original 1997 version, crafting what he calls a “grittier, darker” vision. That choice pays off — this “Side Show” pulses with emotional grit and unflinching honesty. Rather than sentimentalize the sisters’ struggle, it confronts it, head-on, in all its complexity and pain.

The staging is inventive and immersive — not in the trendy sense of breaking the fourth wall, but in how it blurs the lines between audience and spectacle. With a nod to “Himala,” the visual and spatial choices often place us inside the world of the Hilton twins, making their joy and alienation feel uncomfortably close. “It’s not immersive per se, but it’s very experiential,” De Venecia explains, and he’s right. The effect is chilling, immediate, and unforgettable.

Equally powerful is the production’s political conscience. De Venecia leans into the musical’s inherent commentary on othering, difference, and social exploitation, using “Side Show” to foreground the narratives of the marginalized. “We’re using the show to platform awareness about all these underserved communities,” he notes. This comes through not just in text, but in tone, texture, and the careful sensitivity evident in every directorial choice.

What stands out most in this production, however, is the sense of collective creation. De Venecia describes the process as “highly collaborative,” crediting cast and crew alike for shaping its artistic soul. “I’m just orchestrating from behind,” he says.Indeed, while his directorial vision is unmistakable, it never overshadows the ensemble. The result is a rare feat in theatre: A production where every part, no matter how small, feels essential to the whole.

With “Side Show,” Sandbox Collective doesn’t just resurrect a rarely seen musical — they reclaim it. Under Toff de Venecia’s fearless, full-hearted direction, it becomes more than a story of spectacle; it’s a story of survival, of sisterhood, and of being seen in a world that would rather look away.

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