Presented by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Flipside 2026 returns from 29 May to 7 June as a bold celebration of risk, play and artistic daring. Known for its vibrant mix of circus, physical theatre, puppetry and comedy, the festival invites audiences into a space where uncertainty becomes part of the experience and the thrill.

Flipside has always been a festival built on the idea of risk, not only in the spectacular physical feats performed on stage, but also in the act of showing up without knowing what to expect. Artists push the limits of their bodies and craft, while audiences embrace curiosity over certainty, stepping into unfamiliar worlds that may unsettle, surprise or even transform.

Yet risk does not exist in isolation. It is underpinned by trust: between performers and collaborators, between instinct and training, and ultimately between artist and audience. It is this delicate balance that allows the extraordinary to unfold, where leaps are taken, and catches are assured.

Across 10 days, Flipside 2026 unfolds as a dynamic tapestry of performances that range from high-octane spectacle to intimate storytelling. At the Esplanade Theatre Studio, Australian circus company Gravity & Other Myths presents A Simple Space, a stripped-down, high-intensity work where acrobats test the limits of strength, trust and human connection through raw, exhilarating movement.

Local artist Dwayne Lau brings Snakes and Ladders! to life at the Recital Studio, transforming a familiar board game into an interactive theatrical experience shaped entirely by chance, audience participation and personal storytelling. Developed from a previous work-in-progress in 2025, join in and find out if Dwayne will shoot up the ladders to success or slide down the snakes to face obstacles, as his fate rests entirely in the audience’s hands.

Belgian collective Les Vélocimanes Associés offers Der Lauf (The Way Things Go), a surreal, chaotic juggling performance where audiences actively guide the action, blurring the line between performer and participant. In a genre of its own, this sharp and edgy cabaret invites audiences to witness a hypnotising ballet of buckets, balance and body memory—where even knives can be used for juggling. 

Flipside also prepares plenty of free programmes, such as Singapore’s Bornfire Circus, who returns with Sangam, a powerful ensemble work tracing stories of resilience and migration through circus and physical theatre.

The festival’s free programmes extend the experience into other public spaces, from the dreamlike object theatre of Voyage by Marine Boy at the Esplanade Forecourt Garden to the high-energy physical comedy of Gabez, known for their globally celebrated pantomime work, as they present LIVE MANGA, a show packed full of high-energy dance performances, interactive call-and-response and mind-boggling panto skills.

Audiences can also encounter the fluid, meditative artistry of Lai Yee, whose performance blends fire, movement and storytelling, blending the grace of circus artistry with fluid storytelling, the show features a mesmerising fusion of magical water spinning, contact juggling, fire dance and the Cyr wheel. Also look out for the whimsical, unexpected interventions of Circo Rum Ba Ba across the Esplanade grounds, as they unleash BOX, a Hieronymus Bosch-inspired, dreamlike little show of dance, acrobatics, shadow puppets, and music.

Meanwhile, Claudette by Maleta Company and Compagnie Balancetoi offers a tender, intergenerational story told through juggling and puppetry, about a playful grandson and his tender, dreamy and slightly cantankerous grandmother, who grows melancholic as she approaches her 90th birthday, highlighting the emotional depth that underpins the festival’s playfulness.

Beyond performances, workshops and talks invite audiences to engage more deeply with circus arts, from contact juggling and unicycling to explorations of movement as a language, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to accessibility and shared discovery. Across these varied encounters, Flipside reveals itself not just as a showcase of spectacle, but as a space for connection, where humour meets vulnerability, and where the unexpected becomes meaningful.

Since its inception in 2004, Flipside has carved out a unique place within Singapore’s arts landscape, one where risk and trust coexist, and where audiences are invited to embrace both. Flipside then provides an ongoing conversation between artists and audiences, built on shared moments of suspense, laughter and wonder. Each gasp, each burst of applause, reflects a collective willingness to step into the unknown together.

As Flipside 2026 unfolds, it extends a simple but compelling invitation: to take a risk. In return, it offers the assurance that within this space of creativity and care, there is always something—or someone—ready to catch you.

Flipside 2026 from 29th May to 7th June 2026 at the Esplanade. Tickets and full programme available here