★★★★☆ Review: MILIEU 2022 by Frontier Danceland

Double bill of new introspective dance work looking at coexistence and cultural traditions. In the new edition of Frontier Danceland’s signature MILIEU programme, veteran female choreographers Low Mei Yoke (Singapore), Irene Kalbusch (Belgium) and Loke Soh Kim (Malaysia) produce and choreograph two intimate reflections on the interconnections of identity, place and culture, as they look towards the future, paying attention to what’s happening on the … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: MILIEU 2022 by Frontier Danceland

★★☆☆☆ Review: For My Highness by Toy Factory Productions

Weak direction and a script still in its infancy leave this play about drug abuse bereft of an emotional anchor. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Adeeb Fazah) 4 Script (Shaleihin Pi’ee) 4 Performance (Zulfiqar Izzudin, Ong Xue Min, Wilfred Lee Kim Chye, Fadhil Daud, Jayden Lim Jun De) 4 Lighting (Fazree Azharie) 5 Sound (Vick Low) 5 Set (Vivien Lau) 4 Total 26/60 (43%) … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Review: For My Highness by Toy Factory Productions

★★★★★ Review: Stream of Memory by Papermoon Puppet Theatre and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

Excellent puppetry immerses audience members in a mystical river. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Maria Tri Sulistyani) 9 Performance 9 Puppet Design / Puppet Engineers (Iwan Effendi / Anton Fajri and Muhammad Alhaq) 10 Choreography (Dapheny Chen) 8 Music and Sound Design (Yennu Ariendra) 8 Lighting Design (James Tan) 8 Multimedia (Gilang Kusuma) 8 Costume Design (Retno Intiani) 8 Total 68/80 (85%) Final Score: … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Stream of Memory by Papermoon Puppet Theatre and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

★★★★★ Review: Kumar XXX by Dream Academy

Celebrating 30 years of being an icon, Kumar tackles sex, politics and current affairs in his signature, quintessentially Singaporean style. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (George Chan) 9 Additional Writing (Gabrielle Evelena, Jo Tan, Malcolm Oei and Janis Goh) 8 Performance (Kumar) 10 Dancers (Aidil Fitrah, Charmain Ho, Francesca Harriman, Hafeez Hassan, Rocio Yap and Kim Eusope) 10 Choreography (Francesca Harriman and Hafeez Hassan) … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Kumar XXX by Dream Academy

★★★★☆ Review: Between 5 Cows and the Deep Blue Sea by A Yagnya (Kalaa Utsavam 2022)

Interrogating the confused, multi-faceted identity of the modern Indian woman in a meta, self-reflexive play. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (A Yagnya and Alvin Tan) 6 Script (A Yagnya) 6 Performance (Indumathi Tamilselvan and Kewal Kartik) 8 Costumes (Max Tan) 8 Set (Chan Silei) 7 Lighting (Faith Liu Yong Huay) 8 Multimedia (Jevon Chandra) 9 Sound (Jevon Chandra) 8 Total 60/80 (75%) Final Score: … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Between 5 Cows and the Deep Blue Sea by A Yagnya (Kalaa Utsavam 2022)

Music Is: An Interview with Hans Sørensen, Director of Artistic Planning, Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Hans Sørensen is Director of Artistic Planning at the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. What that means is that among the many hats he wears, Sørensen is also responsible for the dynamic programming that goes into the Orchestra’s upcoming season, including acclaimed international and local musicians from Paul Lewis to Daniel Moult, the Thomas Clausen Trio to Yu Jing. A violin player, throughout his career, Sørensen has … Continue reading Music Is: An Interview with Hans Sørensen, Director of Artistic Planning, Singapore Symphony Orchestra

★★★★☆ Review: Chestnuts – Sibeh Strange in the Multiverse

Singapore’s longest running parody returns with a vengeance after 7 years, spoofing everything from Marvel to The LKY Musical. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Jonathan Lim) 7 Script (Jonathan Lim) 7 Performance (Jonathan Lim, Judy Ngo, Audrey Luo, Timothy Wan, Nelson Chia) 8 Music (Elaine Chan) 8 Sound Design (Bob Wong) 7 Multimedia Design (Genevieve Peck) 7 Lighting Design (Tai Zi Feng) 7 Costumes … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Chestnuts – Sibeh Strange in the Multiverse

★★★☆☆ Review: Offending The Audience by Emergency Stairs and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

Flawed revival of Handke’s classic fails to find a place in the contemporary world. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Ang Gey Pin) 6 Script (Peter Handke and devised parts by cast) 6 Performance 7 Lighting Design (David Li) 7 Total 26/40 (65%) Final Score: ★★★☆☆ Since premiering in Germany in 1966, Peter Handke’s Offending The Audience has gained a reputation for being a quintessential … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Offending The Audience by Emergency Stairs and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

★★★☆☆ Review: Dream School by Emergency Stairs and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

Oversimplification of problems in arts education makes this less of a forum than it is another angry shout into the void against the system. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Li Xie) 5 Script (Devised by Li Xie and Cast) 5 Performance 7 Lighting Design (David Li) 7 Total 24/40 (60%) Final Score: ★★★☆☆ Presented as part of Emergency Stairs and NAFA’s Industry Project 2022, … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Dream School by Emergency Stairs and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

RATA – new grounds, new sounds: An Interview with director Safuan Johari

In the blink of an eye, another year has gone by, and we’ll soon be saying goodbye to 2022. But before the year ends, sound artist and music producer Safuan Johari will be concluding it with a bang, as he and the Esplanade premiere the RATA Orkestra this December. Rounding off the Esplanade’s In New Light season of commissioned work at the newly opened Singtel … Continue reading RATA – new grounds, new sounds: An Interview with director Safuan Johari