Huayi Festival 2019: Dear John by M.O.V.E. Theatre (Review)

A musical soundscape through unorthodox means. When John Cage’s controversial 4’33 premiered in 1952, never might the avant-garde composer have imagined the sheer impact he might have had in the field of music theory. Infamous for being four minutes and thirty three seconds of ‘silence’ as an orchestra stands still onstage, the work reflects Cage’s interests in Zen Buddhism, and his magnum opus epitomizing the theory … Continue reading Huayi Festival 2019: Dear John by M.O.V.E. Theatre (Review)

Huayi Festival 2019: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by Li Liuyi Theatre Studio (Review)

Tragedy seems written in the stars in this lengthy production as the cosmos themselves bid our sweet prince goodnight.  Ranking among Shakespeare’s best works, it’s little surprise that Hamlet has seen countless productions and interpretations over the centuries. Opening the Esplanade’s Huayi Festival 2019, director Li Liuyi’s latest production of the piece sees the moody protagonist played by film star Hu Jun (Red Cliff, East Palace West Palace), … Continue reading Huayi Festival 2019: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by Li Liuyi Theatre Studio (Review)

Toy Factory’s The Transition Room: An Interview with Stanley Seah and Goh Boon Teck

This February, Toy Factory opens their 2019 season with a brand new production. Written and directed by Toy Factory Associate Artistic Director Stanley Seah, The Transition Room will be making its premiere at the Drama Centre Black Box, after previously having had a dramatized reading held at Toy Factory’s space at NOWplaying@17. Originating about 4 years ago as a school play, Stanley elaborates more on how The Transition … Continue reading Toy Factory’s The Transition Room: An Interview with Stanley Seah and Goh Boon Teck

Season in Preview: Drama Box 2019 Season

  In 2018, local theatre company Drama Box has created some of the most poignant productions both in and out of the conventional theatre space. From reflections on death to a self-directed return to one’s past, a collaboration with The Necessary Stage to a  surprisingly powerful theatrical tour of Chinatown,  2019 will see the company continue to develop some of the themes raised in 2018 through brand new … Continue reading Season in Preview: Drama Box 2019 Season

Preview: Esplanade presents Huayi Festival 2019

There’s already plenty to get excited about for the 2019’s arts season! Esplanade – Theatres by the Bay, has launched their 2019 Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts lineup, and we couldn’t be more excited for this 17th edition. Taking place from 15th to 24th February 2019, Huayi 2019 builds on the success of last year’s five new commissioned works, working together with both local … Continue reading Preview: Esplanade presents Huayi Festival 2019

Preview: The Transition Room by Toy Factory

Besides the announcement of the second part of their theatrical trilogy at SIFA 2019, Toy Factory will be opening their 2019 season with their all new production The Transition Room. Making the bold transition from experimental to mainstage, The Transition Room originated as a dramatized reading held at Toy Factory’s space at NOWplaying@17, and will receive a full theatrical adaptation next February at the Drama Centre Black Box. Directed and … Continue reading Preview: The Transition Room by Toy Factory

Preview: Nam Hwa Blazes 《万紫千红》(January 2019) by Nam Hwa Opera

Nam Hwa Opera returns next January with the 3rd Anniversary edition of ‘Nam Hwa Blazes’! Presented at the Ci Yuan Community Club at 3pm and 7pm, the quarterly outreach performance presents Nam Hwa’s brightest talents as they’re given a platform to showcase classical Teochew Opera to the public. Best of all – it’s completely free to attend, and even if you can’t make it in person, the 7pm … Continue reading Preview: Nam Hwa Blazes 《万紫千红》(January 2019) by Nam Hwa Opera

Review: Journey To Nowhere (Southernmost – One Table Two Chairs Project 2018)

A well-executed, thought-provoking diatribe on the proposed future of local arts. As an “arts festival for the future”, experimental theatre company Emergency Stairs’ Southernmost – One Table Two Chairs Project 2018 naturally chooses to buck the trend of a typical arts festival, acting a critique of the usual and taking on an artist-driven, process-centric approach, comprising primarily of workshops, demonstrations, open forums, and a single … Continue reading Review: Journey To Nowhere (Southernmost – One Table Two Chairs Project 2018)

Preview: Southernmost – One Table Two Chairs Project 2018 presented by Emergency Stairs

Building on from the success of their inaugural Southernmost Project launched in 2017, Emergency Stairs returns with the 2018 edition of the experimental theatre festival this November. Taking its name from traditional Chinese opera’s convention of ‘southern’ stages and the one table two chairs performance format, the Southernmost Project was conceptualised as an “arts festival for the future”, and focuses on bringing together local and … Continue reading Preview: Southernmost – One Table Two Chairs Project 2018 presented by Emergency Stairs

Nine Years Theatre’s Lear Is Dead 李尔亡: An Interview with Nelson Chia and Timothy Wan

There is more than a passing similarity to Shakespeare’s King Lear and a certain recently deceased leader from our very own country. Besides being former heads of a nation and possessing three children, Lear, when translated to Mandarin, also happens to begin with the Chinese character 李, or ‘Lee’. Appropriately enough then, for their very first Shakespeare adaptation, local Mandarin theatre company Nine Years Theatre … Continue reading Nine Years Theatre’s Lear Is Dead 李尔亡: An Interview with Nelson Chia and Timothy Wan