Preview: cont·act Dance Festival 2026 (16th edition)

This June, Singapore’s dance calendar welcomes back one of its most transformative festivals, with the 16th edition of cont·act Dance Festival, now with a refreshed identity, a bold international lineup, and an invitation to experience dance beyond categories. Running from 8 to 28 June 2026, the festival unfolds across the iconic Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and other creative spaces, bringing together artists from … Continue reading Preview: cont·act Dance Festival 2026 (16th edition)

Preview: Flipside 2026 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

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 … Continue reading Preview: Flipside 2026 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Preview: Singapore’s maritime history comes alive at Singapore HeritageFest 2026

There’s something about the sea that feels inseparable from Singapore. Maybe it’s the hum of ships on the horizon, the stories tucked into old piers, or the flavours and cultures that arrived on these shores over centuries. This May, that connection takes centre stage as the Singapore HeritageFest 2026 returns with a sweeping, islandwide celebration of maritime life: past, present, and still unfolding. Running from … Continue reading Preview: Singapore’s maritime history comes alive at Singapore HeritageFest 2026

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Randai Macbeth by ASWARA

Shakespeare meets the Nusantara in a bold, visceral Macbeth reborn through randai. It’s no small feat to make a 400-year-old play feel fresh, but Randai Macbeth achieves exactly that, and then some. Presented by Malaysia’s ASWARA and directed by Dr Norzizi Zulkifli, this bold adaptation reimagines Macbeth through the cultural lens of the Nusantara, transforming Shakespeare’s tale of ambition and moral decay into something visceral, … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Randai Macbeth by ASWARA

★★★★★ Theatre Review: PUNO – Sewing Memories by Papermoon Puppet Theatre

A universally affecting, timeless tale of love and loss by masters of the puppetry form. PUNO: Sewing Memories is, in many ways, a ghost story. Or perhaps more precisely, it is the story of a ghost, though not in the way we might expect. From the very outset of the show, which played as part of the Esplanade’s 2026 Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: PUNO – Sewing Memories by Papermoon Puppet Theatre

★★★☆☆ Theatre Review: La Luna by Teater Ekamatra

A lively but unfocused stage adaptation of La Luna struggles to balance satire and substance, losing the impact and weight of its source material. Adapting a film for the stage is never about simple reproduction. Theatre demands transformation, with a rethinking of form, rhythm, and storytelling. But that transformation must still serve the story. The most successful adaptations do not replicate but reinterpret with purpose. … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Theatre Review: La Luna by Teater Ekamatra

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Handle with Care by Ontroerend Goed (HKAF 2026)

A tiny theatrical miracle is experienced as you forge memories with complete strangers under an hour. HONG KONG – Belgian avant-garde theatre company Ontroerend Goed has long built a reputation for dismantling what theatre is supposed to be. With Handle with Care, they take that idea to its most radical extreme: there are no actors, no technicians, just a box, a stage, and an audience. … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Handle with Care by Ontroerend Goed (HKAF 2026)

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Maria Tri Sulistyani, founder of Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and playwright/director of ‘PUNO – Sewing Memories’

Twelve years ago, the story that would become PUNO: Sewing Memories began with a promise. Back in 2013, Papermoon Puppet Theatre was planning a collaboration with a close friend from the Philippines: puppetry artist Don Salubayba. “It was kind of like, wow, it’s amazing that we have so much in common, let’s do something together,” recalls director and playwright Maria Tri Sulistyani, also a co-founder … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Maria Tri Sulistyani, founder of Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and playwright/director of ‘PUNO – Sewing Memories’

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Dr. Norzizi Zulkifli on adapting Macbeth for Randai and traditional arts in Malaysia

When Dr Norzizi speaks about randai, she does not describe it as an artefact or a genre. She describes the art form as something breathing, precarious, but alive. “Without ASWARA,” she says plainly of the National Academy of Arts, Cultural and Heritage of Malaysia, “randai is a dying traditional art form. It exists, but it is also not there. If you come to Kuala Lumpur … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Dr. Norzizi Zulkifli on adapting Macbeth for Randai and traditional arts in Malaysia

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with ‘La Luna’ director Mohd Fared Jainal, playwright Ridhwan Saidi, and star Munah Bagharib

In an age where the world often feels divided and overexposed to outrage, the most compelling theatre sometimes comes from stories that remind us what it means to live, work, and confront challenges together. This year’s La Luna, making its stage debut during Pesta Raya at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, does exactly that: it’s a feel-good comedy that also asks audiences to look … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with ‘La Luna’ director Mohd Fared Jainal, playwright Ridhwan Saidi, and star Munah Bagharib