Staging Ryuichi Sakamoto: An Interview with Todd Eckert, founder of Tin Drum and co-creator of KAGAMI on technology and friendship in the arts

In March 2023, Ryuichi Sakamoto, one of Japan’s greatest contemporary composers and pianists, passed on after a long battle with cancer. Known for his ambient, sparse compositions that were capable of evoking powerful reactions and emotions from his listeners, his fans mourned him, while also knowing they would never get to see him perform live again. Yet, one of those fans, who also happened to … Continue reading Staging Ryuichi Sakamoto: An Interview with Todd Eckert, founder of Tin Drum and co-creator of KAGAMI on technology and friendship in the arts

Can I Make You A Suit, Mate?: An Interview with Rishi Budhrani on grounding himself and returning to his roots via comedy

“If you want to know where you’re going, you need to know where you’re from.” That is the mantra that comedian Rishi Budhrani took with him when he set out to write and perform one-man show Can I Make You A Suit, Mate?, which returns to the stage this week, following a sold-out run in 2022, during the Esplanade’s annual Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival … Continue reading Can I Make You A Suit, Mate?: An Interview with Rishi Budhrani on grounding himself and returning to his roots via comedy

Bangkok Art Biennale 2024: An Interview with Chief Executive and Artistic Director Prof. Dr Apinan Poshyananda and curatorial section leader Pojai Akratanakul

The art world loves a good Art Biennale. And with more countries coming up with their own, the scene is getting increasingly crowded, to the extent one can plan an entire world tour hopping from one Biennale to another as the circuit only continues to grow. But the Biennale has never been solely for the art world – such events are also crucial for a … Continue reading Bangkok Art Biennale 2024: An Interview with Chief Executive and Artistic Director Prof. Dr Apinan Poshyananda and curatorial section leader Pojai Akratanakul

White, All White: An Interview with writer/director Deonn Yang and cast member Koh Wan Ching on care and growth

Beyond her formal arts education in LASALLE College of the Arts, theatremaker Deonn Yang is also a self-proclaimed graduate of the ‘School of The Necessary Stage (TNS)’, beginning with an online playwriting workshop conducted by Haresh Sharma in 2020, during the COVID era. That led to her applying for Playwrights’ Cove in 2022, also by TNS, before presenting her show Why Be Good When You … Continue reading White, All White: An Interview with writer/director Deonn Yang and cast member Koh Wan Ching on care and growth

An Interview with SMU Arts Fest 2024 Festival Directors and producers on student development and the power of collaboration

While most students in Singapore are better known as hardcore bookworms constantly preparing for exams to hit their elusive 4.0 GPA, students at Singapore Management University (SMU) are able to do all that and more. Being management students specifically, there’s that careful balance of work and play, the latter of which takes centrestage at this year’s SMU Arts Fest, aptly dealing with the theme of, … Continue reading An Interview with SMU Arts Fest 2024 Festival Directors and producers on student development and the power of collaboration

Singapore Night Festival 2024: An Interview with artist Rizman Putra, on his work ‘The Happiest Days of Our Lives’

Rizman Putra is probably best known for being one of the most high-energy performers in the local theatre scene. With credits that range from the physically-demanding, such as Al in A Clockwork Orange, or even behind the scenes as director on works such as Pandan, or even leading the band Tiramisu as an alternative, counterculture musician, Rizman has pretty much done it all – and … Continue reading Singapore Night Festival 2024: An Interview with artist Rizman Putra, on his work ‘The Happiest Days of Our Lives’

Miss Saigon: An Interview with Singaporean stars Louisa Vilinne and Shannon Cheong

In the ongoing run of blockbuster musical Miss Saigon over at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Theatre, there’s something very special about the cast that’s to be celebrated – the presence of not one but two Singaporean cast members who take to the stage and show that there is indeed a future for Singaporean performers, if you dream big and work hard for it. In that … Continue reading Miss Saigon: An Interview with Singaporean stars Louisa Vilinne and Shannon Cheong

Film Fanatic: An Interview with director-writer Gavin Yap on teenage fear in ‘Geng Kubur’

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there are several rites of passage teens go through in their life, including going on foolhardy adventures to look back on and laugh. But what if something terrible happens on one of those days? Enter Geng Kubur, or Dead Boys Club, a new Malaysian teen horror flick coming to Netflix this August, written and directed by Malaysian filmmaker … Continue reading Film Fanatic: An Interview with director-writer Gavin Yap on teenage fear in ‘Geng Kubur’

Esplanade’s The Studios 2024: An Interview with director/playwright Wichaya Artamat and producer Sasapin Siriwanij on ‘This Song Father Used To Sing (Three Days In May)’

Fathers in Asian society have always had certain stereotypes associated with them – a sense of the austere, reserved and detached from openly expressing love for their children, and perhaps, even as a microcosm of the greater paternalistic, patriarchal governance style adopted by those in power. In many ways, a father is often an anchor within a family that determines their relations and dynamics, resulting … Continue reading Esplanade’s The Studios 2024: An Interview with director/playwright Wichaya Artamat and producer Sasapin Siriwanij on ‘This Song Father Used To Sing (Three Days In May)’

An Interview with Shannen Tan and Miriam Cheong on McDonald’s, pain and friendship in ‘Lotus Root Support Group’ (2024)

Back in 2022, fellow theatremakers Shannen Tan and Miriam Cheong found solace and friendship in each other over their shared pain – the fact that both of them suffered from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a common yet often misunderstood endocrine disorder affecting up to 21% of women worldwide. Aiming to find a way to both educate others about the condition, while also sharing their own … Continue reading An Interview with Shannen Tan and Miriam Cheong on McDonald’s, pain and friendship in ‘Lotus Root Support Group’ (2024)