Robert Lepage’s The Far Side of the Moon: An Interview with Performer Yves Jacques

If you do a cursory Google search on Yves Jacques, you’ll find that it’s surprisingly hard to find much information about the 63-year old Canadian actor’s personal life, besides a Wikipedia article or IMDB entry that glosses over a brief description of his achievements, and a long, long list of film and theatre credits over his 40-something year career. A man whose online presence is … Continue reading Robert Lepage’s The Far Side of the Moon: An Interview with Performer Yves Jacques

Review: Dear Elena (青春禁忌游戏) by Nine Years Theatre

Worst birthday ever makes for one of the best shows of 2019. Growing up in Singapore, the hard and fast path to ‘success’ has always been made abundantly clear to each and every child: study hard, get into a good school, rinse and repeat, and you’ll lead a happy life. But for those who don’t follow exactly as the system dictates, the consequences could be … Continue reading Review: Dear Elena (青春禁忌游戏) by Nine Years Theatre

The Bicentennial Experience: An Interview with Creative Directors Beatrice Chia-Richmond and Michael Chiang

Amidst the countless ways each and every Singaporean entity is attempting to deconstruct, grapple with or straight up capitalise on the Bicentennial year, at the heart of the event remains the Singapore Bicentennial Office’s blockbuster centrepiece – From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience. Meeting with overwhelming demand upon its launch, so much such that it’s now been extended all the way till the end … Continue reading The Bicentennial Experience: An Interview with Creative Directors Beatrice Chia-Richmond and Michael Chiang

Familiar Faces In A Foreign Land: An Interview with Sandra Leong, Director of Old Chang Kee UK

LONDON – It’s not easy uprooting from one’s home and moving to a foreign country alone. If anything, it’s often the lack of familiarity and family that gets to you first, and even knowing full well the number of fellow Singaporeans in London, it’s hard not to miss home from time to time. That’s a feeling Ms Sandra Leong has encountered more than a couple of … Continue reading Familiar Faces In A Foreign Land: An Interview with Sandra Leong, Director of Old Chang Kee UK

Exhibition Extravaganza: An Interview with Benedict Yu, artist behind Are You Home?

Home is where the heart is. But for multidisciplinary artist Benedict Yu, the idea of home itself is a matter of contention, being a Third-Culture Kid born in Singapore but raised in Taichung, Taiwan. This mingling of identities, upbringing and cultures then creates a strange paradox and contradiction in Yu, as he struggles with feeling homesick for his childhood home in Taiwan while feeling an odd … Continue reading Exhibition Extravaganza: An Interview with Benedict Yu, artist behind Are You Home?

Nine Years Theatre’s Dear Elena: An Interview with Nelson Chia, Mia Chee and Timothy Wan

Near the start of 2019, local theatre company Nine Years Theatre (NYT) announced their new season, starting with FAUST/US in February, original play First Fleet in July, before rounding off with a restaging of SIFA 2017’s Art Studio in October. But midway through, due to unforeseen circumstances, Art Studio was unable to proceed as planned, and the team had to find an alternative production to round off their year. Enter Dear Elena … Continue reading Nine Years Theatre’s Dear Elena: An Interview with Nelson Chia, Mia Chee and Timothy Wan

Preview: Dear Elena (青春禁忌游戏) by Nine Years Theatre

Nine Years Theatre returns this October for their third and final production of the year. Following the premiere of brand new play First Fleet in July, the company returns to their roots with Dear Elena, with artistic director Nelson Chia adapting a Russian play into Mandarin. Originally written by Russian playwright Lyudmila Razumovskaya, Dear Elena Sergeevna, the original play, was first staged at the beginning of … Continue reading Preview: Dear Elena (青春禁忌游戏) by Nine Years Theatre

Esplanade’s Mosaic Music Series: The Manhattan Transfer (Review)

50 years on and still one of the absolute best vocal groups around. The Manhattan Transfer are undoubtedly one of America’s greatest treasures. Comprising Janis Siegel, Alan Paul and Cheryl Bentyne, along with newest member Trist Curless, the multiple Grammy Award-winning pop/jazz vocal quartet returned to the Esplanade Theatre after eight years on Tuesday, performing tracks from their latest album, along with all their greatest … Continue reading Esplanade’s Mosaic Music Series: The Manhattan Transfer (Review)

SRT’s Caught: An Interview with Director Ed Sylvanus Iskandar

There’s something undeniably joyous about the way Ed Sylvanus Iskandar carries himself. Perhaps it’s a pre-requisite for an immersive theatre director to be have a little spring in their step, a little hope in their heart and almost always excited each night with the unpredictability of what one will experience at a show, where every performance will undoubtedly be different. “I like comparing the theatre … Continue reading SRT’s Caught: An Interview with Director Ed Sylvanus Iskandar

Esplanade’s Mosaic Music Series: An Interview with Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer

Few bands last a decade, let alone five. But for American jazz quarter The Manhattan Transfer, with a whopping 30 albums and millions of worldwide record sales and sold-out tours across their career, the multiple Grammy Award-winning band makes it seem easy, having essentially perfected the art of a capella, vocalese and swing over the last 50 years. Having last performed at the Esplanade eight … Continue reading Esplanade’s Mosaic Music Series: An Interview with Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer