Review: Tanah•Air 水•土 – A Play In Two Parts by Drama Box

Remembering those we’ve forgotten via two tales of the dispossessed.  As much as the Bicentennial celebrations claim to remember the some 700 years of recorded history of Singapore and the people who lived here back then, it tends to forget that those same people aren’t extinct, and in fact, still walk among us today. With Drama Box’s incredibly ambitious two part play Tanah•Air 水•土 then, the … Continue reading Review: Tanah•Air 水•土 – A Play In Two Parts by Drama Box

An Interview with the Creatives Behind Tanah•Air 水•土 – A Play In Two Parts by Drama Box

Tanah Air: A phrase in Malay that means ‘homeland’ in English, and forming the overarching theme of Drama Box’s newest work – Tanah•Air 水•土:A Play In Two Parts, premiering this week as part of Malay Culturefest 2019. Perhaps beyond all the Bicentennial plays this year that’ve sauntered past the history of pre-Raffles and into modern Singapore history, Tanah•Air might just be the only one that dives deep … Continue reading An Interview with the Creatives Behind Tanah•Air 水•土 – A Play In Two Parts by Drama Box

Preview: Tanah•Air 水•土 – A Play In Two Parts by Drama Box

As Singapore’s Bicentennial celebrations carry on throughout the year, local theatre company Drama Box has taken the opportunity to raise questions about our own history and the way it is recorded, wondering what stories and narratives have been left out in the writing of the history of our land, and its surrounding waters. Helmed by Drama Box artistic director Kok Heng Leun, in collaboration with … Continue reading Preview: Tanah•Air 水•土 – A Play In Two Parts by Drama Box

In Kuala Lumpur 2019: Gold Rain & Hailstones by The Instant Cafe Theatre Company (Review)

A timely reminder of the genius and timelessness of Jit Murad in this reflection on the Malaysian identity. KUALA LUMPUR – It’s been 13 years since Jit Murad’s Gold Rain & Hailstones was last produced in his own home country of Malaysia. So it’s about high time then that a revival is in order by the Instant Cafe Theatre Company this March. Gold Rain & Hailstones follows the outspoken and … Continue reading In Kuala Lumpur 2019: Gold Rain & Hailstones by The Instant Cafe Theatre Company (Review)

In Kuala Lumpur 2019: Ola Bola the Musical (2019 Version) by Enfiniti Productions (Review)

The sold out Malaysian musical continues to swell with nationalistic pride as it returned for a rematch for an even stronger performance this year.  KUALA LUMPUR – After enjoying a sold out run in 2018, Ola Bola the Musical, the ‘best Malaysian musical’ (according to Malaysian PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself) returned to the Isatana Budaya in Kuala Lumpur this February to wow even more … Continue reading In Kuala Lumpur 2019: Ola Bola the Musical (2019 Version) by Enfiniti Productions (Review)

In Kuala Lumpur 2019: An Interview with the Creative Team of Gold Rain & Hailstones (The Instant Cafe Theatre Company)

KUALA LUMPUR – Jit Murad is one of Malaysia’s most prominent playwrights, having penned some of the country’s sharpest and most scintillating plays effectively highlighting and presenting the Malaysian identity onstage. Last staged in Malaysia in 2006, it seemed only right that as part of their comeback and 30th anniversary, the Instant Cafe Theatre Company’s 30th anniversary would then stage Jit’s very first professional play: Gold Rain … Continue reading In Kuala Lumpur 2019: An Interview with the Creative Team of Gold Rain & Hailstones (The Instant Cafe Theatre Company)

Review: Anak Melayu by Teater Kami

A bleak portrait of the problems haunting Malay youth.  The teenage years can be hard, but when you belong to a certain group or class bogged down by stereotypes, it can be even harder. For the six Malay youths in Noor Effendy Ibrahim’s Anak Melayu, teenagehood is practically a nightmare, as each one deals with a different facet of discrimination, all messed up even before … Continue reading Review: Anak Melayu by Teater Kami

Teater Kami’s Anak Melayu: An Interview with Cast Member Masturah Oli

This year, Teater Kami celebrates their 30th Anniversary, and starts off their season with a restaging of Noor Effendy Ibrahim’s 1992 play Anak Melayu. Now directed by Adib Kosnan, the play about the rollercoaster lives Malay teenagers lead growing up in Singapore is set to hit hard with its truths, played by a diverse new cast of performers. Of these is performer Masturah Oli, who we last saw … Continue reading Teater Kami’s Anak Melayu: An Interview with Cast Member Masturah Oli

Preview: Anak Melayu by Teater Kami

In conjunction with their 30th Anniversary celebration this year, Teater Kami is set to restage Anak Melayu – a play that was first staged in 1992 at The Substation, as written and directed by a then 18 year old Noor Effendy Ibrahim. Anak Melayu follows six Malay teenagers going through a tumultuous period in their lives as they attempt to find themselves and discover those around them in … Continue reading Preview: Anak Melayu by Teater Kami

Review: Projek Suitcase 2018 by Teater Ekamatra

An assortment of short monodramas reflecting on what it means to live – and die. Teater Ekamatra’s site-specific Projek Suitcase series follows a simple poor theatre format – one actor performs a short monodrama, equipped with minimal props, lighting and costumes, celebrating the power of the voice and traditional storytelling techniques. For their latest edition, held at the brand new Wisma Geylang Serai, they’ve taken on the … Continue reading Review: Projek Suitcase 2018 by Teater Ekamatra