Category: Review

Arts, Dance with Me, Esplanade Annexe Studio, Review, Reviews, Singapore, Singapore Arts, Theatre., Theatres

Kalaa Utsavam 2017: Koodiyattam – Nangiarkoothu by Kapila Venu (Review)

Beyond new contemporary works, the Esplanade’s annual Kalaa Utsavam also regularly features traditional arts in its lineup, and 2017 is no different. This year, we had the rare privilege of watching master koodiyattam practitioner Kapila Venu perform the ancient, UNESCO-recgonized art form. A little background information for the unfamiliar: koodiyattam is a 2,000 year old theatrical tradition originating from Kerala, India. Often performed in temples, … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2017: Koodiyattam – Nangiarkoothu by Kapila Venu (Review)

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Arts, Dance with Me, Esplanade Theatre, Music, Review, Singapore, Singapore Arts, Theatre., Theatre, Theatres

Kalaa Utsavam 2017: Anjaneyam – Hanuman’s Ramayana by Apsaras Arts

Indian culture and mythology spans centuries, giving birth to hundreds of tales about various gods and goddesses, royals and monsters. So it stands to reason that the 2017 Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts would open with an adaptation of one of the most famous tales of all – the Ramayana.  Focusing on the life and adventures of the monkey god Hanuman (played by Hari … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2017: Anjaneyam – Hanuman’s Ramayana by Apsaras Arts

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Arts, Music, musical, Review, Singapore, Singapore Arts, Theatre., Students, Theatre

Review: Overtime by Myle Yan Tay and Nathaniel Mah

Earlier this month we were pleasantly surprised by a highly competent production of Jean Tay’s Boom by a group of students from Yale-NUS. We thought this was the kind of thing that comes by only every so often, but evidently we were wrong, having proverbial lightning strike twice with Myle Yan Tay and Nathaniel Mah’s new musical tackling office life: Overtime. Overtime is the rare … Continue reading Review: Overtime by Myle Yan Tay and Nathaniel Mah

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Arts, Comedy, Esplanade Recital Studio, Review, Singapore, Theatre, Theatre Companies, Theatres

Kalaa Utsavam 2017: Sharul Weds Sharul by Sharul Channa

Sharul Channa is a riot. Or at the very least, she could probably start one easily if she tried, with almost no topic too taboo to tackle. Now, Sharul is happily married (to fellow comedian Rishi Budhrani), but as a strong, independent woman, has her hangups about the deeply misogynistic nature of some Indian traditions. So naturally, in her newest ‘comedic monologue’ (‘so it sounds … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2017: Sharul Weds Sharul by Sharul Channa

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Arts, Dance with Me, Esplanade Theatre Studio, Experimental, Music, Review, Singapore, Singapore Arts, Theatre., Theatre, Theatres

Kalaa Utsavam 2017: Khwaab-Sa – Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by The Company Theatre (Review)

Khwaab-Sa opens with a spotlight on lithe, petite dancer Ronita Mookerji as the iconic spirit Puck. In the background, a musician clad in a unicorn mask assaults our ears with loud electronic music, as Mookerji writhes and vibrates. Grinning madly, she laughs silently before impishly back-flipping across the stage, a moon projection making her lunacy obvious. This is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream as you’ve never seen … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2017: Khwaab-Sa – Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by The Company Theatre (Review)

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Arts, London, musical, Review, Singapore, Singapore Arts, Theatre., Theatre

Review: The Addams Family presented by Mediacorp VizPro

The Addams are one of the most recognizable fictitious families around. Even if you don’t know them by name, you’ll probably know them by face, caught while channel flipping or in a Halloween costume. Familiarity like that lends a steady hand to hold the newest iteration of The Addams Family together, allowing audiences to feel a sense of comfort from the moment they hear the opening notes of the … Continue reading Review: The Addams Family presented by Mediacorp VizPro

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Arts, Concert, Esplanade Concert Hall, Music, Review, Singapore, Theatres

Mosaic Music Series 2017: Feist (Review)

Leslie Feist’s 26 year music career has certainly had its share of highs. The Canadian artist has come a long way since her humble beginnings as lead vocalist for a Calgary punk band in 1991, joining indie rock outfit Broken Social Scene, and attaining international recognition when a track featured on a iPod nano commercial went viral and the album it was featured on earned … Continue reading Mosaic Music Series 2017: Feist (Review)

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Arts, Esplanade Annexe Studio, Music, Review, Singapore

Mosaic Music Series 2017: Shugo Tokumaru (Review)

Last in Singapore in 2013, Japanese multi-intrumental experimental musician Shugo Tokumaru has since released his seventh album. On TOSS, Tokumaru has expanded his quirky, eclectic pop music further still, including collaborating with Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier, to reach new sonic heights, employing instruments from xylophones to ukuleles and harps to handclaps to create impossibly colourful sounds that would give anyone synaesthesia. So it’s no surprise then that at his show at the … Continue reading Mosaic Music Series 2017: Shugo Tokumaru (Review)

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Arts, Books, Review, Singapore, Singapore Writers Festival, Theatres, Victoria Theatre

Singapore Writers Festival 2017 Closing Debate: This House believes that Kiasuism is a Good Singaporean Trait

In its traditional stand-up comedy routine form, the closing debate of the Singapore Writers Festival had audiences falling off their chairs laughing through the 90 minute show. Ironically, this only proved that the ‘kiasu-ism’ displayed by over 600 people queuing over six hours for free entry tickets to the debate was worth it after all. The debate closed the 20th Singapore Writers festival last Sunday … Continue reading Singapore Writers Festival 2017 Closing Debate: This House believes that Kiasuism is a Good Singaporean Trait

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Arts, Esplanade Recital Studio, Esplanade Theatre, Esplanade Theatre Studio, Review, Singapore, Singapore Arts, Theatre., Theatre, Theatres

#mydurianturns15: Backstage Pass with… Siti K

Without a doubt, we can safely say that Siti Khalijah Zainal is one of our absolute favourite actresses in the local theatre scene. Always armed with a smile and bubbling over with incredible energy, Siti has charmed our socks off, making us laugh and cry in productions as varied as Meena and Cheena and Rosnah. So it’s really no surprise that when we found out she was part of … Continue reading #mydurianturns15: Backstage Pass with… Siti K

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