★★★★☆ Review: Session Zero by Checkpoint Theatre

Dungeons and Dragons becomes marriage counselling homebrew. The joy of roleplaying games (RPGs) has always been in its escapism, to allow its players to be whoever they want to be, slaying dragons and fighting evil wizards. And even when they fail, there’s always a second chance to try again, and eventually emerge the celebrated hero. In many ways, it’s also akin to theatre, where players … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Session Zero by Checkpoint Theatre

★★★★☆ Review: Lapse by Melati Suryodarmo

Finding the rhythm of chaos through seeing and re-connecting. We live in a time of disorder. From conflict that doesn’t make sense to seemingly inexplicable disasters, how can we start to accept the chaos we’re constantly surrounded by? Rather than attempting to resolve these tensions, Indonesian artist Melati Suryodarmo seems to suggest accepting and connecting precisely because of such turbulence, rather than reject and attempt … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Lapse by Melati Suryodarmo

★★★★☆ Review: Mali Bucha: Dance Offering by Kornkarn Rungsawang

Tradition and technology come together to get closer to the gods. There are some beliefs and rituals that are no longer practiced today, either due to this modern life leaving little time for preparation, or the knowledge lost between generations. What Thai dancer Kornkarn Rungsawang wants to do then, is to reconnect us to these traditions through her technologically-driven work Mali Bucha: Dance Offering, that … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Mali Bucha: Dance Offering by Kornkarn Rungsawang

Review: Artificial Indian by Rishi Budhrani

Microaggressions make for poignant, hard-hitting jokes that reveal the reality of being a racial minority. Why is Rishi Budhrani, a born and bred Singaporean-Indian, considered an ‘artificial Indian’? Is it because he is ‘fair for an Indian’? Because he ended up becoming a ‘joker’ onstage? Confused by these stereotypical assumptions, Rishi embarks on a stand-up comedy journey to figure out exactly how he should identify. … Continue reading Review: Artificial Indian by Rishi Budhrani

★★★★★ Review: 13 & 14 by TAO Dance Theater

A testament to the ceaseless persistence of the essence of dance. Founded in 2008, for over fourteen years now, China’s TAO Dance Theater has been exploring the very essence of dance itself. Led by artistic directors Tao Ye, Duan Ni and Wang Hao, the company has distilled the art of dance to its core aspects, manifested as minimalist productions that focus entirely on the infinite … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: 13 & 14 by TAO Dance Theater

★★★★★ Review: Cabaret by Sing’theatre

Love and survival in the Weimar Republic. In a country with strict rules and authoritarian government, where does one find peace, comfort and release? The answer to that lies in the freedom of a club, offering a safe space for self-expression, for entertainment at the end of a long day, and perhaps even to learn something new, as encapsulated in Kander and Ebb’s classic musical … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Cabaret by Sing’theatre

★★★☆☆ Review: Immortal Variables (八仙变数) by Nine Years Theatre and Hsing Legend Youth Theatre (Contemporary Legend Theatre)

Double crossing moles and a convoluted revenge plots weigh down this cross-country collaborative effort. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, international theatre collaborations are few and far between. But with things finally more or less back to normal, opportunities have risen once again for old friendships to be reignited, and projects once shelved to be put back on the production line once more. In the works since … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Immortal Variables (八仙变数) by Nine Years Theatre and Hsing Legend Youth Theatre (Contemporary Legend Theatre)

★★★☆☆ Review: The Prisoner by Toy Factory

Fast fashion conspiracy theory frames corporate greed as the ultimate evil. In this day and age, evil no longer looks like the devil himself, but often arises in much more innocuous, unexpected forms. And for most people, it might be staring you straight in the face, or in some cases, on your body. Bringing Toy Factory’s The Wright Stuff Festival to a close is Annie … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: The Prisoner by Toy Factory

★★★★★ Review: & Juliet by Michael Cassel Group and BASE Entertainment Asia

Max Martin’s greatest hits make for a fun outing in this Romeo & Juliet spinoff. The power of a jukebox musical lies in the joy of recognising your favourite songs, and how they’re reinterpreted and strung together to form a coherent story. Often, the most successful ones end up as feel-good affairs that you can’t help but find yourself clapping along and smiling as you … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: & Juliet by Michael Cassel Group and BASE Entertainment Asia

★★★★☆ Review: Love and Information by SMU StageIt (SMU Arts Fest 2023)

Doomscrolling in pursuit of meaning. Playing as part of SMU Arts Fest 2023, theatre club SMU StageIt’s production of Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information corresponds perfectly well to the festival theme of ‘Post’. Comprising a series of short form vignettes, watching Love and Information feels akin to the flood of posts we’re greeted with each time we open TikTok or Instagram, every story a fleeting … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Love and Information by SMU StageIt (SMU Arts Fest 2023)