Review: RATA – new grounds, new sounds by RATA Orkestra and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

New forms of composition for a new year. In a year that has seen the world emerge from the wake of a global pandemic, lies an opportunity to reimagine our practices and interactions. In many ways, the RATA Orkestra is a group that represents that first step into a new future, with an eclectic band of musicians led by Safuan Johari presenting new music through … Continue reading Review: RATA – new grounds, new sounds by RATA Orkestra and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

Bakchormeeboy Awards 2022: The Year of Resilience and Resurgence

2022 was a milestone year for theatre, in the sense that at long last, after over two years of the COVID-19 pandemic shutting doors on indoor venues, a slow but sure trickle of audiences began to fill seats again. Starting with limited trial audience numbers, to a full fledged re-opening in the second half of the year, the arts saw a massive resurgence in programming, … Continue reading Bakchormeeboy Awards 2022: The Year of Resilience and Resurgence

★★★★☆ Review: MILIEU 2022 by Frontier Danceland

Double bill of new introspective dance work looking at coexistence and cultural traditions. In the new edition of Frontier Danceland’s signature MILIEU programme, veteran female choreographers Low Mei Yoke (Singapore), Irene Kalbusch (Belgium) and Loke Soh Kim (Malaysia) produce and choreograph two intimate reflections on the interconnections of identity, place and culture, as they look towards the future, paying attention to what’s happening on the … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: MILIEU 2022 by Frontier Danceland

★★☆☆☆ Review: For My Highness by Toy Factory Productions

Weak direction and a script still in its infancy leave this play about drug abuse bereft of an emotional anchor. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Adeeb Fazah) 4 Script (Shaleihin Pi’ee) 4 Performance (Zulfiqar Izzudin, Ong Xue Min, Wilfred Lee Kim Chye, Fadhil Daud, Jayden Lim Jun De) 4 Lighting (Fazree Azharie) 5 Sound (Vick Low) 5 Set (Vivien Lau) 4 Total 26/60 (43%) … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Review: For My Highness by Toy Factory Productions

★★★★★ Review: Stream of Memory by Papermoon Puppet Theatre and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

Excellent puppetry immerses audience members in a mystical river. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Maria Tri Sulistyani) 9 Performance 9 Puppet Design / Puppet Engineers (Iwan Effendi / Anton Fajri and Muhammad Alhaq) 10 Choreography (Dapheny Chen) 8 Music and Sound Design (Yennu Ariendra) 8 Lighting Design (James Tan) 8 Multimedia (Gilang Kusuma) 8 Costume Design (Retno Intiani) 8 Total 68/80 (85%) Final Score: … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Stream of Memory by Papermoon Puppet Theatre and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

★★★★☆ Review: Lewis Cornay’s ‘Daddy Issues’ at Seven Dials Playhouse

Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Jane Moriarty) 7 Script (Lewis Cornay) 8 Performance (Bebe Cave) 8 Set Design (Andrew Exeter) 7 Lighting Design (Andrew Exeter) 7 Sound Design (Christopher Reid) 7 Costumes (Sophia Pardon) 7 Video (Lewis Den Hertog) 7 Total 58/80 (73%) Final Score: ★★★★☆ LONDON – Written by Offie award-winner Lewis Cornay and starring actress, writer and podcast host Bebe Cave, Daddy Issues is a devilishly dark … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Lewis Cornay’s ‘Daddy Issues’ at Seven Dials Playhouse

★★★★★ Review: Kumar XXX by Dream Academy

Celebrating 30 years of being an icon, Kumar tackles sex, politics and current affairs in his signature, quintessentially Singaporean style. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (George Chan) 9 Additional Writing (Gabrielle Evelena, Jo Tan, Malcolm Oei and Janis Goh) 8 Performance (Kumar) 10 Dancers (Aidil Fitrah, Charmain Ho, Francesca Harriman, Hafeez Hassan, Rocio Yap and Kim Eusope) 10 Choreography (Francesca Harriman and Hafeez Hassan) … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Kumar XXX by Dream Academy

★★★★☆ Review: Between 5 Cows and the Deep Blue Sea by A Yagnya (Kalaa Utsavam 2022)

Interrogating the confused, multi-faceted identity of the modern Indian woman in a meta, self-reflexive play. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (A Yagnya and Alvin Tan) 6 Script (A Yagnya) 6 Performance (Indumathi Tamilselvan and Kewal Kartik) 8 Costumes (Max Tan) 8 Set (Chan Silei) 7 Lighting (Faith Liu Yong Huay) 8 Multimedia (Jevon Chandra) 9 Sound (Jevon Chandra) 8 Total 60/80 (75%) Final Score: … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Between 5 Cows and the Deep Blue Sea by A Yagnya (Kalaa Utsavam 2022)

★★★☆☆ Review: The Change by Gangguan Theatre

Gangguan makes their debut with a solution for climate change in search of a medium. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Edward Eng) 6 Script (Edward Eng) 6 Performance (Dennis Sofian) 7 Lighting Design (Ian Pereira) 6 Total 25/40 (63%) Final Score: ★★★☆☆ Everyone knows the climate crisis is important. But the sheer magnitude of the climate crisis and individual paralysis in the face of … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: The Change by Gangguan Theatre

★★★★☆ Review: Chestnuts – Sibeh Strange in the Multiverse

Singapore’s longest running parody returns with a vengeance after 7 years, spoofing everything from Marvel to The LKY Musical. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Jonathan Lim) 7 Script (Jonathan Lim) 7 Performance (Jonathan Lim, Judy Ngo, Audrey Luo, Timothy Wan, Nelson Chia) 8 Music (Elaine Chan) 8 Sound Design (Bob Wong) 7 Multimedia Design (Genevieve Peck) 7 Lighting Design (Tai Zi Feng) 7 Costumes … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Chestnuts – Sibeh Strange in the Multiverse