SIFA 2021 Wrap-Up: An Interview with Festival Director Gaurav Kripalani

Over the last four years, Gaurav Kripalani has served as Festival Director of the annual Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA). Considering the scale of the festival, that role alone would already be enough to keep any ordinary person’s day full. But if you look at the number of responsibilities he’s had in this past year alone, suffice to say that Gaurav is nothing less … Continue reading SIFA 2021 Wrap-Up: An Interview with Festival Director Gaurav Kripalani

Review: Chinese Dance Fiesta 2021《一起舞 FUN 天》

Digital performance showcases the beauty and diversity of Chinese dance. When live performances were still severely limited back in June, the Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre’s (SCDT) annual Chinese Dance Fiesta, like many other events, were forced to change tact, and shift the performance online. The change in medium however, has not compromised on the quality of the performance, using clever camera angles to capture and … Continue reading Review: Chinese Dance Fiesta 2021《一起舞 FUN 天》

Review: M1 Open Stage 2021

Four works shine a spotlight on Southeast Asian contemporary dance. The M1 CONTACT – Contemporary Dance Festival has always been a champion for Asian contemporary dance artists, particularly with their annual M1 Open Stage programme. As always, this year’s edition curates a selection of new work from over 150 applicants, and this time, distils it into a final performance of four choreographies, each one focusing … Continue reading Review: M1 Open Stage 2021

Singapore International Festival of Arts 2021 wrap-up

When Gaurav Kripalani was first announced as the new Festival Director of the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) four years ago, he had his fair share of skeptics and critics. But under his vision, it seemed pretty clear what he wanted to do with our national arts festival during his stint – cater to the widest number of people as possible through a varied … Continue reading Singapore International Festival of Arts 2021 wrap-up

Review: OH! Open House – New World’s End

Relive the heyday of Hotel New World and discover the joys of Jalan Besar in this site-specific audio tour. Few people from this generation will remember it, but Jalan Besar used to be home to a thriving, bustling carnival atmosphere, thanks to the presence of New World Amusement Park. While all that remains of the park is a single gate, still standing outside Farrer Park … Continue reading Review: OH! Open House – New World’s End

★★★★☆ Review: Lungs by Singapore Repertory Theatre

Conflating the miracle of life with the end of the world. From the pandemic to climate change, it seems inexplicable that anyone could imagine bringing a child into existence today. That’s precisely the dilemma a young couple faces as they consider having a child, in Singapore Repertory Theatre’s production of Lungs. Written by Duncan Macmillan and directed by Daniel Jenkins, Lungs‘ young millennial couple are … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Lungs by Singapore Repertory Theatre

★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Elephant and the Tree by Jin Pyn Lee

Heartbreaking children’s book about conservation. Children’s books don’t always have to showcase the most groundbreaking art to leave an impact. Most of the time, that comes from the power of the story within the book, and with The Elephant and the Tree, Jin Pyn Lee’s tale of an enslaved elephant is likely to haunt you after turning the last page. Dedicated to ‘the voiceless’, The … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Elephant and the Tree by Jin Pyn Lee

★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Womps – Chick Bee’s Charming Cha-Cha by John Lim and Samantha Han

Learning to stay true to oneself, with the help of these furry friends. Following their introduction to the world in Pinto’s Pinky Promises, The Womps are back to navigate the ups and downs of life and friendship, where readers stand to learn a thing or two along the way! This time around, our Womp of focus is Chick Bee (the blue Cheeto-looking one), who’s learnt … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Womps – Chick Bee’s Charming Cha-Cha by John Lim and Samantha Han

★★☆☆☆ Book Review: Save Me From Chloe by Kang Jing

Fledgling comic strip needs time to work on its writing and world-building. Living with a younger sibling can be one of the most frustrating, or rewarding experiences of your life (and often, both at the same time). In Save Me From Chloe, Kang Jing’s self-published collection of comic strips, the artist chronicles the ups and downs of a pair of siblings daily lives in Singapore, … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Book Review: Save Me From Chloe by Kang Jing

★★★☆☆ Review: Dancers’ Locker 2021 – Elemental Beings by Frontier Danceland

Rebuilding the world as a community in this intimate, introspective work. In the midst of a pandemic, it can be all too easy to hit the panic button and think only for ourselves. We’ve seen that happen in the mass panic buying that takes place at supermarkets – it’s often a case of every man for himself, and survival of the fittest. Frontier Danceland however, … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Dancers’ Locker 2021 – Elemental Beings by Frontier Danceland