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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
A chilling rendition of an age-old horror story where it is humans, not ghosts, that are the true villains. “The Ghost of Yotsuya” is one of Japan’s most beloved and frequently performed ghost stories. As a timeless tale of tragedy and revenge, the classic has gone on to receive countless adaptations, from kabuki theatre to films and television series. With so many versions that already … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: OIWA – The Ghost of Yotsuya by The Finger Players (SIFA 2021)
The long-drawn out dream finally comes to an end in an impressive finale to Toy Factory’s ambitious adaptation. Back in 2018, local theatre company Toy Factory was given a rare opportunity amongst local theatre companies – a chance to stage a single play across three parts over the next three years in the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA). That play would be Goh Boon … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: A Dream Under The Southern Bough – Existence by Toy Factory (SIFA 2021)
