Review: Dragonflies by Pangdemonium (2018)

Strong performances from returning cast members’ chemistry keeps Dragonflies in flight.  Receiving critical acclaim at the Life! Theatre Awards after it premiered at the 2017 Singapore International Festival of the Arts, Pangdemonium’s Dragonflies has flown back for a second outing just 8 months later as part of their main season, with half the cast changed and an improved staging. Directed by Tracie Pang and written by Stephanie … Continue reading Review: Dragonflies by Pangdemonium (2018)

Review: Super Mommy (我的妈妈是ENY?) by Resorts World Sentosa

Bringing in a musical with strong commercial acclaim seems like a recipe for success, particularly when it’s backed up by veteran artistes such as Nancy Sit. Super Mommy is Resorts World Sentosa’s latest show on their lineup, flown in straight from Taiwan and retaining much of the original creative team. These include Taiwanese director Lang Tsu Yun and music director Huang Yun Ling, while the cast is … Continue reading Review: Super Mommy (我的妈妈是ENY?) by Resorts World Sentosa

Review: Pissed Julie (茱莉小解) by Nine Years Theatre

Strindberg’s classic is re-appropriated to complicate issues of identity and the mutability of class in this new adaptation. In watching Nelson Chia’s adaptation of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie, there’s a scene from late animator Satoshi Kon’s film Paprika that came to mind: in the opening sequence, we see the title character’s reflection split across multiple mirrors, each displaying a different expression. In a similar way, Nelson has made the unusual choice … Continue reading Review: Pissed Julie (茱莉小解) by Nine Years Theatre

Toy Factory’s Masters of Comedy: An Interview with Judee Tan and Sugie Phua

As part of the Singapore Chinese Culture Centre’s Cultural Extravaganza, local theatre company Toy Factory has been specially commissioned to create opening show Masters of Comedy 《天才谐星》, premiering this week! Directed by Goh Boon Teck and written by Johsen Ong, the 90 minute show will be performed in Mandarin, and pay tribute to some of our most iconic local comedians, from Bai Yan all the way to Jack … Continue reading Toy Factory’s Masters of Comedy: An Interview with Judee Tan and Sugie Phua

Review: Underclass《贱民》by The Necessary Stage and Drama Box

Disclaimer: The following review contains plot information for Underclass The Necessary Stage and Drama Box present a rich script about the poor and destitute, discomforting as it shines a spotlight on the invisible people we turn a blind eye to. How often do you have to think about whether you can afford your next meal, or how much you can save by taking a series … Continue reading Review: Underclass《贱民》by The Necessary Stage and Drama Box

Preview: Happy Ever Laughter 2018 by Dream Academy

Happy Ever Laughter has always been one of the biggest events of Dream Academy’s calendar, and was sorely missed last year. But Dream is more than making up for its absence with an all new edition that’s set to be bigger and better than ever! Now in its fourth instalment, Singapore’s biggest live standup comedy event ups the ante a whole new level with The Battle, … Continue reading Preview: Happy Ever Laughter 2018 by Dream Academy

Pangdemonium’s Dragonflies: An Interview with Cast Members Adrian Pang, Elizabeth Morse and Jamil Schulze

In a little over a week, Pangdemonium returns with their second production of the year, following the incredible production of The Father in March. This time, they’ll be restaging their multiple Life! Theatre Award Winning original production Dragonflies by Stephanie Street. First staged at the 2017 Singapore International Festival of the Arts, Dragonflies follows the story of Singaporean man Leslie, as he finds himself forcefully evicted from his adopted home in the … Continue reading Pangdemonium’s Dragonflies: An Interview with Cast Members Adrian Pang, Elizabeth Morse and Jamil Schulze

Preview: Pissed Julie (茱莉小解) by Nine Years Theatre

Fresh from a successful premiere at the 2018 Macau Arts Festival, Nine Years Theatre (NYT) is flying back to Singapore to present their newest production Pissed Julie.  Initially proposed by artistic director Nelson Chia as an interesting project to embark on with Macau and performed in both cities, Pissed Julie went from a festival commissioned play featuring Macanese actors directed by Nelson, to an all new co-production between … Continue reading Preview: Pissed Julie (茱莉小解) by Nine Years Theatre

The Necessary Stage and Drama Box’s Underclass: An Interview with the Cast and Co-director Alvin Tan

Following their overwhelmingly successful collaboration with Drama Box with Manifesto back in 2016, the two theatre companies are teaming up once again for their new show Underclass. Tackling, as the title suggests, concepts of class and social conditions in Singapore, this multilingual work will feature a cast of some of Singapore’s best actors, with a script by Haresh Sharma and co-directed by Kok Heng Leun and Alvin Tan. We … Continue reading The Necessary Stage and Drama Box’s Underclass: An Interview with the Cast and Co-director Alvin Tan

SIFA 2018: An Enemy of the People by Schaubühne Berlin (Review)

A contemporary version of Ibsen’s play effectively brings out its newfound urgency and relevance in our crazy, messed up modern world. Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People was initially considered one of his minor works in his lifetime. But in recent years, the play has seen an increasing number of stagings and new interpretations, and come to represent a disturbingly prescient rallying cry for the uncertain, messy … Continue reading SIFA 2018: An Enemy of the People by Schaubühne Berlin (Review)