Preview: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Cultural Extravaganza 2018

  Ever since its opening a year ago, the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) has seen a steady stream of programmes and an ever rising number of visitors as its visibility increases month on month. With the arrival of its first anniversary, the SCCC ushers in the second edition of the SCCC Cultural Extravaganza, as they celebrate and showcase the diversity and vibrancy of local … Continue reading Preview: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Cultural Extravaganza 2018

Review:《有时月光》(Sometime Moon) by Toy Factory

Toy Factory’s stellar first production charts the birth and growth of a clan association over the last hundred years. Hokkien is a language that isn’t often associated with grace or beauty, often relegated to slang used in the army or, as is the case with many dialects, seen as a relic of the past. But in Sometime Moon, Toy Factory makes a strong case for convincing audiences … Continue reading Review:《有时月光》(Sometime Moon) by Toy Factory

Preview:《有时月光》(Sometime Moon) by Toy Factory

Toy Factory opens their 2018 season on a high note, with a brand new show this March! Titled《有时月光》Sometime Moon, this epic new production is incredibly ambitious, and the 10-act musical charts a hundred years of history in the life of one of the earliest Huay Kuan (Clan Association) established in Singapore. Sometime Moon follows the rise of the fictitious Quan Ji Huay Kuan from the moment … Continue reading Preview:《有时月光》(Sometime Moon) by Toy Factory

Review: A Piece of Cake by Toy Factory (The Wright Stuff 2017)

Earlier this week, I watched another play made under Toy Factory’s new writing programme, The Wright Stuff. It was deeply ambitious in its storytelling and had a keen voice on both the personal and the historical. First-time playwright Samantha Chia attempts something quite different from this in her debut play, A Piece of Cake, focusing her lens on a sitcom-esque story about a woman and her new … Continue reading Review: A Piece of Cake by Toy Factory (The Wright Stuff 2017)

Review: Sejarah-ku by Toy Factory (The Wright Stuff 2017)

It is rare to see in short plays the confidence of voice found in Al Hafiz Sanusi’s new work, Sejarah-Ku. It is clear from the start that the authors have done more than their fair share of research into the tale of two Malaccan warriors and more interestingly, how difficult it is to ascertain its historicity. Al Hafiz tells me Sejarah-Ku was first conceived four years ago at university. The playwright … Continue reading Review: Sejarah-ku by Toy Factory (The Wright Stuff 2017)

Preview: The Wright Stuff by Toy Factory

We’re always excited when theatre companies pave the way for new writing in Singapore, encouraging young playwrights to make their debut and set themselves up for greatness. That’s why we were excited when we heard that Toy Factory was doing just that with a grand total of FOUR new plays from emerging playwrights being staged this July and August! The Wright Stuff is a brand new … Continue reading Preview: The Wright Stuff by Toy Factory

Review: Prism by Toy Factory

Toy Factory starts off the year with the big budget production of Prism. Tackling issues of gentrification, progress and history, Prism is a monster of a play with a big message to tell. Prism bears many similar themes to plays like Jean Tay’s Boom, offering commentary on our endless, inevitable march of progress and refusing to stop even for a moment to consider what’s lost in the progress, as … Continue reading Review: Prism by Toy Factory

Preview: Prism by Toy Factory

Toy Factory starts off their 2017 season with a bang: a restaging of their speculative play Prism, which received rave reviews when it first premiered in the early 2000s. Prism features Apprentice star Firdaus Rahman as Aman, an Urban Redevelopment Board official tasked with evicting 33000 residents of “The Surrounding City”, the city’s oldest heritage as it faces demolition in the name of progress. Confronted with angry, despairing citizens, Aman … Continue reading Preview: Prism by Toy Factory

Preview: BASE Entertainment 2017 Season

Marina Bay Sands has played host to some of the most exciting international acts since its inception. For 2017, the trend continues, and this is their exciting lineup in the months to come! Chicago (8-19 February) Chicago is one of the sexiest, most exciting musicals to come off Broadway. Involving nightclub singers, smooth-talking lawyers and a double-murderess, this production certainly won’t bet your usual cheery … Continue reading Preview: BASE Entertainment 2017 Season