Review: Meet Fred by SRT’s Inclusive Young Company

An earnest, metatheatrical exploration of what it means to not belong. Produced by Hijinx, in association with Blind Summit, Meet Fred is a metatheatrical, devised work by Singapore Repertory Theatre’s (SRT) Inclusive Young Company (IYC) that follows the titular puppet, Fred (voiced brilliantly by Shea Chiang). One day, Fred gains sentience and realises that life is a lot more complicated than he bargains for. For one … Continue reading Review: Meet Fred by SRT’s Inclusive Young Company

Arts of Hong Kong 2024: The Restaurant by Windmill Grass Theatre

We all know F&B is a cutthroat industry, but just how violent could it possibly get? Hong Kong theatre company Windmill Grass Theatre is set to present a brand new Cantonese production this November, with The Restaurant. Written and directed by Windmill Grass Theatre co-founder Edmond Tong, the play centres on one of the hottest high-end fine dining restaurants in the city. A newly hired … Continue reading Arts of Hong Kong 2024: The Restaurant by Windmill Grass Theatre

Preview: Dim Sum Dollies Present The History of Singapore – Sixty Sexy Years by Dream Academy

How can History be sexy? When it is according to the Dim Sum Dollies, of course. Following the success of their post-pandemic hit cabaret revue show “Still Steam” in 2022 after a seven year hiatus, the Dollies present a tantalizing taster menu of characters and sketches—ranging from beloved classic dishes to exciting new platters of wicked pleasures. With this latest satirical spoof, the Dim Sum … Continue reading Preview: Dim Sum Dollies Present The History of Singapore – Sixty Sexy Years by Dream Academy

The Necessary Stage expands Associate Artists Programme with Two Trailblazing Designers for 2025

The Necessary Stage (TNS) continues to champion innovation and inclusivity in socially engaged theatre by welcoming two groundbreaking additions to its 2025 Associate Artists Programme (AAP). For the first time, the programme will feature designers, with sound designer and composer Safuan Johari and lighting designer Faith Liu Yong Huay joining the current dynamic cohort. This move marks an exciting evolution in the AAP, spotlighting the … Continue reading The Necessary Stage expands Associate Artists Programme with Two Trailblazing Designers for 2025

★★★★★ Review: White, All White by The Necessary Stage

Deonn Yang rises to the occasion and comes into her own in this heartfelt play about forgiveness and family. As much as we hold the concept of family in high regard in Singapore, family has also always been a complex affair. Amidst the comfort family brings, there is almost always the pressure of ensuring that we do the best we can for them, lest we … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: White, All White by The Necessary Stage

★★★★★ Review: Hard Mode by Checkpoint Theatre

Gen Z play that speaks to the growing pains that anyone from any era goes through. From juggling studies with a social life, to the turbulent changes of adolescence and figuring out exactly what it all means, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the teen years are some of the toughest of anyone’s life. And even for Generation Z (dubbed ‘Zoomers’), who grew up … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Hard Mode by Checkpoint Theatre

Kalaa Utsavam 2024: An Interview with HuM Theatre’s Subin Subaiah and Daisy Irani on ‘Train to Pakistan’

India’s Partition is often considered one of the most significant historical events of South Asia. Cleaving a nation into two upon India’s independence, millions of families faced displacement and separation from each other, with countless deaths from the violence that ensued over the bitter rivalry, with tensions that continue even into the present day. How then does one even begin to grapple with the massive … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2024: An Interview with HuM Theatre’s Subin Subaiah and Daisy Irani on ‘Train to Pakistan’

★★★★★ Review: The Feelings Farm by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

A moving, necessary primer on emotional intelligence for both children and adults. The beauty of the arts often lies in how they are able to produce powerful emotional responses, representing and platforming a degree of authenticity onstage that allows for audiences to undergo catharsis. And in a country like Singapore, where emotional and mental health are just beginning to enter mainstream conversation, it seems more … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: The Feelings Farm by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

★★★☆☆ Review: KAGAMI by Tin Drum and Ryuichi Sakamoto

A spiritual connection to the lingering ghost in the music and the machine. There has always been something immensely timeless about the compositions of the late Japanese pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto, with avant garde works that capture listeners from their opening notes filled with emotion, to more sparse, esoteric pieces that evoke entire landscapes in the journey they take us through, connecting the individual to the … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: KAGAMI by Tin Drum and Ryuichi Sakamoto

Preview: 2025 M1 Singapore Fringe Festival to tackle themes of displacement across seven local and international works

The annual Singapore Fringe Festival, organised by The Necessary Stage (TNS) has become an institution for independent theatremakers both locally and internationally to present their work, providing a platform for them to stage provocative, cutting-edge performances that deal with pertinent discussions in society and about those on the margins. Now in its 21st edition, watch as Fringe 2025 tackles the theme of displacement, from people … Continue reading Preview: 2025 M1 Singapore Fringe Festival to tackle themes of displacement across seven local and international works