Review: Teater Normcore by Ridhwan Saidi (Kuala Lumpur)

Dark humour is rife in these riveting playlets that highlight social issues. KUALA LUMPUR – The term normcore stems from an anti-fashion movement that revolves around purposefully choosing to wear plain, unremarkable clothing. But in the two plays that make up writer Ridhwan Saidi’s Teater Normcore Double Bill, these initially normal looking settings quickly give way to settings far darker than they initially let on. … Continue reading Review: Teater Normcore by Ridhwan Saidi (Kuala Lumpur)

Review: Ola Bola the Musical by Enfiniti Productions (Kuala Lumpur)

A nationalistic musical with high production value that celebrates Malaysia in all its glorious diversity. KUALA LUMPUR – There are two things that Malaysians will always get fired up about: food, and sport. Taking the latter subject and putting it into the arts, it’s completely possible that Malaysians too can feel a sense of nationalistic pride upon seeing it brought to life onstage. Based off … Continue reading Review: Ola Bola the Musical by Enfiniti Productions (Kuala Lumpur)

Review: The Bee by Theatresauce (Kuala Lumpur)

Absurd, dark social satire leaves a lethal sting with Theatresauce’s final show of their 2017/18 season. KUALA LUMPUR – In a world as dark and uncertain as our own, lines of morality are often blurred in the name of media sensationalism. A vigilante borders on villainy when he takes the law into his own hands, and one is forced to wonder – are crimes committed … Continue reading Review: The Bee by Theatresauce (Kuala Lumpur)

Preview: The Bee by Theatresauce (Kuala Lumpur)

KUALA LUMPUR: Theatresauce is one of the fastest rising urban collectives in Malaysia. Fresh from a highly acclaimed, sold out run of Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis last year, the company returns to the klpac once again to perform a macabre, psychological thriller as the final show of their 2017/18 season. Inspired by surrealist Japanese writer Yatsutaka Tsusui’s short story Mushiriai (roughly translating to ‘plucking at … Continue reading Preview: The Bee by Theatresauce (Kuala Lumpur)

Preview: SUB II – THE ART OF EXPLOITATION by Underground Theatre

For the layperson, Singapore probably looks like one of the closest things to a utopian state, with clean streets, green spaces and of course, its famous tagline of going from ‘third world to first’. But underneath this veneer of perfection, there’s a revolution brewing, and what better place to stage it than the Substation? Written and directed by Dew M. Chaiyanara, Underground Theatre presents SUB II: THE … Continue reading Preview: SUB II – THE ART OF EXPLOITATION by Underground Theatre

SIFA 2018 Set For Record Crowds Under New Festival Director Gaurav Kripalani

Expect a Grammy-Award winning multi-instrumentalist, dystopian states and even an outdoor circus in the all new 2018 SIFA lineup. Taking on the role of SIFA Festival Director for the next three years, Gaurav Kripalani begins it with a strong lineup that includes acclaimed director Robert Icke’s 1984 and site-specific performances at the Armenian Church and National Gallery. SIFA 2018 looks set to bring in the masses … Continue reading SIFA 2018 Set For Record Crowds Under New Festival Director Gaurav Kripalani

Review: Diva to the Death by Bite Me Productions

An amazingly fun show with a hilarious, laugh-a-minute script and outrageous characters well-performed by the talented cast. Potential spoilers up ahead! Theatrical dining experiences are still a pretty new concept to Singapore, but with Bite Me Productions’ spectacular debut, they’ve already set the bar pretty high for other shows to follow. From the madcap imagination of Chestnuts creator Jonathan Lim comes Diva to the Death, as he pits jazz … Continue reading Review: Diva to the Death by Bite Me Productions

Review: Platform Series – Journeys by Generasia

Generasia gives Erwin Shah Ismail and Kimberly Chan a platform to showcase their range of talents in two solo performances.  One of the biggest gripes we’ve always had with the theatre scene is that as wonderful and skilled the current generation of actors is, there’s been a severe lack of platforms to truly let new, emerging talents have their time in the spotlight and show … Continue reading Review: Platform Series – Journeys by Generasia

Preview: The Father by Pangdemonium!

Tackling the theme of Hope and Home this year, Pangdemonium’s 2018 season is starting off on an incredibly poignant note as they present the Singaporean premiere of Florian Zeller’s Moliere Award winning play The Father.  Directed by Tracie Pang, The Father follows André, a 70 year old man who’s managed to lose his beloved watch again. His daughter and son-in-law aren’t helping much, sneaking around the house and … Continue reading Preview: The Father by Pangdemonium!

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2018: Forked by Jo Tan (Review)

Jo Tan tackles racism and identity in this story about a Singaporean fish out of water. Jo Tan’s playwriting debut is a simple yet familiar story of one Singaporean girl with big dreams. In Forked, Ethel Yap plays Jeanette, a young aspiring actor who heads to London for drama school. Upon arrival in London though, Jeanette gets the biggest culture shock of her life when … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2018: Forked by Jo Tan (Review)