An Interview with SMU Arts Fest 2024 Festival Directors and producers on student development and the power of collaboration

While most students in Singapore are better known as hardcore bookworms constantly preparing for exams to hit their elusive 4.0 GPA, students at Singapore Management University (SMU) are able to do all that and more. Being management students specifically, there’s that careful balance of work and play, the latter of which takes centrestage at this year’s SMU Arts Fest, aptly dealing with the theme of, … Continue reading An Interview with SMU Arts Fest 2024 Festival Directors and producers on student development and the power of collaboration

★★★☆☆ Review: One Day We’ll Understand 有那么一天​ by Sim Chi Yin

Performance-lecture on biased historiography and hidden knowledge urges us to critically reconstruct our interpretations to formulate our own version of the truth. The Malayan Emergency in the late 1940s continues to remain a traumatic memory for many Chinese Malaysians, where families would recall relatives hurriedly leaving the country, or worse – hauled away for questioning over suspected Communist relations, and never seen again, at least, … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: One Day We’ll Understand 有那么一天​ by Sim Chi Yin

Singapore Night Festival 2024: An Interview with artist Rizman Putra, on his work ‘The Happiest Days of Our Lives’

Rizman Putra is probably best known for being one of the most high-energy performers in the local theatre scene. With credits that range from the physically-demanding, such as Al in A Clockwork Orange, or even behind the scenes as director on works such as Pandan, or even leading the band Tiramisu as an alternative, counterculture musician, Rizman has pretty much done it all – and … Continue reading Singapore Night Festival 2024: An Interview with artist Rizman Putra, on his work ‘The Happiest Days of Our Lives’

Preview: Broadway Beng® Fukien Special by Dream Academy

After 2023’s Broadway Beng: Growing gOLD, Singapore’s favourite multilingual, Hokkien-speaking, Broadway-loving East meets West performer is back for the ninth edition of the Broadway Beng series this October. Presented by Dream Academy, it’s time to welcome Sebastian Tan back to the Capitol Theatre for Broadway Beng® Fukien Special, running for just five shows. A staple of Dream Academy’s line-up since 2006, Broadway Beng® Fukien Special … Continue reading Preview: Broadway Beng® Fukien Special by Dream Academy

Preview: Singapore Writers Festival 2024 – In Our Nature

In a world facing impending climate change and disaster, it makes sense to take a moment to sit back and ponder over where we stand in nature. This year, in its 27th edition, Arts House Limited’s (AHL) Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) is turning the focus to the natural world, and invites us to reflect on what is truly in our nature — as humans, as … Continue reading Preview: Singapore Writers Festival 2024 – In Our Nature

★★★★☆ Review: Lotus Root Support Group (2024) by Impromptu Meetings

Balls to the walls – literally, as play about cyst-ers in PCOS goes wilder and more personal in its reboot. While its title and promo image may look more or less identical to its 2022 version, Impromptu Meetings’ new staging of Lotus Root Support Group is in fact, a completely different incarnation that sees creators Shannen Tan and Miriam Cheong shedding the characters they devised … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Lotus Root Support Group (2024) by Impromptu Meetings

Singaporean artist Liu Xiaoyi awarded the “Global Outstanding Young Leader” Award by Yazhou Zhoukan

Liu Xiaoyi, Artistic Director of Emergency Stairs, has been honoured with the “Global Outstanding Young Leader” award by Yazhou Zhoukan (Asiaweek). He received the award at Yazhou Zhoukan’s 36th Anniversary Gala held on 9th August 2024. “In 1995, contemporary artist Tang Da Wu created a renowned piece of performance art. During the opening of an exhibition, he presented a card to then-President Ong Teng Cheong … Continue reading Singaporean artist Liu Xiaoyi awarded the “Global Outstanding Young Leader” Award by Yazhou Zhoukan

Preview: SMU Arts Fest 2024 – PLAY

Located in the heart of the city, in the midst of the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct, Singapore Management University has long been a landmark of the city centre, thronging with student life or sometimes, just a convenient location for people to meet and gather. And this August and September, SMU is once again lighting up the campus with a series of performances with their annual SMU … Continue reading Preview: SMU Arts Fest 2024 – PLAY

★★☆☆☆ Review: Oleanna by Major Minor Encounters and The Windland Collective

Two-hander pitting professor against student in battle of allegations, yet lacking in power. While revered as among the most dramatic in theatre, David Mamet’s plays have never been easy to stage, often requiring seasoned actors with a certain aura to carry both the weight and length of his dialogue. As such, younger theatremakers tend to struggle to deliver the full extent of the material onstage, … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Review: Oleanna by Major Minor Encounters and The Windland Collective

Miss Saigon: An Interview with Singaporean stars Louisa Vilinne and Shannon Cheong

In the ongoing run of blockbuster musical Miss Saigon over at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Theatre, there’s something very special about the cast that’s to be celebrated – the presence of not one but two Singaporean cast members who take to the stage and show that there is indeed a future for Singaporean performers, if you dream big and work hard for it. In that … Continue reading Miss Saigon: An Interview with Singaporean stars Louisa Vilinne and Shannon Cheong