Dracula – Ballet at its Darkest: Joel Burke on reimagining Stoker’s classic and the rise of contemporary dance

Following its sold-out West End run, Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest arrived in Singapore with a bold reimagining of Bram Stoker’s gothic classic. Under the artistic direction and choreography of Joel Burke, the production traded traditional ballet conventions for cinematic storytelling, psychological tension and an evocative score featuring works by Bach, Mozart, Rachmaninov, Liszt and Debussy, inviting audiences into a haunting world where love, grief … Continue reading Dracula – Ballet at its Darkest: Joel Burke on reimagining Stoker’s classic and the rise of contemporary dance

Bach Meets Broadway Beng: An Interview with Sebastian Tan and violinist Lynnette Seah on finding unexpected resonance for Broadway Beng’s 20th Anniversary

For 20 years, Sebastian Tan has turned Hokkien punchlines, Broadway showstoppers and unapologetic “Beng” glamour into one of Singapore’s most beloved theatrical phenomena. But for TWENTY POON PIPI, the latest edition of the long-running Broadway Beng® series, the performer is adding an unexpected collaborator into the mix: Cultural Medallion recipient Lynnette Seah. The former Co-Concertmaster of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra will take the stage at … Continue reading Bach Meets Broadway Beng: An Interview with Sebastian Tan and violinist Lynnette Seah on finding unexpected resonance for Broadway Beng’s 20th Anniversary

Books: Raphaël Millet’s ‘Singapore – A Cinematic Portrait’ reimagines 125 years of life on screen

What does a city look like when you trace it not through maps or monuments, but through cinema? A new publication from the Asian Film Archive and film scholar Raphaël Millet offers a striking answer: Singapore, reframed as a living, evolving character across more than a century of film. Launched on 21 May 2026 at Oldham Theatre, Singapore: A Cinematic Portrait is a richly illustrated … Continue reading Books: Raphaël Millet’s ‘Singapore – A Cinematic Portrait’ reimagines 125 years of life on screen

Preview: Broadway Beng 20th Anniversary TWENTY POON PIPI by Dream Academy

If there’s one Singaporean stage icon who has managed to outshine sequins, satire, and even the most dramatic Broadway crescendos, it’s Broadway Beng®. And this July, the larger-than-life persona returns—older, glitzier, and arguably more fabulous than ever. At the centre of it all is Sebastian Tan, the man who has spent two decades perfecting the art of being unapologetically “Beng”, equal parts cheeky, heartfelt, and … Continue reading Preview: Broadway Beng 20th Anniversary TWENTY POON PIPI by Dream Academy

Theatre Review: Pulau Rindu by Emergency Stairs x NAFA Industry Project 2026

Finding the shape of yearning through deconstructing a city and all the lives and stories within it. What does it mean to belong, and what happens if that belonging is tied to a place that exists only in memory, imagination, or longing? Pulau Rindu, directed by Tan Shou Chen and presented as part of the NAFA Industry Project by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and … Continue reading Theatre Review: Pulau Rindu by Emergency Stairs x NAFA Industry Project 2026

Theatre Review: Backstage Protocol 后台协议 by Emergency Stairs x NAFA Industry Project 2026

Demystifying the backstage and paying tribute to the unseen parts of production In line with Emergency Stairs’ ethos, Backstage Protocol, part of the NAFA Industry Project 2026 by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Emergency Stairs, leans fully into uncertainty, trading narrative clarity for process, and polish for possibility. As a showcase, it feels less concerned with delivering a cohesive theatrical product and more invested … Continue reading Theatre Review: Backstage Protocol 后台协议 by Emergency Stairs x NAFA Industry Project 2026

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Randai Macbeth by ASWARA

Shakespeare meets the Nusantara in a bold, visceral Macbeth reborn through randai. It’s no small feat to make a 400-year-old play feel fresh, but Randai Macbeth achieves exactly that, and then some. Presented by Malaysia’s ASWARA and directed by Dr Norzizi Zulkifli, this bold adaptation reimagines Macbeth through the cultural lens of the Nusantara, transforming Shakespeare’s tale of ambition and moral decay into something visceral, … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Randai Macbeth by ASWARA

★★★★★ Theatre Review: PUNO – Sewing Memories by Papermoon Puppet Theatre

A universally affecting, timeless tale of love and loss by masters of the puppetry form. PUNO: Sewing Memories is, in many ways, a ghost story. Or perhaps more precisely, it is the story of a ghost, though not in the way we might expect. From the very outset of the show, which played as part of the Esplanade’s 2026 Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: PUNO – Sewing Memories by Papermoon Puppet Theatre

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Maria Tri Sulistyani, founder of Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and playwright/director of ‘PUNO – Sewing Memories’

Twelve years ago, the story that would become PUNO: Sewing Memories began with a promise. Back in 2013, Papermoon Puppet Theatre was planning a collaboration with a close friend from the Philippines: puppetry artist Don Salubayba. “It was kind of like, wow, it’s amazing that we have so much in common, let’s do something together,” recalls director and playwright Maria Tri Sulistyani, also a co-founder … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Maria Tri Sulistyani, founder of Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and playwright/director of ‘PUNO – Sewing Memories’

Preview: Emergency Stairs x NAFA Industry Project 2026 – ‘Backstage Protocol’ and ‘Pulau Rindu’

Have you ever wondered about the forces shaping our lives that we don’t see? This April, a new generation of theatre-makers in Singapore is asking exactly that. The NAFA Industry Project 2026, co-presented by Emergency Stairs and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, is a bold, immersive exploration of what they call “Invisible Architectures.” Think about the unseen systems, quiet hierarchies, and emotional undercurrents that shape … Continue reading Preview: Emergency Stairs x NAFA Industry Project 2026 – ‘Backstage Protocol’ and ‘Pulau Rindu’