Huayi 2024: Transplant by The Finger Players and RUDRA (Preview)

For this edition of Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts, local theatre company The Finger Players is joining forces with Vedic metal band RUDRA to present new show Transplant. Inspired by classic Chinese anthology Liaozhai (Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio), Transplant follows a dysfunctional family of four, comprising a father vehemently denying his own infidelity; an erudite yet loquacious old mother confined to her … Continue reading Huayi 2024: Transplant by The Finger Players and RUDRA (Preview)

Huayi 2024: An Interview with Shaman Tearoom on sound healing in their work ‘Microcosm – a sonic tea ceremony’

Amidst the noisy Chinese New Year celebrations, it becomes more important than ever to find some time to relax and take stock of life and all that’s going on. Sometimes, it’s akin to tuning an instrument, and finding the right note, something that Malaysian multidisciplinary duo Aiwei Foo and Kent Lee are happy to help out with in their Shaman Tearoom project. Performing their show … Continue reading Huayi 2024: An Interview with Shaman Tearoom on sound healing in their work ‘Microcosm – a sonic tea ceremony’

Huayi 2024: An Interview with director Mathias Woo on epic Hong Kong detective play ’13·67′

Hong Kong is a city that never sleeps, characterised by sweeping change, a personality that’s constantly shifting, and in essence, never sitting still as it transforms with each successive generation. If it’s one thing Hong Kong is also known for, is its penchant for cop dramas, and bringing both those ideas together is theatremaker Mathias Ho, co-artistic director of experimental theatre company Zuni Icosahedron, in … Continue reading Huayi 2024: An Interview with director Mathias Woo on epic Hong Kong detective play ’13·67′

Huayi 2024: An Interview with director Nelson Chia and actress Sharon Au on Nine Years Theatre’s ‘Everything For You’

In 2022, Nine Years Theatre (NYT) presented original production Between Me And You at the Esplanade Theatre, as part of that year’s annual Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts. The project was probably one of NYT’s most ambitious productions to date, with a massive cast on a huge stage, a deeply emotional and sprawling script that required audiences to invest in an entire family’s backstory, … Continue reading Huayi 2024: An Interview with director Nelson Chia and actress Sharon Au on Nine Years Theatre’s ‘Everything For You’

Preview: Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2024 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

As 2024 comes around, so does Chinese New Year, as well as the Esplanade’s annual Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts. As a time of gathering for families and loved ones, Huayi has also been planned to achieve that and encapsulate those values, to share an arts experience with friends and family, as it returns this February. On the contemporary theatre front, look out for Hong … Continue reading Preview: Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2024 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Review: ECOncert《声态不息》by Ding Yi Music Company

Musical exploration of the forces of nature and our intricate relationship with the environment. “Can humans and nature coexist in an urban environment?” In December, the ever-innovative Ding Yi Music Company presented “ECOncert”, bringing together a unique blend of Chinese music to explore the intricate relationship between humanity and nature. Led by conductor Wong De Li, Dedric, and stage director and dramaturg Ang Xiao Ting, … Continue reading Review: ECOncert《声态不息》by Ding Yi Music Company

★★★★★ Review: FORBIDDEN by Aditi Mangaldas

An affecting one-woman exploration of the origins of the monstrous feminine, and hope thereafter. In multiple cultures around the world, women have always been seen as the meeker sex, expected to be docile and obedient, with virginity and purity placed among the highest of virtues. But the truth is, women are not these paradigms of virtuosity, and should not be held to such impossible standards. … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: FORBIDDEN by Aditi Mangaldas

★★★★☆ Review: Twin Murder In The Green Mansion by Agam Theatre Lab

Against all odds, the bumbling cast in this play-within-a-play puts a smile on your face and makes you root for them. The beauty of theatre often lies in the suspension of disbelief, where the team will do anything and everything to ensure that you are fully immersed in the world of the play, enraptured and fully taking in every word each character utters. So it … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Twin Murder In The Green Mansion by Agam Theatre Lab

★★★☆☆ Review: Fistful of Rupees by Stone Paper Stories

The chaos of Mumbai distilled into a fish out of water play. No matter how adaptable one thinks they are, moving to a new place is almost always going to take some adjustment. And if you’re ever moving to hustling, bustling city of Mumbai, you can rest assured that you may never really feel stable ground beneath your feet, with the constant chaos and unpredictability … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Fistful of Rupees by Stone Paper Stories

★★★★★ Review: Mari Kita Main Wayang by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Breathing new life into Peranakan theatre with diversity, heart, and joy. Over the years, various aspects of Peranakan culture have entered the public consciousness again, thanks to television shows like The Little Nyonya, or the emergence of the Peranakan Museum, alongside intensive marketing campaigns. All of this has led to its renewed popularity, from the prevalence of Peranakan tiles, reimagining the nyonya kebaya in contemporary … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Mari Kita Main Wayang by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay