An Interview with director Simon Stone on finding the soul of Seoul in Korean adaptation of Chekhov’s ‘The Cherry Orchard’ (벚꽃동산)

“Chekhov was never really writing about Russia; he was writing about us,” says acclaimed director Simon Stone, his voice brimming with intent. “It was always about what happens when the world moves on, and how we’re not ready.” It’s a sentiment that lingers, this idea that Chekhov’s melancholic comedies of inaction, his portraits of ordinary people caught between eras, might still hold the mirror up … Continue reading An Interview with director Simon Stone on finding the soul of Seoul in Korean adaptation of Chekhov’s ‘The Cherry Orchard’ (벚꽃동산)

Final Bow: An Interview with lead and gezaixi star Sun Tsui-Feng and director/playwright Huang Chih-Kai

In the shifting cultural landscape of 1960s and ’70s Taiwan, when the rise of cinema and television pulled audiences away from the theatre, many feared the extinction of Taiwanese Hokkien opera, better known as gezaixi. Once resplendent in grand indoor theatres, opera troupes were forced onto makeshift outdoor stages, clinging to survival even as their audiences dwindled. It was in this atmosphere of uncertainty that … Continue reading Final Bow: An Interview with lead and gezaixi star Sun Tsui-Feng and director/playwright Huang Chih-Kai

★★★★☆ Dance Review: Chapter 2 by Pichet Klunchun

ChatGPT becomes a conversation partner, co-creator and dramaturg in Pichet Klunchun’s new show. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly developed to the point where it can hold conversations, generate images, and even craft videos. But as it increasingly encroaches on the arts, one question lingers: can AI dance? For Thai dancer, choreographer and khon master Pichet Klunchun, the answer is a tentative yes. In his newest … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Dance Review: Chapter 2 by Pichet Klunchun

★★★★☆ Dance Review: Softmachine – The Return by Choy Ka Fai

Choy Ka Fai reunites five artists to reflect on change, growth, and their relationship to body and the world. The world in 2015 was a very different place. Since then, politics, pandemics, technology, and society at large have shifted dramatically, but so have each of us, for better or worse. Yet one thing remains constant: our individuality and the human drive to innovate. This is … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Dance Review: Softmachine – The Return by Choy Ka Fai

★★★★☆ Dance Review: U>N>I>T>E>D by Chunky Move

The future of human evolution is on display as man and machine meld into a cohesive whole. In a world where art is often dismissed as derivative, Melbourne-based dance company Chunky Move continues to prove that originality is alive and well. Their latest work, U>N>I>T>E>D, conceived and choreographed by Artistic Director Antony Hamilton, pushes audiences into new imaginative territory, conjuring visions of what humanity might … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Dance Review: U>N>I>T>E>D by Chunky Move

U>N>I>T>E>D: An Interview with Chunky Move Artistic Director Antony Hamilton on mythology, machinery and materiality in movement

When audiences step into U>N>I>T>E>D, the latest work from Melbourne-based company Chunky Move, they can expect to enter an entirely different world and an unfamiliar dimension. Think of a machine-mystical landscape where human bodies become mythic creatures, animatronic forms pulse with uncanny life, and the air vibrates with the furious ritual of Balinese noise-duo Gabber Modus Operandi. It’s dance, but something entirely different from how … Continue reading U>N>I>T>E>D: An Interview with Chunky Move Artistic Director Antony Hamilton on mythology, machinery and materiality in movement

Chapter 2: An Interview with Thai dancer and choreographer Pichet Klunchun on dancing with shadows and what AI reveals about being human

Twenty years ago, Pichet Klunchun’s solo performance I AM A DEMON announced him as one of Thailand’s most daring choreographers. Created in 2005 to commemorate the third death anniversary of his beloved teacher, Master Chaiyot Khummanee, the piece became a landmark work. Pichet now revisits that landmark work, as the Thai dancer-choreographer prepares to premiere the spiritual sequel, Chapter 2, at Esplanade – Theatres on … Continue reading Chapter 2: An Interview with Thai dancer and choreographer Pichet Klunchun on dancing with shadows and what AI reveals about being human

SoftMachine – The Return: An Interview with Choy Ka Fai on a decade of collaboration, innovation, and the future of Asian contemporary dance

When artist Choy Ka Fai reflects on his collaborators, his language meanders like a dance itself; improvisatory, sudden shifts, and heartfelt pauses. “In the arts scene, no matter how close or friendly you are, it’s rare to remain friends and collaborators,” he says. “Which is why SoftMachine is such a rarity. We premiered it in 2015 with four solos, and toured two of them all … Continue reading SoftMachine – The Return: An Interview with Choy Ka Fai on a decade of collaboration, innovation, and the future of Asian contemporary dance

★★★☆☆ Review: Pickle Party by The Theatre Practice

Part educational workshop, part reflection on the past and future of food in Singapore, the latest work by Ang Xiao Ting raises poignant questions but may still need time to ferment. Theatremaker Ang Xiao Ting has always been interested in matters of conservation in consumption, themes which eventually came to manifest in her original creations under The Theatre Practice (Practice), such as her work on … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Pickle Party by The Theatre Practice

Preview: da:ns focus – CAN – Connect Asia Now (2025) by Esplanade

The third edition of the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s da:ns focus – Connect Asia Now (CAN) takes place over a weekend this September, presenting three works that push the boundaries of dance, and uniting the unique perspectives of artists from the Asia Pacific. Imagining the future through dance, watch as Antony Hamilton, Choy Ka Fai and Pichet Klunchun reimagine the limitations and potentials of physical … Continue reading Preview: da:ns focus – CAN – Connect Asia Now (2025) by Esplanade