★★★☆☆ Review: Big Brown Girl by How Drama

Dating in a time of Tinder, encapsulated in this interactive mini musical revue. Thanks to the advent of dating apps, love has become a commodity, where a simple swipe right could land you the man of your dreams (or maybe, a hot one night stand). With the ability to filter, judge and block a potential date based on profile alone however, these same dating apps … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Big Brown Girl by How Drama

How Drama’s Big Brown Girl: An Interview with co-creator Ross Nasir

If ever How Drama wanted to make a statement, they sure as heck are doing just that, with that new show, unabashedly titled Big Brown Girl. Originally slated to take place earlier this year during the Esplanade’s Flipside 2021, Big Brown Girl is now receiving a December staging, simultaneously playing in-person and streaming live online to round off the year. Co-created by Ross Nasir and … Continue reading How Drama’s Big Brown Girl: An Interview with co-creator Ross Nasir

★★★☆☆ Review: Marma Medai – Theerppu (The Judgement) by Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

No sin goes unpunished. Way back in the ’60s, M K Narayanan’s Marma Medai was a Tamil radio play series that dramatised thrilling mysteries, often with stone cold killers and grisly murders. As the saying goes, if it bleeds, it leads, and these dark plays found massive popularity back in the day, complete with chilling sound effects, and the ability to invoke fear in all … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Marma Medai – Theerppu (The Judgement) by Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

Preview: Big Brown Girl by How Drama

How Drama may best be known for their beloved Fat Kids Are Harder To Kidnap sketch series, but this December, they’re changing up the formula and presenting Big Brown Girl, a brand new performance in conjunction with Esplanade – Theatre on the Bay’s Flipside 2021 programme. Presented both live and digitally, Big Brown Girl is all about Ruby, a self-professed big brown girl from Singapore who … Continue reading Preview: Big Brown Girl by How Drama

★★★★☆ Review: _____ Can Change by The Necessary Stage

Using theatre as a framework for diversity of thought. As human beings who have evolved and adapted to our environment over millennia, change is a constant in our lives. But as a consequence of that, should minorities then be expected change, to assimilate and bend to the majority’s will? Restaged for the first time since its premiere in 2010, The Necessary Stage’s (TNS) ______ Can … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: _____ Can Change by The Necessary Stage

★★★☆☆ Review: With Time by Drama Box

Time heals everything. In many ways, With Time is the culmination of Drama Box resident artist Chng Yi Kai’s work over the last year or so, with his experience in researching mental health, to facilitating interactive, forum-style theatre. The succinct 60 minute or so production deals with one of the most pressing matters today – mental health, and uses verbatim theatre as a means to … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: With Time by Drama Box

Can We Change?: An Interview with Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma on restaging ‘________ Can Change’

Change is never easy, especially when forced. Sure, change is possible, but whether people should change for the sake of conforming is a whole other matter altogether. Luckily, local theatre company The Necessary Stage is here to tackle that issue head on, with a restaging of their play ______ Can Change at the Esplanade Recital Studio this November. Comprising of three playlets – the cheekily … Continue reading Can We Change?: An Interview with Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma on restaging ‘________ Can Change’

Preview: Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts 2021 by Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts has been one of the longest running cultural festivals at the Esplanade, being the first to one after the centre’s Opening Festival back in 2002. Celebrating its 20th edition this November, it’s time to gather friends and family, and settle in for a wave of Indian performing arts. This year, look out … Continue reading Preview: Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts 2021 by Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

Preview: Baybeats 2021 by Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

20 years on from its inception, and Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s iconic Baybeats festival is still going strong. Forever a champion of the local music scene, Baybeats is back this November, and extends to 4 days, instead of their usual 3. In light of the pandemic, the festival will take on a hybrid format this year, allowing as many people as possible to … Continue reading Preview: Baybeats 2021 by Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay