Huayi 2026: An Interview with King Shih-chieh, star of Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre’s ‘Le Père (The Father)’, and director David Jiang

Quick-witted and sharp-tongued, André is used to commanding every room he enters. But as small ruptures begin to surfac;a missing watch, rearranged furniture, unfamiliar faces at the dinner table, the boundary between memory and reality starts to dissolve. Le Père (The Father) draws audiences into the disintegrating inner life of an ageing man confronting Alzheimer’s, unfolding with unsettling intimacy and emotional precision. Presented as part … Continue reading Huayi 2026: An Interview with King Shih-chieh, star of Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre’s ‘Le Père (The Father)’, and director David Jiang

Huayi 2026: An Interview with director Roy Szeto and playwright He Jiping as they bring epic period drama ‘Deling and Cixi’ to the stage

Set against the twilight of the Qing dynasty, Deling and Cixi brings together two formidable women at a moment when an empire and a worldview stands on the brink of collapse. Written by celebrated playwright He Jiping and directed by Roy Szeto, the play looks beyond familiar historical narratives to uncover an intimate, humane encounter between Empress Dowager Cixi and the Western-educated aristocrat Deling. Through … Continue reading Huayi 2026: An Interview with director Roy Szeto and playwright He Jiping as they bring epic period drama ‘Deling and Cixi’ to the stage

Huayi 2026: An Interview with ‘The Sun’ director Tora Hsu and writer Chen Yi-En

Set in a post-apocalyptic future marked by division and survival, The Sun is a contemporary reimagining of Japanese playwright Tomohiro Maekawa’s celebrated science fiction fable. Directed by award-winning Taiwanese theatre-maker Tora Hsu, with script adaptation by Chen Yi-en, this new staging reframes the work through a distinctly Taiwanese lens, responding to the fractures, anxieties and ideological tensions of the present moment. Premiering internationally at Huayi … Continue reading Huayi 2026: An Interview with ‘The Sun’ director Tora Hsu and writer Chen Yi-En

JUST LIVE Presents National Ballet of China’s ‘A Dream of Red Mansions’ in Singapore

This March, Singapore audiences are invited into a world where love blooms like a fragile flower, memory drifts like mist, and fate dances just out of reach. The National Ballet of China arrives at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay with A Dream of Red Mansions, a ravishing two-act ballet inspired by one of the greatest novels in Chinese literature. A Dream of Red Mansions … Continue reading JUST LIVE Presents National Ballet of China’s ‘A Dream of Red Mansions’ in Singapore

Preview: March On 2026 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Taking place during the March school holidays, Esplanade’s annual March On festival returns as a gentle, purposeful invitation for young audiences to encounter the arts on their own terms. Designed especially for children and youths, the festival brings together theatre, dance and interdisciplinary works that speak to curiosity, imagination and emotional discovery, while offering caregivers a chance to slow down and see the world alongside … Continue reading Preview: March On 2026 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Visual Art: Yanyun Chen and Dave Lim’s ‘Rotan Rattan – Meditations’ at Esplanade Tunnel

In Singapore, childhood discipline occupies a peculiar and uneasy place in collective memory. Rooted in the belief that hardship cultivates virtue, physical discipline was long distinguished from punishment. It was framed as care, as moral instruction, as a necessary measure for shaping obedience and respectability. Yet for those who experienced it, the body remembers pain before it remembers reason. In their new exhibition, artists Yanyun … Continue reading Visual Art: Yanyun Chen and Dave Lim’s ‘Rotan Rattan – Meditations’ at Esplanade Tunnel

★★★☆☆ Theatre Review: A Lesbian Love Story – The Musical by Woody Avenue

A metatheatrical musical discovering love beyond the romance it promises. It’s a known fact that there is simply not enough lesbian representation in media And far too often, when it does appear, it comes freighted with emotional torture, tragedy, and pain. When, one wonders, do the lesbians finally get their happy ending? That’s a wrong Woody Avenue hopes to make right with its debut production, … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Theatre Review: A Lesbian Love Story – The Musical by Woody Avenue

Concert Review: Elements – SSO × Ding Yi

SSO and Ding Yi weave Chinese and Western musical voices into a rich, contemporary soundscape, celebrating cultural dialogue, collaboration, and Singapore’s evolving artistic identity. In an exciting cross-cultural collaboration this January, Elements – SSO × Ding Yi brought together musicians from the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and the renowned Ding Yi Music Company. Spanning continents and traditions, the program explored a vibrant fusion of Chinese … Continue reading Concert Review: Elements – SSO × Ding Yi

Preview: Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2026 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

The Esplanade’s annual Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts returns from 27 February to 8 March 2026 with an expansive, story-rich programme inspired by Chinese dialects, dynasties and regional folklore. This 24th edition promises audiences a vibrant mix of theatre, dance, music and family-friendly works featuring celebrated artists from Singapore, the region and beyond. As the festival team notes, audiences can expect “legends told through … Continue reading Preview: Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts 2026 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

★★★★★ Dance Review: Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT 2) in Singapore

Triptych of dance work from one of the world’s foremost dance companies firmly establishes each choreographer as an auteur, as they comment on community and belonging. Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT 2), one of the world’s foremost contemporary dance companies, returned to Singapore with a programme that reaffirmed why they occupy such a singular place in the global dance landscape. Whether through their deep choreographic lineage … Continue reading ★★★★★ Dance Review: Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT 2) in Singapore