Preview: Singapore Food Festival 2018

There is no way to think of Singapore without thinking of its incredible food scene. It’s no wonder then that the annual Singapore Food Festival (SFF) has now reached its 25th year, bigger and better than ever as it celebrates our diverse and delicious food culture this July. Themed “Savour Singapore in Every Bite”, SFF 2018 will focus on our food heritage and explore just what … Continue reading Preview: Singapore Food Festival 2018

Review: My Grandfather’s Road by Neo Kim Seng (Cantonese versions, performed by Tan Cher Kian and Gary Tang)

Two ways to tell a poignant story of growing up in Cantonese.  First written as a book, in My Grandfather’s Road, Neo Kim Seng explores his familial history through the lens and geography of a bygone Singapore, thinking of his childhood growing up on what is literally his grandfather’s road (Neo Pee Teck Lane) and told through personal memories and anecdotes. While we previously watched the full … Continue reading Review: My Grandfather’s Road by Neo Kim Seng (Cantonese versions, performed by Tan Cher Kian and Gary Tang)

Review: My Grandfather’s Road by Neo Kim Seng (English version, performed by Karen Tan)

Put on your nostalgia goggles for this monologue about people and places past, laced with a pinch of death and loss.  To call a stretch of land your grandfather’s road sounds like an audacious claim. But for theatremaker Neo Kim Seng, that claim is rooted in truth, with Neo Pee Teck Lane quite literally named after his paternal grandfather. My Grandfather’s Road is adapted from … Continue reading Review: My Grandfather’s Road by Neo Kim Seng (English version, performed by Karen Tan)

An Interview with the Cast and Creatives of My Grandfather’s Road

“Eh, you think this one your grandfather’s road ah?” Is a common retort to careless drivers or pedestrians acting as if they own the roads. But in the case of Neo Kim Seng, it can be taken quite literally if you ever find him walking down Neo Pee Teck Lane, named after his grandfather. First presented in 2015 as an English-language monologue, a photo exhibition … Continue reading An Interview with the Cast and Creatives of My Grandfather’s Road

Review: Lanang by Hatch Theatrics

A woman’s will is put to the test when hit by the double whammy of divorce and death. Grief is one of the most common topics covered in theatre, making it an increasingly difficult subject to portray in a new light. But with Hatch Theatrics’ latest production and final show of their residency at the Malay Heritage Centre, it’s a topic that feels fresh with Lanang’s … Continue reading Review: Lanang by Hatch Theatrics

Preview: Lanang by Hatch Theatrics

This April, in their 9th theatrical production and the final work in their Artist Residency at the Malay Heritage Centre, Hatch Theatrics presents Lanang. Literally translating to ‘boy’, Lanang was first written by Hatch Theatrics member Hafidz Abdul Rahman as part of Theatreworks’ 24-Hour Playwriting Competition held at the Malay Heritage Centre in 2014, and cinched joint-second prize at the Open category (there was no first prize that … Continue reading Preview: Lanang by Hatch Theatrics

Preview: Angkat by Teater Ekamatra

She may be away in Goldsmiths pursuing an MFA, but playwright Nabilah Said will be having her newest Malay work presented this December by Teater Ekamatra. Titled Angkat, the play was co-written by Nabilah and director Irfan Kasban, as well as the cast of Angkat. Angkat follows Salma, a National Idol hopeful, who is asked to alter her image so as to appeal to the masses. … Continue reading Preview: Angkat by Teater Ekamatra

Charting A Course Through Bugis Culture In Singapore: Malay CultureFest 2017

The Malay Heritage Centre kicked off its annual Malay CultureFest on 13th October with a bang. Opening the festival was a spectacle of stylised dance, ethnic drums and martial arts tracing the roots of the sub-ethnic community from Bugis – from the myth of their creation, to the people’s departure from their homeland after the Makassar War in the 1600s. Titled Aga Kareba, the performance … Continue reading Charting A Course Through Bugis Culture In Singapore: Malay CultureFest 2017