By The Book: An Interview with Karim Alwadi, co-author of new book ‘ChinaPhobia – A Wasted Opportunity’

Entrepreneur Karim Alwadi is a man of multiple cultures. Born in Damascus to a Syrian father and a Russian mother, he moved to Moscow in high school, and then to China when he was 18. Since then, he’s received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in International Relations, focusing on Sino Arab Relations, at Ren Min University, and a PhD in International Politics from China Foreign … Continue reading By The Book: An Interview with Karim Alwadi, co-author of new book ‘ChinaPhobia – A Wasted Opportunity’

By The Book: ChinaPhobia – A Wasted Opportunity by Karim Alwadi and Mohammad Kheir Alwadi

A lecture in book form by father-son experts in Sino relations. Dr Karim Alwadi is an entrepreneur and political scientist based in Beijing. His father, Dr Mohammed Kheir Alwadi, is an acclaimed journalist and former ambassador from Syria to China. Together, the two men’s shared knowledge and experiences span enough material to co-author a book, something they’ve done over the last three years, resulting in … Continue reading By The Book: ChinaPhobia – A Wasted Opportunity by Karim Alwadi and Mohammad Kheir Alwadi

RATA – new grounds, new sounds: An Interview with director Safuan Johari

In the blink of an eye, another year has gone by, and we’ll soon be saying goodbye to 2022. But before the year ends, sound artist and music producer Safuan Johari will be concluding it with a bang, as he and the Esplanade premiere the RATA Orkestra this December. Rounding off the Esplanade’s In New Light season of commissioned work at the newly opened Singtel … Continue reading RATA – new grounds, new sounds: An Interview with director Safuan Johari

An Interview with Gangguan Theatre’s Edward Eng, Writer/Director of new play ‘The Change’

In a year where we have finally begun to move beyond the shadow of the pandemic, new global problems begin to rear their head in our face once again, with the most prominent of those being climate change. But in the face of a global crisis, how do we keep our chin up and do something useful about it? New theatre company Gangguan Theatre will … Continue reading An Interview with Gangguan Theatre’s Edward Eng, Writer/Director of new play ‘The Change’

One Step Closer: Sight Lines Entertainment launches new Steps To Broadway training programme

In the fledgling Singapore theatre scene, there are only so many schools and workshops available for budding artists to develop their skills and train. The demand for this far outstrips the supply, with a healthy amount of musical theatre performers and hopefuls looking to enter the industry, but not enough opportunities to prepare them for it. Enter Sight Lines Entertainment, with their all new training … Continue reading One Step Closer: Sight Lines Entertainment launches new Steps To Broadway training programme

Film Fanatic: An Interview with Opera Tang and Ada Heart, stars of new documentary ‘Baby Queen’ (SGIFF 2022)

As much as RuPaul’s Drag Race may have led you to believe otherwise, drag is more than just watching queens lipsync for their lives and donning beautiful, larger than life outfits alone. Drag is the art of self-expression, where the queen becomes the most exaggerated, elevated version of their true self, living loud and proud and strong. And that is a culture that, while still … Continue reading Film Fanatic: An Interview with Opera Tang and Ada Heart, stars of new documentary ‘Baby Queen’ (SGIFF 2022)

Art What!: An Interview with Georgina Greenslade, Head of Communications at Saatchi Gallery

LONDON – Back in our university days, the Saatchi Gallery in London was always one of our favourite haunts, representing contemporary art at the forefront of the scene and always having something new and interesting to check out during every visit. Since 2019, the Saatchi Gallery has also made some major changes, becoming a registered charity and dedicating even more resources and revenue into its … Continue reading Art What!: An Interview with Georgina Greenslade, Head of Communications at Saatchi Gallery

Kalaa Utsavam 2022: An Interview with Playwright/Director A Yagnya on ‘Between 5 Cows and the Deep Blue Sea’

When theatremaker A Yagnya’s play Between 5 Cows and the Deep Blue Sea was given a dramatised reading in 2020, we praised it as ‘relatable, fun and poignant’, impressed and hoping for it to receive a full staging at some point. 2 years later, and that staging is finally happening, as part of the Esplanade’s 2022 Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts. Written and … Continue reading Kalaa Utsavam 2022: An Interview with Playwright/Director A Yagnya on ‘Between 5 Cows and the Deep Blue Sea’

Kingdoms Apart: An Interview with Playwright/Director Chong Tze Chien on adapting the Mahābhārata

The Indian epic The Mahabharata is often considered ‘the longest poem ever written’, charting an age old battle between two groups of cousins in the Kurukshetra War for power. To date, it remains one of the most well-known texts in world mythology, and has received countless retellings and adaptations over the years. For theatremaker Chong Tze Chien, The Mahabharata has held a special place in … Continue reading Kingdoms Apart: An Interview with Playwright/Director Chong Tze Chien on adapting the Mahābhārata

By The Book: An Interview with Jeanette Winterson, author of ‘Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit’, ‘Frankissstein’ and ’12 Bytes’ (Singapore Writers’ Festival 2022)

Jeanette Winterson is constantly upgrading. Snagging her claim to fame with her 1985 novel Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit (which she penned at just 25 years old), Winterson has gone on to write thirteen novels for adults, two collections of short stories, as well as children’s books, non-fiction and screenplays. Her latest work, 12 Bytes, sees the acclaimed author dive deeper into her latest pet … Continue reading By The Book: An Interview with Jeanette Winterson, author of ‘Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit’, ‘Frankissstein’ and ’12 Bytes’ (Singapore Writers’ Festival 2022)