Ballet by the Bay: An Interview with Hong Kong Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre on reimagining Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland

As a surreal, high-concept literary masterpiece, Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland has always been fertile ground for adaptation, be it in film, theatre, or completely reimagined in other ways. For Hong Kong Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre, it’s the perfect material to take ballet to the next level, as ALICE (in wonderland) arrives at the Esplanade this month. Originally choreographed for the Washington Ballet in … Continue reading Ballet by the Bay: An Interview with Hong Kong Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre on reimagining Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland

Huayi 2025: An Interview with playwright Katherine Hui-ling Chou and director Lee Yi Hsiu on Siong Leng Musical Association’s ‘The Heart of Jun – Memoirs of Zhaojun’

Renowned through Chinese history as one of the legendary Four Beauties of China, Wang Zhaojun’s importance went far beyond her looks, with diplomatic importance in her marriage that helped establish friendly ties with the Han dynasty. And while she may have long departed from this world, echoes of her existence continue to exist in our modern day, one which Nanyin music specialists Siong Leng Musical … Continue reading Huayi 2025: An Interview with playwright Katherine Hui-ling Chou and director Lee Yi Hsiu on Siong Leng Musical Association’s ‘The Heart of Jun – Memoirs of Zhaojun’

Huayi 2025: An Interview with award-winning writer-director Wu Nien-jen on the power of theatre in ‘Human Condition VIII’

Building a loyal following and domestic audience in Taiwan for over twenty years, Taiwanese artist Wu Nien-jen is finally bringing his beloved Human Condition theatre series to Singapore for the first time. Enjoyed by over half a million Taiwanese theatregoers since its inception in 2000, this year, the Esplanade’s Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts will be bringing its latest iteration to the Esplanade Theatre, … Continue reading Huayi 2025: An Interview with award-winning writer-director Wu Nien-jen on the power of theatre in ‘Human Condition VIII’

Huayi 2025: An Interview with Low Mei Yoke on dancing for life, and an invitation to ‘Dance with Me’

For Low Mei Yoke, dance has always been more than just movement—it’s a lifelong pursuit that has also been the glue keeping her closest friendships strong throughout the years. Now, with her latest show, Dance With Me, she’s inviting audiences into a deeply personal and heartfelt reunion, and to watch the power of friendship on display through dance and movement. Playing as part of the … Continue reading Huayi 2025: An Interview with Low Mei Yoke on dancing for life, and an invitation to ‘Dance with Me’

Art What!: An Interview with artist Yang Derong on DIGikat and the weaving of food and culture

When multidisciplinary artist Yang Derong walks into a room, he turns heads. Fashion designer, costume designer, multidisciplinary artist – his identity is as layered as the intricate stories he tells through his art, one which comes through strongly at Singapore Art Week (SAW) with his latest project, DIGikat. DIGikat draws inspiration from ikat weaving, a traditional craft that interlaces threads to form patterns. By reimagining … Continue reading Art What!: An Interview with artist Yang Derong on DIGikat and the weaving of food and culture

★★★★★ Review: Corps extrêmes by Rachid Ouramdane and Compagnie de Chaillot

The majesty of the great outdoors captured in a risk-taking theatrical presentation. The realms of sports and arts may seem worlds apart, but French choreographer Rachid Ouramdane has found a veritable link between the two, with beauty in the human spirit to triumph against all odds. Such is the nature of his work Corps extrêmes, which made its Singapore debut as part of the Esplanade’s … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Corps extrêmes by Rachid Ouramdane and Compagnie de Chaillot

★★★★☆ Review: A Reason For Falling by Hwa Wei-An

Finding meaning and momentum in persevering through the pain. No matter how many times it happens, the act of falling will always be coupled with a sense of fear, often from the knowledge that the point of impact is going to hurt. Yet when it becomes incorporated into one’s daily life, the pain that comes from each fall becomes somewhat more bearable when one becomes … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: A Reason For Falling by Hwa Wei-An

M1 Singapore Fringe 2025: An Interview with MASHH (Mm and Something Happens Here) on ‘I Am Seaweed’

Growing up in fast-paced Singapore with its high expectations gets to even the most resilient of people. There always comes a breaking point for everyone, yet, we keep telling ourselves we can take on more and more and more. For Cheryl Ho, Rachel Lee, who form theatre collective MASHH (Mm and Something Happens Here), they liken it to the unusual metaphor of seaweed, and how … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe 2025: An Interview with MASHH (Mm and Something Happens Here) on ‘I Am Seaweed’

M1 Singapore Fringe 2025: An Interview with Noma Yini Pty Ltd on ‘Commission Continua’

Everyone knows that bureaucracy and paperwork is the bane of any civil servant. But look hard enough into the abyss of red tape and jargon, and you’ll start to uncover darkness like never before. Investigating the depths of paperwork and commissions of inquiries is South Africa’s Noma Yini Pty Ltd with their work Commission Continua, which makes its Singapore premiere at the M1 Singapore Fringe … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe 2025: An Interview with Noma Yini Pty Ltd on ‘Commission Continua’

M1 Singapore Fringe 2025: An Interview with The Necessary Stage on a new staging of Haresh Sharma’s ‘Eclipse’

Over the years, The Necessary Stage (TNS) has made a name for itself with some of the most gripping, hard-hitting plays to come out of Singapore, primarily thanks to Resident Playwright and Cultural Medallion recipient Haresh Sharma. Among these plays is Eclipse, which looks at three generations of men struggling with their dreams and their journeys, as a young Singaporean man makes a journey to … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe 2025: An Interview with The Necessary Stage on a new staging of Haresh Sharma’s ‘Eclipse’