Review: Merdeka / 獨立 /சுதந்திரம் by W!ld Rice

Uncovering Singapore’s untold history we were never taught in school. ‘Merdeka’ is a Malay word that roughly translates to freedom or independence in English. To most Singaporeans, it’s also a word synonymous with late founding father Lee Kuan Yew, who frequently employed it as a rallying cry to unite against colonialism in the years leading up to the 1963 merger, inextricably linked to our own … Continue reading Review: Merdeka / 獨立 /சுதந்திரம் by W!ld Rice

Review: Emily of Emerald Hill by W!ld Rice

A stellar performance from Ivan Heng at W!ld Rice’s new home.  In many ways, Stella Kon’s Emily of Emerald Hill should be considered one of W!ld Rice’s most signature productions. Each time the company has staged it (including as their debut production back in the Jubilee Hall in 2000), W!ld Rice artistic director Ivan Heng has risen to the iconic role, one that he may perform in … Continue reading Review: Emily of Emerald Hill by W!ld Rice

Review: A $ingapore Carol by W!ld Rice

The Dickensian holiday classic gets a Singaporean twist There are few shows more quintessential to Christmas than Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, having received countless adaptations and stagings each holiday season. And here in sunny Singapore, while it may not be the most familiar tale to most, all that might just change with W!ld Rice’s Singaporean twist on the classic – A $ingapore Carol. Written … Continue reading Review: A $ingapore Carol by W!ld Rice

A Very W!ld Rice Christmas: An Interview with Director Hossan Leong and The Cast of A $ingapore Carol

This holiday season, W!ld Rice is going full on with the Yuletide festivities as they power through into their final show of the season – their annual year-end pantomime. This time around, they’re adapting Charles Dickens’ holiday classic A Christmas Carol and putting their signature local twist on it, resulting in A $ingapore Carol. Written by Jonathan Lim with a musical score by Elaine Chan, get ready for … Continue reading A Very W!ld Rice Christmas: An Interview with Director Hossan Leong and The Cast of A $ingapore Carol

Preview: A $ingapore Carol by W!ld Rice

As is now Christmas tradition, after last year’s Mama White Snake, W!ld Rice returns for their 16th edition annual pantomime with perhaps the most appropriate new musical ever: A $ingapore Carol. Based off Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, perhaps the hallmark holiday story, A $ingapore Carol puts a keenly local twist and strong dose of humour on the original. Written by Jonathan Lim (Four Horse Road, Diva To The Death), A … Continue reading Preview: A $ingapore Carol by W!ld Rice

Review: La Voix Humaine by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Heartbreak expresses itself through dropped calls and missed connections.  Irrevocably changing the way humans live and communicate, the phone has simultaneously enabled and limited the way in which we interact with one another over the years, due to our increasing reliance on it for human connection. It’s no wonder then that it continues to be the subject of art and music, from Adele’s “Hello” to Francis … Continue reading Review: La Voix Humaine by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Preview: La Voix Humaine by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

This May, the Victoria Concert Hall is proud to present the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s new production of Francis Poulenc’s one act solo opera La Voix Humaine. Based off the play of the same name by Jean Cocteau, this production will be taking on a uniquely theatrical direction, from W!ld Rice artistic director Ivan Heng, and featuring visuals by Brian Gothong Tan. La Voix Humaine takes place in the … Continue reading Preview: La Voix Humaine by Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Artist Spotlight: An Interview with W!ld Rice’s Ivan Heng, Glen Goei and Pam Oei

W!ld Rice’s annual Christmas pantomime opens in less than a week, and we couldn’t be more excited to catch it. Since its inception, W!ld Rice’s pantos have gone above and beyond simply being a show for children to enjoy with their families, to becoming all-encompassing theatrical extravaganzas filled with a whole barrel of laughs and plenty of love to go around. This year, they’ll be … Continue reading Artist Spotlight: An Interview with W!ld Rice’s Ivan Heng, Glen Goei and Pam Oei

Preview: Mama White Snake by W!ld Rice

Taylor Swift isn’t the only snake to make the headlines this year. After the stellar success of Monkey Goes West, W!ld Rice continues to mine the neverending vault of Chinese legends for inspiration for their 2017 Christmas pantomime: Mama White Snake! Based off the classic Chinese folk tale of Madam White Snake, Mama White Snake follows the young Meng (Andrew Marko) as he grows up sheltered by his … Continue reading Preview: Mama White Snake by W!ld Rice