SIFA 2018: Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower (Preview)

 Considered one of the foremost pioneers of the Afro-futurism movement, Hugo and Nebula Award winning author Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sowerfollowers is a sprawling, epic tale of the spiritual awakening of young Lauren Olamina, amidst a dystopian America wracked by the violence brought on by climate change, unrelenting greed, and systemic injustice. Known for her keen ear for sonic Americana, musician Toshi Reagon has been celebrated for … Continue reading SIFA 2018: Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower (Preview)

SIFA 2018: The Hidden by Kamini Ramachandran (Preview)

Who were the people who were here before us, and what were they seeking? Were they travellers, lovers, heroes or villains? Kamini Ramachandran, Singapore’s number one storyteller and a fierce proponent for the oral tradition, is here to answer that. Besides organising Storyfest, she’s managed to make time to take part in SIFA 2018, bringing a touch of oral magic to the festival with her … Continue reading SIFA 2018: The Hidden by Kamini Ramachandran (Preview)

SIFA 2018: Housepour – A Manhattan Themed Lounge At The Heart of the Festival

As the 2018 Singapore International Festival of the Arts goes into full swing, each night, audiences fill the festival grounds as they attend the various events across each packed venue. Be it the Victoria Theatre, Esplanade or the many free events at the Arts House (now the Festival House), one would constantly be in need of a dedicated, cosy space to sit and discuss the … Continue reading SIFA 2018: Housepour – A Manhattan Themed Lounge At The Heart of the Festival

SIFA 2018: 0600 by Ground Z-0 (Review)

Silence is power in this immersive tour that summons the ghosts of the past to the National Gallery.  It’s 10pm at the National Gallery, long after opening hours have ceased, and all is quiet. It’s a little nervewracking; one becomes keenly aware of each step you take, echoing through the walls of the former Supreme Court with its high ceilings and expansive corridors. And that’s … Continue reading SIFA 2018: 0600 by Ground Z-0 (Review)

Preview: The Buzz at the Bread and Roses Theatre (London)

LONDON – After the success of Phil Charles’ The Black Eye Club andDoc Andersen-Bloomfield’s Little Did I Know, The Bread & Roses Theatre will be presenting the final instalment of their 2016/17 Playwriting Award season this May with Lydia Rynne’s The Buzz.  In The Buzz, Rynne tackles the pitfalls of success head on as audiences watch the fall of ex-TV personality Kyla, whose fame has rapidly given way to the next … Continue reading Preview: The Buzz at the Bread and Roses Theatre (London)

SIFA 2018: Jacob Collier (Review)

  The modern day music prodigy showcases a legion of voices and talent in spades in his Singapore debut.  Making a claim to fame via YouTube videos often receives a raised eyebrow in response. Much like the current generation of ‘influenzas’, there are times it seems like anyone and everyone can become a celebrity simply by gaining enough eyeballs for a post. But for 23-year … Continue reading SIFA 2018: Jacob Collier (Review)

Voilah! 2018: A-DROYX by Mathieu Briand

  If you ever feared the robot revolution, Melbourne-based French artist Mathieu Briand will assure you that it’s probably not going to happen anytime soon, if at all. A self-professed megafan of sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, anyone familiar with Blade Runner may find some familiar elements of the franchise’s androids, known as ‘Replicants’ in Briand’s exhibition. In A-DROYX, Briand has taken over a gallery at the first floor … Continue reading Voilah! 2018: A-DROYX by Mathieu Briand

SIFA 2018: Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan’s 1984 (Review)

  SIFA 2018 opens on a chilling note with this dystopian modern classic.  Considered by many to be George Orwell’s magnum opus, 1984 has become the go to model for a dystopian world, a culmination of everything we should avoid becoming at all costs. Yet this is a warning the world seems to have forgotten to heed, as the chilling reality of a society plagued by surveillance … Continue reading SIFA 2018: Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan’s 1984 (Review)

St Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s Swan Lake: An Interview with Prima Ballerina Irina Kolesnikova and Founding Director Konstantin Tachkin

The St Petersburg Ballet Theatre is no stranger to Singapore, with sold out, well-received runs when they came in 2015 and 2016. In May this year, they’re returning for the third time to perform Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake at Mediacorp’s MES Theatre, and featuring not only their prima ballerina Irina Kolesnikova in the starring role of Odile/Odette, but also an entire company of 60, including a number of … Continue reading St Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s Swan Lake: An Interview with Prima Ballerina Irina Kolesnikova and Founding Director Konstantin Tachkin

Preview: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Cultural Extravaganza 2018

  Ever since its opening a year ago, the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) has seen a steady stream of programmes and an ever rising number of visitors as its visibility increases month on month. With the arrival of its first anniversary, the SCCC ushers in the second edition of the SCCC Cultural Extravaganza, as they celebrate and showcase the diversity and vibrancy of local … Continue reading Preview: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre Cultural Extravaganza 2018