Review: The Escape Game by s**t kingz (da:ns Festival 2020)

When we last saw them at FULL OUT! for da:ns Festival 2019, Japanese street dance quartet s**t kingz charmed us with their cheeky choreography and their commitment to fun as they danced their hearts out onstage. While they can’t be physically present this time, the Esplanade has commissioned and co-produced a brand new digital show from them for this year’s da:ns Festival, one that’s sure to … Continue reading Review: The Escape Game by s**t kingz (da:ns Festival 2020)

Review: Failing the Dance – A Double Bill of Lecture-Performances (da:ns Festival 2020)

The lecture-performance form often feels loaded, if only because it sometimes seems like an excuse to showcase incomplete work that fills in the blanks with academic rhetoric. But in the case of the Esplanade’s Failing the Dance, the double-bill of lecture-performances makes a compelling case for the viability of the form, and its ability to raise awareness of issues and dialogue, and manifesting these arguments through … Continue reading Review: Failing the Dance – A Double Bill of Lecture-Performances (da:ns Festival 2020)

Music Is: Yeo makes Mandopop Debut with R&B Bop “好好的過 Have a Nice Life” featuring Taiwan’s Chendy

Malaysian-Australian artist Yeo continues to evolve, further testing his limits on new Mandarin duet “好好的過 (Have a Nice Life)”, featuring Taiwanese-Australian singer-songwriter Chendy. Infusing laidback melodies and quirky keys with a bouncy bass; Yeo’s dark melancholy meets Chendy’s light sweetness on this new single where the pair sing of fragmented relationships and unanswered questions. “This song describes the aftermath of a breakup that has occurred abruptly. Two characters meditate separately on … Continue reading Music Is: Yeo makes Mandopop Debut with R&B Bop “好好的過 Have a Nice Life” featuring Taiwan’s Chendy

Television Time: Walking the Yangtze with Ash Dykes on National Geographic

If you ever wanted to inspire someone to start hiking, you might want to start them off on Walking the Yangtze with Ash Dykes. The two-part documentary follows Welsh adventurer and athlete Ash Dykes as he spends almost a year trekking across China, and becoming the first ever person to walk the entire length of the iconic Yangtze River. Premiering this October on National Geographic, Ash Dykes … Continue reading Television Time: Walking the Yangtze with Ash Dykes on National Geographic

Review: Waiting For The Host by Pangdemonium

Zoom becomes an unlikely medium for hope and solace in this timely, reflective comedy-drama. While we’ve watched a number of performances on Zoom already, no play has tackled the medium quite as directly as Pangdemonium has, with their production of Marc Palmieri’s Waiting For The Host. Conceived when he participated in a recording of a Passion Play for his local church, Palmieri’s script is one of the … Continue reading Review: Waiting For The Host by Pangdemonium

Arts of the UK 2020: Young Vic Board appoints four new Trustees

LONDON – The Young Vic has announced the appointment of four new trustees to the Board. These appointments come at a significant time for the Young Vic, as the theatre celebrates its landmark 50th birthday year and looks ahead to its recovery from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Actor Kobna Holdbrook-Smith MBE and Facebook’s Public Policy Director for Africa, the Middle East & Turkey Ebele Okobi join this month … Continue reading Arts of the UK 2020: Young Vic Board appoints four new Trustees

The Banter: Tracie and Adrian Pang talk about Pangdemonium in a pandemic

With the work from home and circuit breaker measures in place over the last few months, most of us are already familiar with dragging ourselves out of bed to attend the next Zoom meeting, only to find ourselves ‘waiting for the host’, bemoaning how we could have slept in just a little more. It’s no wonder then that it’s already the subject (and title) of … Continue reading The Banter: Tracie and Adrian Pang talk about Pangdemonium in a pandemic

★★★☆☆ Book Review: My BFF Is An Alien – Sabotage by Vivian Teo

Feisty schoolgirls return to battle mean classmates and the perils of social media. When the first book in Vivian Teo’s My BFF Is An Alien series ended, Bukit Timah Girls’ School student Abriana was left forlorn when best friend (and alien royalty) Octavia returned to her home planet, not knowing exactly when she’d be back to visit. As it turns out, it wouldn’t be too long, as … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: My BFF Is An Alien – Sabotage by Vivian Teo

★★★★☆ Book Review: A Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning

Poignant debut delves into the Thai university protests of the 70s through the lens of tragedy and revolt.  The title of Thai author Sunisa Manning’s debut novel begs the question: what exactly makes someone a ‘good true Thai’? Similar to the most compelling political dissidents around the world, one might perhaps think of it as being critical, yet always done with the country’s best interests … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Book Review: A Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning

Preview: Idomeneo Refracted by The Opera People

The last time we watched The Opera People was in March, prior to the COVID-19 lockdown. But not even a pandemic can stop the arts, as they’re back, this time with the first ever film opera made in Singapore and the Singapore premiere of Mozart’s Idomeneo. In the film, watch as the spirits of five characters gather in an empty theatre, drawn to a ghost light. In … Continue reading Preview: Idomeneo Refracted by The Opera People