★★★★☆ Review: Radin Mas by Bhaskar’s Arts Academy, with Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts

Telling the classic tale of Radin Mas through Bharatanatyam and Javanese dance. The legend of Radin Mas has been passed down for generations, the epic tale of a princess born out of forbidden love, and the subsequent trials and tribulations that followed the family long after, to its eventual, tragic conclusion of filial piety and self-sacrifice. The classics never get old, and under the collaborative … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Radin Mas by Bhaskar’s Arts Academy, with Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts

★★★★☆ Review: Por Por’s Big Fat Surprise Wedding by Singapore Repertory Theatre

SRT ends the year with a riotous dinner theatre production about a lust for life. In 1998, the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) went where no local theatre company had gone before when they staged a play called Ah Kong’s Birthday Party. Considered one of the earliest forms of dinner theatre in Singapore, the interactive production featured actors entertaining each table, karaoke moments, and of course, … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Por Por’s Big Fat Surprise Wedding by Singapore Repertory Theatre

Film Fanatic: An Interview with Ryo Takebayashi, director of ‘MONDAYS: See you “this” week!’

Since he watched Home Alone at the age of 6, Ryo Takebayashi became enamoured with film. All it took was for his father to buy him a film camera while in school, and the young Takebayashi would start embarking on his own little projects, making short films and amateur videos, vowing to one day make a feature film of his own. Now, that day has … Continue reading Film Fanatic: An Interview with Ryo Takebayashi, director of ‘MONDAYS: See you “this” week!’

A new lease on life: Koh Chieng Mun stars in lead role as a 70-year old bride in SRT’s ‘Por Por’s Big Fat Surprise Wedding’

Back in the 90s, actress Koh Chieng Mun became a household name in every Singaporean family for her iconic role as Dolly Tan on Mediacorp’s hit sitcom Under One Roof. Ever since that star turn, Koh has remained mostly booked and busy, continuing with television and film work (including 2018’s Crazy Rich Asians), and even venturing into stand-up comedy at one point. Now, at the … Continue reading A new lease on life: Koh Chieng Mun stars in lead role as a 70-year old bride in SRT’s ‘Por Por’s Big Fat Surprise Wedding’

★★★★★ Review: Into The Woods by Pangdemonium!

Local all star production of Sondheim’s classic is the must-see musical of the year. Among Stephen Sondheim’s many works, Into The Woods remains one of his best and most enduring. On the surface, the musical, with a Tony Award-winning book by James Lapine, ostensibly seems like a colourful mash-up of the most renowned fairy tales, utilising the clever conceit of the woods to bring them … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Into The Woods by Pangdemonium!

★★★★☆ Review: The Vault – Past Perfect by Centre 42

Lessons drawn from reflections on the past and those who came before in the local theatre scene. How much value is there in looking back on the past? For that matter, how many young artists and theatre practitioners today know about those that came before them and their history, when performance is such an ephemeral, fleeting art form? Answering those questions, to an extent, is … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: The Vault – Past Perfect by Centre 42

★★★★☆ Review: One Table Two Chairs by Zuni Icosahedron and NAFA

Experimental adventures in the future and philosophy of artmaking. Legendary experimental theatre company Zuni Icosahedron have essentially become an institution in Hong Kong and internationally-renowned, always daring to push at the boundaries of what constitutes theatre and asking difficult questions about art and artmaking. It is significant then, that the company has agreed to a three-year strategic collaboration with Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts’ (NAFA) … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: One Table Two Chairs by Zuni Icosahedron and NAFA

★★★★☆ Review: Mamma Mia! by BASE Entertainment Asia

ABBA musical guaranteed to leave you with a smile and dreams of a beach holiday. With the end of the year fast approaching, most Singaporeans can’t wait to get away for a well-deserved holiday. But for those who aren’t able to just yet, there’s always a feel good musical that’s there to tide you over till then. This season, that musical happens to be ABBA … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Mamma Mia! by BASE Entertainment Asia

★★★★☆ Review: Session Zero by Checkpoint Theatre

Dungeons and Dragons becomes marriage counselling homebrew. The joy of roleplaying games (RPGs) has always been in its escapism, to allow its players to be whoever they want to be, slaying dragons and fighting evil wizards. And even when they fail, there’s always a second chance to try again, and eventually emerge the celebrated hero. In many ways, it’s also akin to theatre, where players … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Session Zero by Checkpoint Theatre

★★★★☆ Review: Lapse by Melati Suryodarmo

Finding the rhythm of chaos through seeing and re-connecting. We live in a time of disorder. From conflict that doesn’t make sense to seemingly inexplicable disasters, how can we start to accept the chaos we’re constantly surrounded by? Rather than attempting to resolve these tensions, Indonesian artist Melati Suryodarmo seems to suggest accepting and connecting precisely because of such turbulence, rather than reject and attempt … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Lapse by Melati Suryodarmo