★★★☆☆ Review: Inconsequential Goddess by Edith Podesta (The Studios 2022)

Weaving a tangled web of shame. Across the pantheon of Greek myths, the stories that have always stood out are the ones that deal with mortally unfair punishment from the gods, often taking the form of metamorphosis and the resulting body horror that follows. In the tale of Arachne for example, a talented but proud weaver is cursed by Athena after proving to be more … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Inconsequential Goddess by Edith Podesta (The Studios 2022)

★★☆☆☆ Review: Hold On To Your Butts at The Improv Company’s Nook @ Aliwal

Chaos is the formula for laughter, in this loving, low-budget parody of Jurassic Park. If it’s one country that has a thing for dinosaurs, it’s Singapore, with everything from the Jurassic Mile to Jurassic Park-themed rides at Universal Studios. Perhaps one film franchise that encapsulates that shared obsession and wonder for these ancient beasts is Jurassic Park, still going strong to this day with the … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Review: Hold On To Your Butts at The Improv Company’s Nook @ Aliwal

★★☆☆☆ Review: Assembly by Drama Box

Summoning ghosts of the past in the hopes of laying bullies to rest. What school doesn’t have its share of ghost stories? From supposed paranormal activity or strange sightings after hours, students across generations have passed down these haunting tales from one batch to the next batch. But amidst the supernatural, school can also truly be a terrifying place to be a teen, with an … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Review: Assembly by Drama Box

★★★★★ Review: Don’t Call Him Mr. Mari Kita by Wild Rice

Julian Wong passes on the legacy of Zubir Said with a heartfelt lesson on music, nation building, and chasing dreams.  In 1928, a young man made the decision to take fate into his own hands, go against his father’s wishes, and pursue a life of music. With only the clothes on his back and a clean towel in hand, he left his village of Bukit … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Don’t Call Him Mr. Mari Kita by Wild Rice

★★★★☆ Review: Kwa Geok Choo by Toy Factory Productions

The history of Singapore as seen through the eyes of Mrs Lee Kuan Yew. Everyone knows Lee Kuan Yew, first Prime Minister of Singapore who steered the nation from British colony to independent first world nation. But few know the story of his wife, Madam Kwa Geok Choo, often shying away from the limelight, yet always by his side as an integral part of his … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Kwa Geok Choo by Toy Factory Productions

★★★★☆ Review: Decision to Leave dir. Park Chan-wook

Neo-noir thriller complicated by forbidden romance between suspect and detective. If there’s one word to describe Korean director Park Chan-wook’s films, it’s that they’re undeniably stylish. Whether he’s producing an action flick, a rom-com or an intriguing thriller, there’s always something about Park’s work that is so smooth and satisfying to watch, feeling as if every scene has been completely planned out for maximum impact, … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Decision to Leave dir. Park Chan-wook

SIFA 2022 Wrap-up: The Anatomy of Performance – Ritual

The first year of a festival under new directorship can be a daunting one, particularly a national festival with the entire country watching. And taking over the reins from Gaurav Kripalani’s four year stint as the previous director of the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA), Natalie Hennedige had some big shoes to fill. And with the first run of the festival under her, Natalie … Continue reading SIFA 2022 Wrap-up: The Anatomy of Performance – Ritual

★★★★☆ Review: Caino e Abele #1 (Corpo a Corpo) by Compagnia Zappala Danza (cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival 2022)

A history of violence, and the start of forgiveness.  William-Adolphe Bouguereau’s painting The First Mourning is so named for its depiction of Adam and Eve discovering the body of their son Abel, slain by his own brother Cain, and marking the first human death in the Bible. What is striking about this image is to see Abel arched over in death, completely vulnerable and stretched … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Caino e Abele #1 (Corpo a Corpo) by Compagnia Zappala Danza (cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival 2022)

Review: Open Stage 2022 (cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival 2022)

Diverse line-up of international work join local artists for Open Stage 2022. One of the highlights and mainstays of every edition of T.H.E Dance Company’s cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival is Open Stage, where local and international artists are curated from a global open call, and only the best and most exciting work is chosen to perform. With seven works spread over two programmes performed over … Continue reading Review: Open Stage 2022 (cont·act Contemporary Dance Festival 2022)

★★★★☆ Review: Vilangkuppannai (Animal Farm) by Agam Theatre Lab

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Since it was first published in 1945, George Orwell’s Animal Farm has become one of the most renowned allegories in the English language, still studied in schools to this day, and ever relevant with its hard-hitting truths about the fallibility of humans and the difficulty of subverting established power systems. Receiving countless stage adaptations, the … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Vilangkuppannai (Animal Farm) by Agam Theatre Lab