★★★★☆ Book Review: A Fickle and Restless Weapon by Jason Erik Lundberg

Well-crafted fantasy version of Singapore brings the satire and drama in full force. Singapore is a country that’s often touted as so modern, it belongs in a science fiction film. Heck, even HBO’s Westworld filmed here on location for its third season. So it’s little wonder that with a little imagination, our island home serves as the perfect base for a refreshingly original science fiction story, … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Book Review: A Fickle and Restless Weapon by Jason Erik Lundberg

★★★☆☆ 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: The Marvellous Sugee Cake by Quek Hong Shin

Lush, colourful illustrations introduces younger readers to the iconic sugee cake and Eurasian culture.  If there’s one quintessentially Eurasian cuisine we will always say yes to, it’s sugee cake. Unique in its use of semolina and rich almond taste, a sugee cake is the perfect dessert to enjoy at the end of a meal, or as a snack for afternoon tea, sure to lift your … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Book Review: The Marvellous Sugee Cake by Quek Hong Shin

★★★★☆ 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

M1 Peer Pleasure Festival 2020: If These Wheels Could Speak and The Other People – Dramatised Readings (Review)

Secondary school students tackle disabilities through Zoom-mediated drama. It’s not often that secondary school students take centrestage and get a chance to perform as part of a national festival. But that is precisely why ArtsWork Collaborative’s focus on giving students a chance to work with arts professionals and devise their own show as part of the annual M1 Peer Pleasure Youth Theatre Festival is so … Continue reading M1 Peer Pleasure Festival 2020: If These Wheels Could Speak and The Other People – Dramatised Readings (Review)

Review: From Here On by Singapore Dance Theatre

Series of four pas de deux reflects the state of the arts and gives us hope that live performances will be back in full before long.  Considering it’s been so long since theatres and performance venues shuttered, it feels like nothing short of a miracle that we were sitting in a theatre again on Wednesday evening. But no doubt, there was still something off about … Continue reading Review: From Here On by Singapore Dance Theatre

Arts of Hong Kong 2020: A Lover’s Concerto Episode 1 by City Contemporary Dance Company (Review)

HONG KONG – Of all the artistic mediums, it feels like it is dance that has adapted surprisingly well to the new normal, with many companies working in tandem with filmmakers and videographers to enhance already arresting choreography with smart camera angles and film techniques. The latest of these companies to join the growing number of dance film-makers is Hong Kong’s City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC), … Continue reading Arts of Hong Kong 2020: A Lover’s Concerto Episode 1 by City Contemporary Dance Company (Review)

Dance With Me: Dancers’ Locker 2020 by Frontier Danceland (Review)

Dancers turn into experimental filmmakers, with impressive results. As with most new performance pieces this year, Frontier Danceland’s annual Dancers’ Locker programme has gone digital this year to cope with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. But rather than letting it hinder them as an unfamiliar medium, the 6 dancers of Frontier Danceland, alongside film producer Jeremy Chua, have capitalised on this as an opportunity to stretch … Continue reading Dance With Me: Dancers’ Locker 2020 by Frontier Danceland (Review)

Review: BODY X – 㗝呸 The Culprit

Mandarin murder mystery makes for compelling drama, with effective use of Zoom. There’s always something deliciously intriguing about plays set in the past, a kind of escapism away from the dread of the present as we delve into the lives of those who came before us. In the latest work from BODY X Productions though, there’s an eerie parallel with the problems of today, as … Continue reading Review: BODY X – 㗝呸 The Culprit

★★★★☆ Book Review: The Java Enigma by Erni Salleh

A UNESCO librarian is in for the adventure of her life.  Hear me out: librarians are cool people. They’re akin to academics, filled with a bastion of specialised information to dish out when you least expect it, plus, they’re masters of order and organisation. But rarely do they ever get a chance to show off these skills and display exactly what they’re capable of when … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Book Review: The Java Enigma by Erni Salleh