Esplanade’s The Studios 2026: An Interview with Samir Veen on participation and co-operation in Ontroerend Goed’s ‘Handle with Care’

When Belgian theatre company Ontroerend Goed first conceived Handle with Care, they knew almost nothing about the performance itself. There were no actors, no technicians, no script, and not even a clear idea of what would eventually be inside the box that sits at the centre of the stage. What they did know was that they wanted to make something they had never made before. … Continue reading Esplanade’s The Studios 2026: An Interview with Samir Veen on participation and co-operation in Ontroerend Goed’s ‘Handle with Care’

London Theatre: Death Note – The Musical star Telly Leung on becoming Ryuk – “I’m not here to be a copycat”

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – For more than two decades, Death Note has refused to stay confined to a single medium. Since writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata first introduced the supernatural thriller in the pages of Weekly Shōnen Jump in 2003, the series has become one of Japan’s most successful cultural exports. More than 30 million manga copies have been sold worldwide, while the … Continue reading London Theatre: Death Note – The Musical star Telly Leung on becoming Ryuk – “I’m not here to be a copycat”

Esplanade’s The Studios 2026: An Interview with Iranian theatremaker Amir Reza Koohestani on surveillance, solidarity and the power of ‘Blind Runner’

Surveillance cameras watch every interaction. A husband visits his imprisoned wife once a week, their conversations becoming increasingly strained under the weight of constant observation. Elsewhere, he agrees to guide a young blind marathon runner through the streets of Paris, discovering that trust, like freedom, is something built one careful step at a time. In Blind Runner, acclaimed Iranian playwright and director Amir Reza Koohestani … Continue reading Esplanade’s The Studios 2026: An Interview with Iranian theatremaker Amir Reza Koohestani on surveillance, solidarity and the power of ‘Blind Runner’

London Theatre: Worldwide manga phenomenon Death Note’s musical adaptation is set to take Barbican by storm this summer

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – More than 20 years after it first appeared as a Japanese manga, Death Note continues to reinvent itself. What began as a dark supernatural thriller by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata has grown into one of the world’s biggest pop culture phenomena. Since its debut in 2003, Death Note has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, inspired a … Continue reading London Theatre: Worldwide manga phenomenon Death Note’s musical adaptation is set to take Barbican by storm this summer

Preview: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s The Studios 2026 – Precarious Bodies

In a world shaped by uncertainty, shifting power structures and contested truths, theatre becomes more than entertainment, and becomes a space to question, reflect and connect. This year, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay launches a bold new chapter of The Studios, its annual theatre season, with Precarious Bodies, a thought-provoking exploration of vulnerability, control and the invisible forces that shape our lives. Running from … Continue reading Preview: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s The Studios 2026 – Precarious Bodies

Theatre Review: MAD The Musical by SMU

Bridging the past and present in this original musical about student mental health. A college musical is difficult, maybe even impossible, to get exactly right. No one expects it to reach Broadway or West End standards, yet everyone still hopes it will be good enough to make them feel something. To round off SMU Arts Fest 2025, MAD The Musical takes on this challenge with … Continue reading Theatre Review: MAD The Musical by SMU

Dance Review: return of RE:TURN by SMU Eurhythmix

Celebrating Singapore’s ethnic diversity through dance. Singapore has long prided itself on its diversity, a value instilled in us from an early age as part of our national identity. The idea of something being “quintessentially Singaporean” often rests on an intercultural foundation, one that highlights the beauty of our major ethnic traditions and their harmonious coexistence. While that concept may feel somewhat familiar by 2025, … Continue reading Dance Review: return of RE:TURN by SMU Eurhythmix

★★★★☆ Concert Review: COMMISSIONS by SMU Chinese Orchestra

A hearty musical tribute to SMU’s contributions and support of local talent over the years. The SMU Chinese Orchestra’s concert for SMU25 and SG60 was a celebration of new beginnings, community, and inclusion. Featuring three world premieres alongside commissioned works from previous years, the evening showed how far the orchestra has come and where it hopes to go. The concert opened with Sulwyn Lok’s Spring … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Concert Review: COMMISSIONS by SMU Chinese Orchestra

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Hotel (2025) by Wild Rice

Ten years on, Hotel remains a five-star experience, and a love letter to Singapore’s resilience and ever-changing nature, alive with endless possibility. When we first watched Hotel in 2016, Singapore, and the world, were different. It was before the global pandemic reshaped how we gathered, before Wild Rice unveiled its own theatre at Funan, and before the leadership changes that now signal a new chapter … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Hotel (2025) by Wild Rice

★★★☆☆ Review: Pickle Party by The Theatre Practice

Part educational workshop, part reflection on the past and future of food in Singapore, the latest work by Ang Xiao Ting raises poignant questions but may still need time to ferment. Theatremaker Ang Xiao Ting has always been interested in matters of conservation in consumption, themes which eventually came to manifest in her original creations under The Theatre Practice (Practice), such as her work on … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Pickle Party by The Theatre Practice