Singapore, Michigan: An Interview with director Timothy Koh and playwright Chong An Ong

This June, Pangdemonium unveils the world premiere of Singapore, Michigan, a bold, genre-defying new work that weaves together forgotten history, emotional truth, and sharp humour. Written by emerging playwright Chong An Ong and developed under Pangdemonium’s New Works Lab, the play follows three friends (two Singaporeans and one American) as they travel to the ghost town of Singapore, Michigan, in search of stories buried under … Continue reading Singapore, Michigan: An Interview with director Timothy Koh and playwright Chong An Ong

Concert Review: Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement at Capitol Theatre

Kamasi Washington is the kind of man who brings jazz into the new age, utilising unusual riffs and instrumentation to add on to his preexisting body of work. Let’s start with a caveat: I’m not a jazz person and can’t recognise the specific technicalities that go into jazz, but if anything, the crowd at capitol theatre was buzzing as they gathered before the show. It … Continue reading Concert Review: Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement at Capitol Theatre

★★★★★ Review: Tunggu Sekejap – The P. Ramlee Suite by Wild Rice

Lecture-performance by Julian Wong brings P. Ramlee’s story to life, and pays tribute to his passion and musicality in a stirring, emotional suite comprising a carefully-curated set of songs. By now, Julian Wong, one of Singapore’s most outstanding music arrangers and directors, has more than proven his ability to produce powerful tributes to local music icons. And following his show about national anthem composer Zubir … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Tunggu Sekejap – The P. Ramlee Suite by Wild Rice

★★★★☆ Review: Hossan-ah! In The High Arts by Hossan Leong

Hossan Leong takes us on a musical and theatrical journey through his life and times in the Singapore arts scene. Who says the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) always needs to show off ‘atas’, head-scratching art forms? In a rather unexpected turn of programming, this year’s festival presents local entertainer Hossan Leong in his SIFA debut with Hossan-ah! In The High Arts, as he … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Hossan-ah! In The High Arts by Hossan Leong

Preview: Much Ado About Nothing by The Winter Players

Following their debut production as Singapore Repertory Theatre’s (SRT) Company-in-Residence, emerging theatre collective The Winter Players return this June with their most ambitious production to date: a vibrant reimagining of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, set in 1960s Singapore. In this version of Much Ado About Nothing, come join the community of Messina, Singapore celebrating a break from ongoing political and military confrontations. But … Continue reading Preview: Much Ado About Nothing by The Winter Players

★★★★★ Review: Waiting For Audience by Nine Years Theatre

Metatheatrical musing on artmaking is a hit, thanks to emotive, powerful performances and staging by Nelson Chia and Mia Chee. There’s good reason why so many parents in Singapore dissuade their children from pursuing a career in the arts; as much as it’s an industry that brings entertainment, joy and provokes thoughts in the countless audiences who witness it, it’s also a notoriously unstable scene, … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Waiting For Audience by Nine Years Theatre

★★★★☆ Review: stray gods by weish

Mesmerising live concept album that draws on ancient texts and a touch of the supernatural, elevating weish’s artistry to new heights. Considering how we’ve always established Singapore’s identity as a multicultural city and ‘rojak’-like mix of ethnicities, it comes as no surprise that when we ask ourselves what Singaporean music is, we inevitably realise that no single local artist really encapsulates that idea perfectly well. … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: stray gods by weish

Art What!: Melting Thresholds by GOFY & Sweet Cheeks

Singapore-based creative platform GOFY, recognised for spotlighting Southeast Asia’s vibrant urban art scene, is excited to unveil Melting Thresholds—the latest chapter in their GOFY& series, which showcases the diverse talents of Southeast Asian artists through partnerships with lifestyle brands. This whimsical showcase brings together the works of four rising visual artists from the region: Shu and Money Wang from Malaysia, Nina Sach from Thailand, and … Continue reading Art What!: Melting Thresholds by GOFY & Sweet Cheeks

★★★★☆ Review: LEAR by Raw Material

Modern, physical theatre reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy is poetic and affecting, with a new focus on ageing and caregiving. While Shakespeare’s King Lear is ostensibly a play about the dangers of pride, Raw Material’s new adaptation of the classic instead shifts the focus to his madness, and the difficulty of caregiving for one whose mind has gone besotted. In this version, adapted by Singaporean theatremaker … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: LEAR by Raw Material

★★★☆☆ Review: Vampyr by Manuela Infante

Death is a full-time job for the walking dead roaming Chile’s wind farms, exposed as the site of tragedy and exploitation. While the world wakes up to the very real issues of climate change and makes efforts to combat it, selfish corporations continue to put themselves first and find ways to profit under the guise of saving the planet. That is the controversy at the … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: Vampyr by Manuela Infante