Interview: Playwright Benedict Lim spills the ‘Beans’ on class, scarcity and taking creative risks

“Maybe because the world is burning and I might as well do the things I want to do.” That’s a statement that feels integral to Singaporean playwright Benedict Lim’s reason for making art. There is humour in the line, but also a sense of practicality: if the circumstances are already uncertain, there is little point waiting for the perfect moment to make the work you … Continue reading Interview: Playwright Benedict Lim spills the ‘Beans’ on class, scarcity and taking creative risks

Theatre Review: One Love, A Legacy – Celebrating Joanna & Leslie Wong and Chinese Theatre Circle 《一缕柔情千秋业》

Documentary, biographical theatre tracing Chinese Theatre Circle’s roots, its impact, and the love that’s carried it for 45 years and beyond. For 45 years, Chinese Theatre Circle has been doing something no other company has done for as long and as fiercely as they have: keeping Chinese opera alive in Singapore. And to commemorate that, One Love, A Legacy: Celebrating Joanna & Leslie Wong and … Continue reading Theatre Review: One Love, A Legacy – Celebrating Joanna & Leslie Wong and Chinese Theatre Circle 《一缕柔情千秋业》

Art: Li Huayi – Unity of Man and Nature at Kwai Fung Hin

For Li Huayi, landscape is not a record of a place but an expression of an inner world. As his first solo exhibition in Southeast Asia arrives in Singapore, the artist reflects on tradition, freedom, memory and the enduring possibilities of ink. There are no travellers wandering through Li Huayi’s landscapes. No fishermen, scholars or tiny figures climbing the mountain paths that populate so much … Continue reading Art: Li Huayi – Unity of Man and Nature at Kwai Fung Hin

Mr Chng Hak-Peng appointed new Chief Executive Officer of National Gallery Singapore from 1 January 2027

Singapore’s visual arts landscape is entering a new phase, with National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum set to move forward under dedicated leadership from January 2027. Mr Chng Hak-Peng will be appointed Chief Executive Officer of National Gallery Singapore, succeeding Dr Eugene Tan, who has led the institution as Chief Executive Officer since 2024. Dr Tan will remain with the Gallery until the end … Continue reading Mr Chng Hak-Peng appointed new Chief Executive Officer of National Gallery Singapore from 1 January 2027

★★★★☆ Theatre Review: The Radicalisation of Mrs. Mary Lim-Rodrigues by Wild Rice

A precise, unsettling dissection of what happens when rules become more important than the people they are meant to serve. Duration: 90 minutes The Radicalisation of Mrs. Mary Lim-Rodrigues at times feels like a paradox: it is a play about the consequences of failing to see another person fully, yet it deliberately keeps its audience at a certain remove and emotional distance from its characters. … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Theatre Review: The Radicalisation of Mrs. Mary Lim-Rodrigues by Wild Rice

Film: ‘The Violinist’ 沧海琴声 soundtrack now available everywhere from Milan Records

Some film scores disappear into the background once the credits roll. Others become part of the story themselves. For The Violinist, music has always been central to the telling of its story, and now audiences can experience that music on its own. Milan Records has released The Violinist (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), a 29-track album featuring music by Golden Horse Award-winning Singaporean composer Ricky Ho … Continue reading Film: ‘The Violinist’ 沧海琴声 soundtrack now available everywhere from Milan Records

Film: SGIFF 2026 returns this October with opening film ‘The Assassin(s)’; more Singapore films in the global spotlight than ever

Singapore’s cinema scene is having a moment, and this year, the Singapore International Film Festival is bringing that momentum home. Returning from 21 October to 1 November 2026 for its 37th edition, SGIFF will open with South Korean thriller The Assassin(s), directed by Hur Jin-ho and starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho. Hur, alongside supporting cast members Shim Eun-kyung and Park Sung-hoon, will … Continue reading Film: SGIFF 2026 returns this October with opening film ‘The Assassin(s)’; more Singapore films in the global spotlight than ever

Museums: Sacred Caves – Dunhuang, Buddhism, and the Silk Road at the Asian Civilisations Museum

For centuries, travellers crossing the Silk Road passed through Dunhuang carrying goods, stories, beliefs and artistic traditions from across Asia and beyond. Now, some of the most remarkable traces of that exchange are making their way to Singapore, including four life-size reproductions of the famed Mogao Caves. Opening at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) on 25 September, Sacred Caves: Dunhuang, Buddhism, and the Silk Road … Continue reading Museums: Sacred Caves – Dunhuang, Buddhism, and the Silk Road at the Asian Civilisations Museum

Concert Review: Nathania Ong – HONEST – Live in Concert

A deeply personal homecoming as the West End star steps out from behind her characters and into her own story. It is a disarming sight to see musical theatre star Nathania Ong wash dishes. For a performer whose career has taken her from Singapore to the West End stage, whose name is now synonymous with some of musical theatre’s most demanding roles, HONEST begins with … Continue reading Concert Review: Nathania Ong – HONEST – Live in Concert

Film: SGIFF 2026 to honour Hirokazu Kore-eda and screen Southeast Asian premiere of ‘Look Back’ this October

For film lovers in Singapore, this October comes with a particularly special date to circle on the calendar. The 37th Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) will honour acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda with its Cinema Honorary Award, the festival’s highest accolade recognising filmmakers who have made exceptional and enduring contributions to Asian cinema. Kore-eda will be in Singapore on 24 October, when he will attend … Continue reading Film: SGIFF 2026 to honour Hirokazu Kore-eda and screen Southeast Asian premiere of ‘Look Back’ this October