SIFA 2023: An Interview with Thanapol Virulhakul, director of ‘INTERMISSION’

In INTERMISSION, traditional Thai music and contemporary dance practice intertwine to examine the body as a political site and the sociopolitical power of dance. Stuck in the state-enforced past and unable to see the future of his own country, choreographer Thanapol Virulhakul proposes Thai postmodern dance as a method to navigate Thailand’s socio-political power structure that infiltrates all areas of a citizen’s life. A single … Continue reading SIFA 2023: An Interview with Thanapol Virulhakul, director of ‘INTERMISSION’

★★★★★ Review: £¥€$ (LIES) by Ontroerend Goed (SIFA 2023)

Money makes the world go round…or does it? Making a name for themselves with their innovative immersive and participatory performances, Belgium-based theatre company Ontroerend Goed arrives in Singapore to present a game-like theatrical experience – £¥€$ (LIES). As its title suggests, £¥€$ (LIES) is all about money, where audience members become members of the super rich in control of the global economy, where the world … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: £¥€$ (LIES) by Ontroerend Goed (SIFA 2023)

★★★★★ Review: Lolling and Rolling by Jaha Koo (SIFA 2023)

Haunted by the spectre of cultural imperialism and linguistic violence. In the modern world, where the West has long been seen as the cultural capital, English remains the primary language of communication, seen as a necessity if one is to succeed. For many Asian countries, this has manifested in making it the lingua franca, to the extent that it becomes a source of pride and … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Lolling and Rolling by Jaha Koo (SIFA 2023)

★★★★★ Review: Cuckoo by Jaha Koo (SIFA 2023)

Talking rice cookers tell of the death and despair in high pressure Korean society. In Jaha Koo’s Cuckoo, one of the main selling points is the Cuckoo-brand rice cookers in the show, programmed to speak and sing on command. But don’t let the quirky gimmick fool you into thinking this is a cute show about talking cooking appliances. The truth is, Cuckoo is a pitch … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Cuckoo by Jaha Koo (SIFA 2023)

★★★★☆ Review: BLKDOG by Botis Seva (SIFA 2023)

Intense, high energy production depicting the brutalities of the world cruel world children grow up in. There’s the old saying that ‘tough times don’t last, tough people do’. But shouldn’t we at least try to ensure that the world is in a better place for the next generation, precisely because we don’t want them to suffer in the same way we did? Choreographer Botis Seva … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: BLKDOG by Botis Seva (SIFA 2023)

Museum Musings: Sensory Odyssey – Into the Heart of Our Living World at the ArtScience Museum

Nature takes centre stage at a new exhibition making its Asian premiere at ArtScience Museum on 27th May. Under the cover of darkness where the scent of dry earth and moisture permeates the air, the growl of a lion, the grunts of a baboon and the rustling of grass break the silence, welcoming explorers to the African Savannah. A multi-sensory expedition through this habitat and … Continue reading Museum Musings: Sensory Odyssey – Into the Heart of Our Living World at the ArtScience Museum

Museum Musings: Now Boarding: Experiencing Singapore through Travel, 1800s–2000s at the National Museum of Singapore

The National Museum of Singapore presents two of its newest showcases that will explore the development of Singapore’s identity through one of Singaporeans’ favourite pastimes, travelling, as well as our passion for food! Visitors can look forward to the special exhibition Now Boarding: Experiencing Singapore through Travel, 1800s–2000s, and the annual family favourite, Children’s Season at the National Museum, as it returns this year with … Continue reading Museum Musings: Now Boarding: Experiencing Singapore through Travel, 1800s–2000s at the National Museum of Singapore

★★★★★ Review: Chimpanzee by Nick Lehane

The hell of animal experimentation is keenly felt in this devastating work of puppet theatre. The beauty of puppetry lies in how easily we project our own feelings onto an object, given breath and life through puppeteers. And for animal puppets in particular, there is a dual layer of suspension of disbelief required, where not only do the puppeteers have to create empathy for a … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Chimpanzee by Nick Lehane

★★☆☆☆ Review: Realm of Silk by Sougwen Chung (SIFA 2023)

An attempt to bring robotics into art making proves the human touch still necessary. Touted as a one-of-a-kind performance bringing together visual art, music, performance and technology, Canadian artist Sougwen Chung’s Realm of Silk breaks convention and genre to explore how art can be created using algorithms and robotics. Inspired by the beauty of silk, Realm of Silk is all about transformation and metamorphosis, as art … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Review: Realm of Silk by Sougwen Chung (SIFA 2023)

Museum Musings: Andrew Gn – Fashioning Singapore and the World at the Asian Civilisations Museum

Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) presents Andrew Gn: Fashioning Singapore and the World, an exhibition that traces the fashion journey of one of Singapore’s most prolific designers and celebrates his major gift to the nation. This is ACM’s largest exhibition celebrating a contemporary Singapore fashion designer. Through five sections and over 100 representative works, it explores Gn’s roots in Asia, cross-cultural expressions of Asian and Western … Continue reading Museum Musings: Andrew Gn – Fashioning Singapore and the World at the Asian Civilisations Museum