As the environment around us changes, so does the human body, expressing itself in response to the ever-changing landscape. Whether for better or worse, it is in these times that we turn our attention to the arts, as we find a way to process all this change through the word of the body. And within the realm of the arts, the medium of dance offers … Continue reading Preview: da:ns Festival 2022 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
September is coming, and we all know what that means – a full moon on the horizon, and the Esplanade’s annual Moonfest, held in conjunction with the Mid-Autumn Festival. Now in its 18th edition, this year’s Moonfest will be celebrated with an array of free performances of traditional Chinese arts, and ticketed workshops for families of all ages. Focused on preserving and showcasing traditional arts, … Continue reading Preview: Moonfest 2022 by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
In the anthropocene, we go where the light leads us. Dimitris Papaioannou choreographs like an artist – the scenes we bear witness to are all about the visuals, shifting between unconventional imagery and absurd situation, never easy to understand upon first look, but always striking, and capable of producing a visceral, emotional reaction. Every moment onstage is like witnessing a painting in motion, and rarely … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Transverse Orientation by Dimitris Papaioannou
A necessary production for a world in want of greater empathy. Actors have a reputation for being dramatic. It’s their profession after all, to perform and to present people and situations that are often exaggerated and emotionally-charged, to entertain and evoke catharsis in paying audiences. But we often forget that actors are far more than just blank slates, morphing and becoming whatever role they’ve been … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Acting Mad by The Necessary Stage
New ending to Orwell’s classic further blurs the line between man and beast. For centuries, humans have evolved from prehistoric creatures to the hyper-intelligent dominant species on Earth today. But in a world filled with constant war and animosity, one can’t help but think if somewhere inside our modern minds, there still lies a hint of that original animal instinct, and whether we truly can … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Animal Farm by Wild Rice
Ambitious attempt to create an immersive Cathay multiverse sends mixed messaging. In the ‘good old days’, there used to exist the Cathay Hotel, which existed as both a hotel and a cinema. As a gathering space, it offered a sense of community when members of the public would come together to watch a film, the golden age of Singapore’s cinema scene where we’d see local … Continue reading ★☆☆☆☆ Review: Cathay Hotel – The Curse of the Missing Red Shoe by Vertical Submarine
In its original run in 2015, Singapore Repertory Theatre’s (SRT) then-all new musical The LKY Musical premiered in the same year our late founding father passed, acting as a moving tribute and testament to the work and nation-building Lee Kuan Yew contributed in taking Singapore from third world to first, playing to over 50,000 audience members in its original run. This September, ‘the most successful … Continue reading Preview: The LKY Musical (2022) by Aiwei and Singapore Repertory Theatre
After two years of restrictions and social distancing, the Singapore Literature Prize (SLP) awards ceremony made its return in-person for the first time since 2018 at Victoria Theatre. Suratman Markasan and Wang Gungwu have made history as the oldest winners of SLP, while eight of the 12 recipients are first-time winners with a mix of seasoned and emerging writers. Tamil writer ரமா சுரேஷ் (Rama Suresh) … Continue reading By The Book: 2022 Singapore Literature Prize awards 8 first time winners
After the quietude brought by the pandemic for the last two years, the annual Singapore Night Festival 2022 (SNF 2022) is back in full for its 13th edition, highlighting the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct with a curated selection of six projection mapping installations, 15 Night Lights installations, five performance locations with over 30 performances, five experiential programmes and a Festival Village. Amidst the celebrations, it … Continue reading Local heritage in a new light: An Interview with Singapore Night Festival 2022 Festival Director David Chew
When Chong Tze Chien’s Poop was first staged back in 2010, the new play was a tour de force that firmly cemented The Finger Players (TFP) as a company to watch, with a heartbreaking story about love and loss, told through evocative music, effective lighting, and of course, whimsical puppetry. 12 years on and several restagings later, the contemporary classic is getting a brand new … Continue reading Esplanade’s The Studios 2022: An Interview with Teater Ekamatra’s Mohd Fared Jainal and Zulfadli Rashid on ‘Berak’
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