uproot | rootless: An Interview with The Substation Artistic Director Ezzam Rahman, and artists of SeptFest 2022

There was a time when arts venue The Substation had a massive Malayan Banyan Tree growing along the walls of Timbre. Considered an iconic part of The Substation, the tree had been there even before the founding of the venue in 1990, and became the site for countless events, gigs and performances, representing the ongoing connection between art and nature. But come 2015, the Banyan … Continue reading uproot | rootless: An Interview with The Substation Artistic Director Ezzam Rahman, and artists of SeptFest 2022

★☆☆☆☆ Review: Cathay Hotel – The Curse of the Missing Red Shoe by Vertical Submarine

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

Full Steam Ahead: An Interview with Dim Sum Dollies Pam Oei and Jo Tan, and Music Director Elaine Chan

With the short run most productions have and few restagings, the longevity of any theatre show or concept in Singapore is never guaranteed. Which is why for local company Dream Academy, the continued success of their signature characters and IPs is a net positive all around. Amidst these, cabaret trio the Dim Sum Dollies remain a perennial favourite, having first making their claim to fame … Continue reading Full Steam Ahead: An Interview with Dim Sum Dollies Pam Oei and Jo Tan, and Music Director Elaine Chan

Preview: The LKY Musical (2022) by Aiwei and Singapore Repertory Theatre

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

Art What!: An Interview with Ali Shabaz, Chief Creative Officer of M&C Saatchi Group, on new art prize ‘Art For Change’

In partnership with Saatchi Gallery in London, M&C Saatchi Group have launched a global Art Prize to identify the next generation of emerging artists, in line with the partnership’s aim to deepen access to contemporary art, broaden learning opportunities for young people in the UK and worldwide and identify the next generation of artists influencing real societal change. Together they believe in the power of … Continue reading Art What!: An Interview with Ali Shabaz, Chief Creative Officer of M&C Saatchi Group, on new art prize ‘Art For Change’

Local heritage in a new light: An Interview with Singapore Night Festival 2022 Festival Director David Chew

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

★★★☆☆ Review: The Nest by Rainshadow Studios

It’s morality versus materialism in this debut production by Singapore’s first eco-theatre company. Raising a child is hard – not only does it incur tremendous financial strain, but children are also incredibly vulnerable and susceptible to the elements, where one wrong move could result in infant death. With so much stress incurred, it’s no wonder that a child’s birth also has immense effects on a … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Review: The Nest by Rainshadow Studios

Preview: Surviving Hope – A Theatre Play about Hope and Mental Wellness

A local theatre collective group comprising of actors and performers has started a project ‘Surviving Hope’, an original theatre play inspired by real stories exploring notions of hope and mental wellness.  Surviving Hope sheds light on life’s hidden experiences, and aims to inspire the audience to accept themselves for who they are, no matter how the world changes. The production will be held from 2 … Continue reading Preview: Surviving Hope – A Theatre Play about Hope and Mental Wellness

Esplanade’s The Studios 2022: An Interview with Teater Ekamatra’s Mohd Fared Jainal and Zulfadli Rashid on ‘Berak’

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’

Review: Fat Kids Are Harder to Kidnap 2022 by How Drama

More mayhem and madness as How Drama returns with a new edition of their signature show. In a year that’s been characterised with the chaos of a ‘post-COVID world’, with borders opening up and a new normal that feels like we’re going back to the old normal, there’s only one thing to do – make sense of it by making light of it all. And … Continue reading Review: Fat Kids Are Harder to Kidnap 2022 by How Drama