Preview: da:ns focus – On Loop by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

This year’s da:ns focus unfolds under the theme On Loop, a meditation on repetition as both structure and sensation. From 23–25 April 2026, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay opens the season with Fase, Four Movements to the Music of Steve Reich by Rosas, the internationally acclaimed company led by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. First premiering in 1982, Fase is widely recognised as a cornerstone … Continue reading Preview: da:ns focus – On Loop by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Concert Review: Traversing 《“樂”无界》by Ding Yi Music Company

Ding Yi opens their 2026/27 season with a bold, celebratory selection of works that shows off the chamber ensemble’s capabilities and global vision. Opening its 2026/27 season, Traversing by Ding Yi Music Company makes an ambitious artistic claim: that a Chinese chamber ensemble can be not only rooted in tradition, but also be expansive, borderless, and globally resonant. Under the direction of maestro Tsung Yeh, … Continue reading Concert Review: Traversing 《“樂”无界》by Ding Yi Music Company

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Maria Tri Sulistyani, founder of Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and playwright/director of ‘PUNO – Sewing Memories’

Twelve years ago, the story that would become PUNO: Sewing Memories began with a promise. Back in 2013, Papermoon Puppet Theatre was planning a collaboration with a close friend from the Philippines: puppetry artist Don Salubayba. “It was kind of like, wow, it’s amazing that we have so much in common, let’s do something together,” recalls director and playwright Maria Tri Sulistyani, also a co-founder … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Maria Tri Sulistyani, founder of Papermoon Puppet Theatre, and playwright/director of ‘PUNO – Sewing Memories’

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Dr. Norzizi Zulkifli on adapting Macbeth for Randai and traditional arts in Malaysia

When Dr Norzizi speaks about randai, she does not describe it as an artefact or a genre. She describes the art form as something breathing, precarious, but alive. “Without ASWARA,” she says plainly of the National Academy of Arts, Cultural and Heritage of Malaysia, “randai is a dying traditional art form. It exists, but it is also not there. If you come to Kuala Lumpur … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with Dr. Norzizi Zulkifli on adapting Macbeth for Randai and traditional arts in Malaysia

Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with ‘La Luna’ director Mohd Fared Jainal, playwright Ridhwan Saidi, and star Munah Bagharib

In an age where the world often feels divided and overexposed to outrage, the most compelling theatre sometimes comes from stories that remind us what it means to live, work, and confront challenges together. This year’s La Luna, making its stage debut during Pesta Raya at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, does exactly that: it’s a feel-good comedy that also asks audiences to look … Continue reading Pesta Raya 2026: An Interview with ‘La Luna’ director Mohd Fared Jainal, playwright Ridhwan Saidi, and star Munah Bagharib

★★★★☆ Dance Review: liminal by T.H.E Dance Company

In T.H.E Dance Company newest platform, mid-career dancers explore what it means to exist in the in-between, and the movements it inspires. With liminal, T.H.E Dance Company turns its attention to the in-between, not the polished arrival of mastery, nor the raw urgency of emergence, but the textured, often complicated terrain of mid-career artistry. As a new platform dedicated to choreographic voices in this phase, … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Dance Review: liminal by T.H.E Dance Company

Preview: Emergency Stairs x NAFA Industry Project 2026 – ‘Backstage Protocol’ and ‘Pulau Rindu’

Have you ever wondered about the forces shaping our lives that we don’t see? This April, a new generation of theatre-makers in Singapore is asking exactly that. The NAFA Industry Project 2026, co-presented by Emergency Stairs and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, is a bold, immersive exploration of what they call “Invisible Architectures.” Think about the unseen systems, quiet hierarchies, and emotional undercurrents that shape … Continue reading Preview: Emergency Stairs x NAFA Industry Project 2026 – ‘Backstage Protocol’ and ‘Pulau Rindu’

★★★★☆ Theatre Review: End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland by HoriPro Inc.

A dream made tangible as Haruki Murakami’s surreal masterpiece comes vividly to life on stage. Fresh from its world premiere in Tokyo in January, End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland arrives in Singapore with the weight of expectation. Beyond its sheer scale, adapting Haruki Murakami’s writing for the stage has always been a formidable undertaking. His novels are winding, introspective and often resistant to … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Theatre Review: End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland by HoriPro Inc.

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Lao Jiu – The Musical 《老九》音乐剧 (2026) by The Theatre Practice

This definitive Singaporean Chinese musical reckons with the impossible decision between dreams and duty, and more crucially, what it costs to choose your own life in Singapore. First written and staged in 1990 by the late theatre doyen Kuo Pao Kun with The Theatre Practice (Practice), Lao Jiu was a script that was always meant to evolve. Originally a stage play, its eventual transformation into … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Lao Jiu – The Musical 《老九》音乐剧 (2026) by The Theatre Practice

Culture Cartel 2027 goes bigger, louder, and more ‘Wicked’ than ever with The Wicked Wallop collaboration

In Singapore, street culture has never stayed stilll and come January 2027, it’s about to hit a whole new gear. After years of building a loyal following across fashion, art, music and subcultures, Culture Cartel 2027 is returning with its boldest vision yet. Taking over Sands Expo and Convention Centre and the Bayfront Event Space from 15 to 17 January 2027, the event will span … Continue reading Culture Cartel 2027 goes bigger, louder, and more ‘Wicked’ than ever with The Wicked Wallop collaboration