Preview: da:ns focus – Connect Asia Now (CAN) 2026 by Esplanade – Theatre on the Bay

In a world where we’re constantly scrolling, multitasking and moving from one thing to the next, taking the time to truly see has become something of a luxury. This October, Esplanade’s da:ns focus – Connect Asia Now (CAN) returns with a timely reminder that contemporary performance can do more than entertain, and encourage us to pause, pay attention and reconnect with ourselves and those around … Continue reading Preview: da:ns focus – Connect Asia Now (CAN) 2026 by Esplanade – Theatre on the Bay

★★★★★ Theatre Review: ART (2026) by Godot Theatre Company

Godot Theatre’s take on Yasmina Reza’s beloved classic reminds us how art reveals uncomfortable truths about ourselves and how we live in a world of myriad perspectives. Duration: 135 minutes John Berger, in Ways of Seeing, famously writes that “the relation between what we see and what we know is never settled”. It is an idea that applies directly to Yasmina Reza’s ART, a play … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: ART (2026) by Godot Theatre Company

Godot Theatre Company’s ART returns to the Esplanade, and Pu Hsueh-Liang, Chu Chung Heng and Tseng Kuo Chen are closer than ever

There is a moment before our interview properly begins that says almost everything one needs to know about ART. The first question has barely been asked when the three actors are already talking over one another. Within seconds, the room dissolves into laughter. They interrupt one another, finish each other’s sentences, argue over tiny details and gently tease each other without missing a beat. Before … Continue reading Godot Theatre Company’s ART returns to the Esplanade, and Pu Hsueh-Liang, Chu Chung Heng and Tseng Kuo Chen are closer than ever

★★★☆☆ Theatre Review: Retina Manoeuvre by k*hole karaoke – Wang Ping-Hsiang

Taiwanese artist Wang Ping-Hsiang explores the uneasy tension between nationalism and violence in a winding piece of anecdotal theatre. It is difficult to pin down exactly what kind of show Retina Manoeuvre wants to be. Playing at Theatre Practice’s Practice Space as part of the Singapore Fringe Festival, Berlin-based Taiwanese theatremaker Wang presents a relatively stripped-down setup: a desk, a laptop, a microphone, and a … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Theatre Review: Retina Manoeuvre by k*hole karaoke – Wang Ping-Hsiang

Music: Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra concludes Taiwan tour with resounding success

The Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra (SNYCO) has returned from a highly successful concert tour in Taiwan, marking an inspiring week of musical exchange from 9 to 17 December 2025. Performing to nearly 2,000 audience members across Taoyuan, Taipei and Hsinchu, the youth orchestra presented three collaborative concerts that celebrated cultural dialogue through Chinese orchestral music. Under the direction of Music Director Quek Ling Kiong, … Continue reading Music: Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra concludes Taiwan tour with resounding success

Singapore Fringe Festival 2026: An Interview with Wang Ping-Hsiang on representing violence in performance and karaoke in ‘Retina Manoeuvre’

When audiences first encountered Retina Manoeuvre in its early work-in-progress, few could have guessed that the performance would later tour Europe, gathering deeply personal responses from audiences who recognised themselves, despite having no connection to Taiwan at all. The project began far from the solo, autobiographical form it eventually took. Taiwanese artist and creator Ping-Hsiang Wang recalls that the original proposal involved three performers and … Continue reading Singapore Fringe Festival 2026: An Interview with Wang Ping-Hsiang on representing violence in performance and karaoke in ‘Retina Manoeuvre’

SGIFF 2025: An Interview with Girl 女孩 director Shu Qi, and stars Bai Xiao-Ying and 9m88

When Girl opened the 2025 Singapore International Film Festival at Marina Bay Sands, the theatre was filled to its edges, with filmmakers, industry regulars, influencers, and longtime fans gathered to witness one of Asia’s most beloved stars step into a bold new role. For Shu Qi, who has spent decades defining onscreen charisma, the packed house represented both the reputation she’d built up over the … Continue reading SGIFF 2025: An Interview with Girl 女孩 director Shu Qi, and stars Bai Xiao-Ying and 9m88

★★★★☆ Film Review: Girl 女孩 dir. Shu Qi

Shu Qi’s directorial debut is deeply personal, and teases out the pain and potential of girlhood in ’80s Taiwan. Adolescence is rarely tidy. It’s unruly, bewildering, and often defined by the kind of pain we only learn how to name years later. In Girl, her semi-autobiographical directorial debut, Taiwanese star Shu Qi turns that ache into cinema. Known primarily for her collaborations with Hou Hsiao-hsien … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Film Review: Girl 女孩 dir. Shu Qi

★★★★★ Theatre Review: Final Bow《散戏》by Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group

Heartfelt, hilarious, and profoundly moving, Final Bow is a theatrical triumph that captures the bittersweet beauty of an art form standing at the end of an era and the edge of change. What makes theatre so precious is its transience. Each performance exists only in that instant, where there are no two ever alike, no recording ever truly able to capture the electricity of being … Continue reading ★★★★★ Theatre Review: Final Bow《散戏》by Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group

★★★★☆ Review: Human Condition VIII by Greenray Theatre Company

Hearty family comedy-drama that strikes a chord with retirees and its discussion of existential issues. Taiwan’s Greenray Theatre Company presents Human Condition VIII as part of the Esplanade’s Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts, and delivers a heartwarming, humorous, and at times bittersweet glimpse into the often-overlooked struggles of retirees. Written and directed by award-winning Taiwanese artist Wu Nien-Jen, this Singapore premiere brings the latest … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Human Condition VIII by Greenray Theatre Company