M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Tree Confessions’ director Erin B Mee and writer Jenny Lyn Bader

The idea that trees can talk may not be as far-fetched an idea as it may seem – Canadian ecologist Suzanne Simard has spent most of her life dedicated to the study of trees, and discovered that they may in fact, possess their own form of communication and society. What if we could hear what they said? That’s the basis for Tree Confessions, the world’s … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Tree Confessions’ director Erin B Mee and writer Jenny Lyn Bader

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Django In Pain’ creator Antonio Vega

Puppetry is often thought of as a child-focused art form, often bringing to mind magic, whimsy and happy endings. But in Por Piedad Teatro & The Play Company’s Django In Pain, its title alone already suggests a degree of suffering that will be experienced upon viewing, with a character struggling with depression and suicide ideation. Created by Mexican theatremaker Antonio Vega, Django In Pain is … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Django In Pain’ creator Antonio Vega

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with Deonn Yang, writer/director of ‘Why Be Good When You Can Be The Best?’

In Singapore, those of us brought up in strict households were brought up with the idea that anything less than number one is as good as failing, or that we we are simply never meant to be satisfied with what we have. But at the risk of our mental and physical health and so many more sacrifices, at what point should we stop ourselves from … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with Deonn Yang, writer/director of ‘Why Be Good When You Can Be The Best?’

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Less Than Half’ co-director Adib Kosnan

They say that the idea of a utopia falls dangerously close to a dystopia, where perfection often comes at a cost – that of total control, or the hiding of some deep dark truths from public view. Created in collaboration with students from the BA (Hons) in Performance Making programme at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, new show Less Than Half will explore that … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Less Than Half’ co-director Adib Kosnan

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Never The Bride’ creators Rajkumar Thiagaras, Ryan Ang and Fadhil Daud

The extraordinary overturn of the repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code feels like a double-edged sword. On one hand, an age-old, colonial-era law which criminalises sex between consenting adult males has been abolished now and forever. On the other hand, a new amendment to the Constitution has been added to protect the definition of marriage as strictly between one man and one woman. … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Never The Bride’ creators Rajkumar Thiagaras, Ryan Ang and Fadhil Daud

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Mother of Compost’ writer/performer Noémie Huttner-Koros

Over the course of the pandemic, how often have you felt impossibly alone? Even if you were staying with others, are the people you live with your ideal family, or given more options, would you rather be with a chosen family instead? And for the queer readers among you – what exactly is your definition of family? Written, performed and produced by Australian artist Noémie … Continue reading M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2023: An Interview with ‘Mother of Compost’ writer/performer Noémie Huttner-Koros

★★☆☆☆ Review: For My Highness by Toy Factory Productions

Weak direction and a script still in its infancy leave this play about drug abuse bereft of an emotional anchor. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Adeeb Fazah) 4 Script (Shaleihin Pi’ee) 4 Performance (Zulfiqar Izzudin, Ong Xue Min, Wilfred Lee Kim Chye, Fadhil Daud, Jayden Lim Jun De) 4 Lighting (Fazree Azharie) 5 Sound (Vick Low) 5 Set (Vivien Lau) 4 Total 26/60 (43%) … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Review: For My Highness by Toy Factory Productions

★★★★★ Review: Stream of Memory by Papermoon Puppet Theatre and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

Excellent puppetry immerses audience members in a mystical river. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Maria Tri Sulistyani) 9 Performance 9 Puppet Design / Puppet Engineers (Iwan Effendi / Anton Fajri and Muhammad Alhaq) 10 Choreography (Dapheny Chen) 8 Music and Sound Design (Yennu Ariendra) 8 Lighting Design (James Tan) 8 Multimedia (Gilang Kusuma) 8 Costume Design (Retno Intiani) 8 Total 68/80 (85%) Final Score: … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Stream of Memory by Papermoon Puppet Theatre and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay

★★★★☆ Review: Lewis Cornay’s ‘Daddy Issues’ at Seven Dials Playhouse

Category Score (out of 10) Direction (Jane Moriarty) 7 Script (Lewis Cornay) 8 Performance (Bebe Cave) 8 Set Design (Andrew Exeter) 7 Lighting Design (Andrew Exeter) 7 Sound Design (Christopher Reid) 7 Costumes (Sophia Pardon) 7 Video (Lewis Den Hertog) 7 Total 58/80 (73%) Final Score: ★★★★☆ LONDON – Written by Offie award-winner Lewis Cornay and starring actress, writer and podcast host Bebe Cave, Daddy Issues is a devilishly dark … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: Lewis Cornay’s ‘Daddy Issues’ at Seven Dials Playhouse

★★★★★ Review: Kumar XXX by Dream Academy

Celebrating 30 years of being an icon, Kumar tackles sex, politics and current affairs in his signature, quintessentially Singaporean style. Category Score (out of 10) Direction (George Chan) 9 Additional Writing (Gabrielle Evelena, Jo Tan, Malcolm Oei and Janis Goh) 8 Performance (Kumar) 10 Dancers (Aidil Fitrah, Charmain Ho, Francesca Harriman, Hafeez Hassan, Rocio Yap and Kim Eusope) 10 Choreography (Francesca Harriman and Hafeez Hassan) … Continue reading ★★★★★ Review: Kumar XXX by Dream Academy