Arts of Hong Kong 2021: The Finale of Mr. AD by HKRep

HONG KONG – In a theatre company founded with the motto of “art for art’s sake,” its Artistic Director puts everything on the line to create a suspenseful drama, but his actors criticise the script as substandard, resisting the process at every step, making life really hard. How will things unfold? HKRep Artistic Director Anthony Chan is both playwright and director of The Finale of Mr. … Continue reading Arts of Hong Kong 2021: The Finale of Mr. AD by HKRep

SRT’s Lungs: Joshua Lim and Oon Shu An talk theatre, babies and finding space to breathe

In a times as uncertain as today, how do you bear to bring a child into the world? That’s just one of the many questions that sparks off one couple’s deep discussion of their future, in Singapore Repertory Theatre’s production of Duncan MacMillan’s Lungs. Directed by Daniel Jenkins, and starring Joshua Lim and Oon Shu An, Lungs is an “intelligent, funny, moving and surprising” play, … Continue reading SRT’s Lungs: Joshua Lim and Oon Shu An talk theatre, babies and finding space to breathe

Preview: Lungs by Singapore Repertory Theatre

Marking the third two-hander play since Singapore Repertory Theatre’s (SRT) post-COVID return to live performances, this June, get ready for the Singaporean premiere of Lungs this June. Written by critically-acclaimed British playwright Duncan Macmillan, Lungs follows an everyday couple (Oon Shu An and Joshua Lim) in a fairly stable relationship. Things change however, when he pops the question about having a baby. What follows is … Continue reading Preview: Lungs by Singapore Repertory Theatre

★★★★☆ Review: _T0701_ by Zeugma (SIFA 2021)

Black Mirror meets black magic. The ‘toyol’ or undead infant frequently features in Malay folklore, used as a tool by bomohs (shaman) to conduct black magic and cause mischief. But in a futuristic world ruled by technology, is there still a place for outdated superstitions or magic to exist? Blending cyberpunk with a quintessentially Singaporean flavour, local arts collective Zeugma’s new work _T0701_ imagines a … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: _T0701_ by Zeugma (SIFA 2021)

Arts of Hong Kong 2022: Immersive, interactive opera experience Laila to make Asian premiere at 50th HKAF

What does the opera of the future look like? The Finnish National Opera and Ballet (FNOB) think they have an idea, with their tech-driven Laila, an immersive and interactive opera experience, set to make its Asian premiere at the 50th Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) in 2022. Scheduled to take place at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum from 25th February 2022, the experience will be … Continue reading Arts of Hong Kong 2022: Immersive, interactive opera experience Laila to make Asian premiere at 50th HKAF

The Theatre Practice’s year of change and convergence: An Interview with Artistic Director Kuo Jian Hong

The Theatre Practice (Practice) may have originally been known as a Mandarin theatre company, but thanks to the team’s efforts over the years, the company has continually changed and evolved in its identity. No longer simply producing ‘Mandarin’ works, the company has included and involved artists of all ethnicities in their productions (such as Four Horse Road). Even with a pandemic, Practice adapted to the … Continue reading The Theatre Practice’s year of change and convergence: An Interview with Artistic Director Kuo Jian Hong

★★★★☆ Review: A Thousand Ways by 600 Highwaymen (SIFA 2021)

Learning to connect again in three parts. After a year of the pandemic, watching dramatic readings on Zoom and pre-recorded archival footage, audience members are hungry for one thing – engagement. And one of the most effective ways of doing that is turning the tables and transforming the audience into the artist. In a way, that’s what 600 Highwaymen have done in A Thousand Ways, … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: A Thousand Ways by 600 Highwaymen (SIFA 2021)

★★☆☆☆ Review: Unsolicited Advice From My Ex – A Double Bill by Bored Whale Theatre

Surreal explorations of friendship and self. They say hindsight is 20/20, but no one ever likes to hear someone else tell them ‘I told you so’. Even worse when that person was someone you fell out with, something new theatre company Bored Whale Theatre tackles in their debut production Unsolicited Advice From My Ex, a double bill of new work written and directed by Wisely … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Review: Unsolicited Advice From My Ex – A Double Bill by Bored Whale Theatre

SIFA On Demand streaming extends till 20th June 2021

With the pandemic still happening, the Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) has always had a backup plan in case things went awry for live performances. That comes in the form of SIFA On Demand – a video streaming service that allows everyone to experience SIFA from the comfort and safety of their homes after the festival ends. With the number of audience members reduced … Continue reading SIFA On Demand streaming extends till 20th June 2021

★★★★☆ Review: The Journey by Scott Silven (SIFA 2021)

Magical storytelling that bringing us closer online. I’m a cynic at heart, and have always known that stage magic is a matter of sleight of hand, misdirection and trickery to pull off an act. And when magic is performed via a digital medium, one cannot help but suspect its ‘authenticity’ even more, given how easy it is to manipulate videos and video feeds. But there’s … Continue reading ★★★★☆ Review: The Journey by Scott Silven (SIFA 2021)