“When I collaborate, I want to collaborate with the wrong person.” Pichet Klunchun, Thai dancer, and director reveals a glint of mischief behind his earnest and gentle demeanor. “I am looking for misunderstandings, for opportunities to negotiate. When things are wrong, they are right.” [1] When I was initially brought as a dramaturg into the […]
Telling A Thai Tale: A Dance Dramaturg’s Take (via The Theatre Times) Read More »
By Naeem Kapadia (885 words, four-minute read) First there’s its scale – with its magnificent marble dome, soaring pillars and lush surrounding gardens. Then, the perfect symmetry; it can literally be folded in half both forwards and backwards. Finally, the purity of that incandescent white marble. Commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum
“Guards at the Taj”: The Bloody Brushstrokes of Beauty Read More »
By Teo Xiao Ting Click here to open the Twine in a new tab (if you’re reading this on a mobile browser, or otherwise have trouble viewing the Twine.) The Reunification of the Two Koreas by TheatreWorks was originally written in French by Joël Pommerat. Directed by Jacques Vincey, this staging ran at 72-13 from 1
Down the Fast Food Chain of Desire in “The Reunification of the Two Koreas” Read More »
By Casidhe Ng (1,160 words, six-minute read) The breaking apart of Pangaea. The parting of the Red Sea. The abolitionist movement in all its contexts. The division of Taiwan and China in 1949. The separation of Singapore from Malaysia on 9th August 1965. The erecting of the Berlin Wall in 1961. Its complete fall in
Looking at Love from Both Sides, Now in “The Reunification of the Two Koreas” Read More »
Symposium – How Easily Modernism Could Be Disturbed, at ILHAM Gallery, 1 Dec, 10am–6:30pm A symposium in conjunction with the Latiff Mohidin: Pago Pago (1960–1969) exhibition in the gallery. The entire programme looks interesting — conversations included discussions between writer Pauline Fan and ILHAM Gallery director Rahel Joseph; writer Goenawan Mohamad and art critic Lee Wheng
Weekly Picks: Malaysia (26 Nov – 2 Dec 2018) Read More »
Guards at the Taj by Singapore Repertory Theatre, KC Arts Centre – Home of SRT, 14 Nov – 1 Dec 2018 A wickedly dark comedy based on a myth surrounding the Taj Mahal that “nothing so beautiful shall ever be built again”. Two long-term friends, Humayun and Babur stand guard at the Taj Mahal hours before
Weekly Picks: Singapore (26 November – 2 December 2018) Read More »
Duration: 36 min Chan Sze-Wei finds out more about the Asia Network for Dance (AND+) from one of its co-conveners Anna Chan, who was former head of Performing Arts and Dance for the West Kowloon Cultural District and current Dean of the School of Dance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Stream Podcast 50
Podcast 50: Anna Chan, Asia Network for Dance (AND+) Read More »
As part of ArtsEquator’s interview series profiling artistic directors across the region, we spoke with Alan Oei, AD of The Substation and co-founder and executive director of OH! Open House, on his hopes, his challenges, and how he balances different needs and roles between the two companies. How do you come up with the themes
8 Questions with Alan Oei Read More »
By Kathy Rowland (910 words, five-minute read) Joe Sidek will not be cowed. “Everyone thinks I’m down and depressed. I’m fine!” It’s been a challenging year for the founder of the George Town Festival. In the foreground: the removal and public backlash following the censorship of Moorayameen Mohamad’s photo exhibition, Stripes and Strokes, at this
Joe Sidek: “I’ve never felt more strong” Read More »
KLEX 2018: Translucence, at various locations, 22–25 Nov An independent artist-run grassroots international festival of experimental film, video art and music. It’s a good introduction to contemporary experimental cinema and regional creative works. Admission is free for the lectures, and by suggested donations for performances (RM10 film, RM30 music at RAW Art Space, RM90 music
Weekly Picks: Malaysia (19–25 Nov 2018) Read More »
Some photographers are able to capture the most delicate moments deftly. With her project Living Choices, Singapore-based shooter Grace Baey showed her ability to do just that. Baey spent one month in Yangon taking pictures of the city’s trans population for the photo series — and despite the short time frame and limited window for gaining the
Grace Baey’s Portraits of Yangon’s Trans Population (via Coconuts Yangon) Read More »
Top Picks of Indonesia art events in Bali, Solo and Jakarta from 19 – 25 November 2018 We start our picks this week from Sanur, Bali. Rumah Sanur Creative Hub is holding the exhibition Anxious Visual, a solo exhibition by Zulkarnain Putra Ramadhan. As a former inmate, Zulkarnain uses various sketches, photographs and installations to
Weekly Picks: Indonesia (19 – 25 November 2018) Read More »
Charlie by Bhumi Collective, Goodman Arts Centre Music Studio, 20 Nov – 7 Dec What would you say to an innocent child who has literally never seen the world? Bhumi Collective is delighted to present the Singapore premiere of Charlie by Victoria Chen, after two successful runs at the Edinburgh Student Arts Festival and the
Weekly Picks: Singapore (19 – 25 November 2018) Read More »
This review contains some spoilers of a few of the sight gags and plot points in Private Parts. Private Parts was first performed in 1992, and in this staging, it hasn’t been re-written. Given that in it, transgender characters and the people around them attempt to articulate what being transgender means, how the rest of
“Private Parts”: Sometimes You’ve Got to Fix What God Gave You Read More »
Bisikan Monsoon — Open Rehearsal, at Selangor & KL Kwang Tung Association, 13 Nov, 5:30pm An invitation to view the rehearsals for Kwang Tung Dance Company’s Bisikan Monsoon (the show is travelling to China later in the month). This opportunity is only open to 10 participants, and registration is required by Monday 12 Nov, with
Weekly Picks: Malaysia (12–18 Nov 2018) Read More »
Top Picks of Indonesia art events in Bali, Bandung and Jakarta from 12 – 18 November 2018 If you’re in Bali, swing by the exhibition “Efek Samping” part of the Futuwonder Project: Masa Subur. The Masa Subur project is an interdisciplinary project that involves women artists in Indonesia. In this particular one, the artists selected
Weekly Picks: Indonesia (12 – 18 November 2018) Read More »
667, a Film Screening by Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, 17 – 18 November 2018 Here’s your chance to catch 667 《回程667》 as the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre celebrates the latest win of local filmmaker, Jun Chong, whose debut short film Ke《客》, was awarded the Best Asian Short at the 13th Sapporo International Short Film Festival. The
Weekly Picks: Singapore (12 – 18 November 2018) Read More »
By Nabilah Said (1000 words, four-minute read) The most powerful moment of akulah BIMBO SAKTI’s Cerita Cinta is the end. To be perfectly clear, it is a dream of a production. The six-person ensemble is tight, the design is exacting, the 90-minute runtime breezes by. Credit goes to presenter The Esplanade for restaging this 1995
A History of Violence: The Sharp Edges of “Cerita Cinta” Read More »
In the performance room of Penang House of Music, a museum dedicated to the musical history of this Unesco-listed Malaysian island, a crowd claps excitedly. They are cheering the group of young performers who get up from behind the stage, fatigued and sweaty, holding colourful puppets high above their heads. Their performance tells the story
Ombak Potehi: the Malaysian group reviving traditional Hokkien puppetry (via SEA Globe) Read More »
IF WALLS COULD TALK vol.55, at The Gaslight Cafe, 8 Nov, 8pm The ever-popular Walls returns with its open mic for spoken word, and featured acts. This chapter features fresh indie band Senja, and writer Zedeck Siew with artist Sharon Chin, who have recently published an illustrated book, Creatures of Near Kingdoms. Cover charge
Weekly Picks: Malaysia (5– 11 Nov 2018) Read More »
Bras Basah.Bugis Art Sprawl, Handy Road Open Space, outside The Cathay, 9 – 10 November The Bras Basah.Bugis Arts Sprawl is a two-day event that offers an eclectic line-up of arts and heritage offerings for visitors young and old, held along Handy Road Open Space outside The Cathay. ‘Art sprawlers’ can indulge in some “me
Weekly Picks: Singapore (5 – 11 November 2018) Read More »
Top Picks of Indonesia art events in Bandung, Jakarta, Solo, and Semarang from 5 – 11 November 2018 If you’re in Bandung, come and attend the last day of [NOT] ARTOFFICIAL – OUT OF TRACK, an art exhibition on Ikebana. This exhibition is a collaboration between Indonesian, Japanese, and Vietnamese artists, this exhibition aims to
Weekly Picks: Indonesia (5 – 11 November 2018) Read More »
By Casidhe Ng (1,200 words, six-minute read) “You are a madman, and we are but fools,” the ensemble resounds. So begins Nine Years’ Theatre’s Lear is Dead, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear that borrows from the Chinese opera tradition, and a densely layered performance described as a “play-within-a-play”. True to its word, the show
Foolishness and Enlightenment in “Lear is Dead” Read More »
By Teo Xiao Ting (1,069 words, six-minute read) After a gleaming heap of corpses dissipates into the afterlife and comes back for a closing bow, Lear is Dead ends with the quiver of revelation. But wait, what was it exactly that we gleaned? A sideways glance at the audience around me, and everyone is already
Truth or Dare with “Lear is Dead” Read More »
At first encounter, it’s a terrifying word. The first time I came across the title I was still at school, and had just become angrily aware of the existence of Ben Power, a person who somehow had my ideal job. Now the first ever deputy artistic director at the National Theatre, at that point he
Dramaturgy Under Capitalism (via Exeunt) Read More »
Total darkness. The sound of sleep. Sleep of an eternal sort. Slowly the light reveals a solitary human body conveying a sense of sleep or is it semi-consciousness? Now, the entry of layers and strands of sound. Gentle clink of cymbals. Do I now hear the sound of waves lashing the shore? The lilting sound
Rianto’s “Medium”: Of Journeys, Transformations & Corporeality Read More »
Southernmost: One Table Two Chairs Project 2018 by Emergency Stairs, Centre 42, 3 – 10 Nov Catch Southernmost: One Table Two Chairs Project 2018 from 3 to 11 Nov 2018 at Centre 42 – an arts festival for the future presented by experimental theatre company Emergency Stairs. Immerse yourself in a week of artistic experimentation and dialogue across art forms, cultures,
Weekly Picks: Singapore (29 October – 4 November 2018) Read More »
Man Bai, at No Black Tie, 30 Oct, 9pm The award-winning singer songwriter Man Bai is best known for his hit single and karaoke staple, Kau Ilhamku. He also has three solo albums. Man Bai will be doing a one night performance in NBT with a special guest appearance by ‘Malaysian Godfather of Rock’ Rahim
Weekly Picks: Malaysia (29 Oct – 4 Nov 2018) Read More »
Top Picks of Indonesia art events in Bali and Jakarta from 28 October – 4 November 2018 Sponsored by UNESCO, Borobudur Under the Full Moon is a photography exhibition by Caroline and Hughes Dubois. This exhibition showcases the first photos of Borobudur’s reliefs taken under the moonlight in their actual size. To capture the
Weekly Picks: Indonesia (28 October – 4 November 2018) Read More »
The Taipei Arts Festival (TAF) began in 1998 as one of the main festivals in Taipei to mark the city’s contemporary consciousness through the staging of multiple artistic activities for international and national audiences. This year the TAF celebrates it 20th anniversary with a transformation: it combines with two other city festivals, the Taipei Children’s
On Taipei Arts Festival with Tang Fu Kuen Read More »
