Having securely fastened the headgear, I am submerged into the virtual world of Frogman. The instructional voice of the Queensland Jury service informs me through an earpiece that I have been selected at random to join a jury. I am accompanied by 49 others seated on swivel chairs arranged in two tiered rows surrounding the […]
Reconstructing the Virtual in “Frogman” Read More »
By Akanksha Raja and Ke Weiliang (1,444 words, 6-minute read) The inaugural Asian Arts Media Roundtable (AAMR) took place between 24 to 25 May 2019 at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. Organised by ArtsEquator, the two-day gathering of over 20 arts journalists, critics, editors and members of the media and cultural industries from ten
Asian Arts Media Roundtable 2019: When Asian Critics Meet Read More »
The M1 CONTACT Contemporary Dance Festival returns this year for its 10th edition with 20 shows and over 30 classes and workshops. Returning platform DiverCity, which in past years was combined with M1 Open Stage, stands on its own this year with three new creations by up-and-coming Singaporean dance artists: NAMUH by Amelia Chong; Disappearing Act
“Disappearing Act” “NAMUH” “DBL.TAP”: What’s In A Name? DiverCity at M1 CONTACT Read More »
By Nabilah Said (1,887 words, 7-minute read) Trigger/Content Warning: Discussions of sexual assault I watched two shows in the span of two weeks recently. Besides the fact that they were Singapore plays, they did not, from the outset, seem that much alike. One was This Is What Happens To Pretty Girls by Pangdemonium. The
Pretty Displaced: Staging Sexual Assault in the Age of #MeToo Read More »
Why do people choose to go into poor, dangerous, war-torn countries to work as humanitarian workers? Do they have boundless courage, hope and kindness? Do they have a death wish? Do they believe they can make a difference? Are they simply naïve? Do they suffer from a messiah complex? Or First World guilt? Did their
Go Big or Go Home: “Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner” Takes Flight Read More »
By Jocelyn Chng (1,138 words, five-minute read) My strongest memory from the first instalment of this three-year series by Toy Factory, A Dream Under the Southern Bough: The Beginning, was its dramatic cliffhanger of an ending. There, the protagonist, disgraced naval officer Chun Yu Fen, approaches a fantastical ant kingdom all set in brilliant gold;
“A Dream Under the Southern Bough: Reverie”: Down the Ant Hole Read More »
By Corrie Tan (1,700 words, eight-minute read) This review contains spoilers and/or plot points for The Bacchae, a 2,500-year-old ancient Greek tragedy; Beware of Pity, a 1939 German novel adapted for the stage by the Schaubühne Berlin and Complicité; as well as the final season of the fantasy television epic Game of Thrones, which concluded
Mad women, divine punishment, and “Dionysus” Read More »
By Nabilah Said (621 words, three-minute read) On a Monday afternoon in Goodman Arts Centre, I am watching a group of dancers working. They are leaping. They are climbing. They are pushing. They are sweating. They are making me feel strangely immobile – when was the last time I hung upside down from my knees?
“Invisible Habitudes”: The Personal Goes Political Goes Global Read More »
ArtsEquator Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. Here’s a round-up of content from this week, scoured and sifted from a range of regional
Duration: 20 min Podcast host Chloe Chotrani (assisted by Chan Sze-Wei) uncovers the world of vogue culture and voguing in Asia from legendary mother, Koppi Mizrahi, who hails from Tokyo, Singaporean drag queen Vanda Miss Joaquim and Singaporean dancer Amin Alifin. The interview was done shortly after Singapore’s first vogue ball, Crystal Ball, was held
Podcast 59: The Truth About Voguing in Asia Read More »
ArtsEquator Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. Here’s a round-up of content from this week, scoured and sifted from a range of regional
Below is a summary of Critics Live! for Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner by Checkpoint Theatre. This took place live at The Arts House on 24 May 2019. The panelists were: Dede Pramayoza (Indonesia), Helmi Yusof (Singapore), Hiroyuki Takahashi (Japan) and Pawit Mahasarinand (Thailand). The session was moderated by ArtsEquator’s co-founder, Kathy Rowland. Kathy Rowland opened
Critics Live: A Post-Show Response to Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner Read More »
As I enter the auditorium of Kirari Fujimi, a public theatre located about one hour away from the centre of Tokyo, I find myself in the waters of somewhere in Asia. The audience members are greeted by the actors who wear headgear in the shape of aquatic animals. They approach the audience and start explaining
“Beautiful Water”: Intercultural Theatre Made in Threes Read More »
ArtsEquator Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. Here’s a round-up of content from this week, scoured and sifted from a range of regional
By Naeem Kapadia (954 words, 4-minute read) There has been a slew of works responding to the bicentennial of Singapore’s founding by Sir Stamford Raffles, an event that the authorities have chosen to spend all year celebrating through a series of activities such as guided tours, exhibitions and immersive performances. Ayer Hitam: A Black History
Reframing Colonialism: “Civilised” by The Necessary Stage Read More »
The prestigious Paris Opera Ballet arrives on local shores this June as part of Esplanade’s da:ns series, bringing with them a trio of wide ranging works. These include the stories of romantic love told through balletic duets in Jerome Robbins’ In The Night (1970), the speed and precision of William Forsythe’s Blake Works I (2016),
By Akanksha Raja (1,155 words, 5-minute read) It’s a series of plastic white flower-fans lining the fence of 74 Jalan Kelabu Asap that lets me know that I’ve arrived at the site of Drama Box’s first work of 2019, Flowers, an experiential installation set in a quaint two-storey landed house in Chip Bee Gardens. I’m
Silent Rooms, Silent Memories: “Flowers” by Drama Box Read More »
ArtsEquator Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. Here’s a round-up of content from this week, scoured and sifted from a range of regional
National Youth Film Awards: Call for Entry (Deadline extended) Set up to promote and celebrate youth filmmakers, the National Youth Film Awards (NYFA) is a national award that seeks to instill a greater appreciation of film, fuel the passion for filmmaking, and generate opportunities to further develop and exhibit youth talents who are highly adept
Open Calls and Opportunities: May 2019 (Singapore) Read More »
ArtsEquator Radar features articles and posts about arts and culture in Southeast Asia, drawn from local and regional websites and publications – aggregated content from outside sources, so we are exposed to a multitude of voices in the region. Here’s a round-up of content from this week, scoured and sifted from a range of regional
I always tell people this, right, if there was an international convention that invites the main people, directors from Singapore over, and that plane crashes, we’re screwed, right? We don’t have anything else. – Rei Poh, personal interview I’ve had this creeping concern for a several years now. Let’s call it our metaphorical iceberg in
Does Singapore Theatre Have a Directing Problem? Read More »
Duration: 29 min As emerging art-makers having recently graduated from B.A. programmes from three different institutions in Singapore, Ranice Tay, Chua Pei Yun and art naming 奇能 (née Adam Lau*) share their thoughts on the distinctions, overlaps, limitations and challenges between academic research and creative practice. Podcast hosted by Felipe Cervera. *Prior to April 2019,
Podcast 58: Research and Practice in Performance-Making Read More »
By Patricia Tobin (736 words, 3-minute read) Spoiler Alert: This review contains spoilers for The Mysterious Lai Teck, which will run from 17 to 19 May at the Singapore International Festival of Arts. “I am the shadow of Ho Chi Minh,” a voice states. It starts as a whisper, before being repeated later as a fast,
Confronting Truths in Ho Tzu Nyen’s “The Mysterious Lai Teck” Read More »
2019 marks the 10th edition of the M1 CONTACT Contemporary Dance Festival, a humble endeavour by Kuik Swee Boon, artistic director of T.H.E Dance Company, that has expanded to be an incredible force and champion for contemporary dance not just locally, but internationally. Reflecting on the Festival’s past nine editions, Kuik muses, “So many artists
Have you ever imagined dancers’ bodies turning into sculptures, as if time stood still? This is the impression of Körper (Body), the signature dance performance of this year’s edition of the Singapore International Festival of Arts. Choreographer Sasha Waltz (SW), Artistic Director designate of Berlin State Ballet, is renowned for her multi-disciplinary productions, blurring boundaries
By Akanksha Raja (2144 words, nine-minute read) The naked body on stage (even if only imagined) has a potent social power: taboos surrounding the body can shock and offend some Singaporeans. But when did this start? How has public response to incidences of nudity on the Singapore stage changed, and how have changing policies on
Unravelling the History of Nudity in Singapore Theatre Read More »
Duration: 45 min In this interview with Crispian Chan, Bernie Ng and Kuang Jingkai, three photographers of theatre and dance, we get to know more about a profession that’s sometimes taken for granted but is an essential aspect of the packaging of a performance. Learn more about the artistry behind their practice as Cripsi, Bernie
Podcast 57: The Secret World of Performance Photographers Read More »
Seamlessly blending the digital image, live dance and a richly evocative music score, ST/LL is startlingly beautiful treat for the eyes and the ears. This production celebrates the performance collaboration of composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and visual and multimedia artist Shiro Takatani. (Sakamoto’s concert Fragments, with visuals by Takatani, is already sold out.) Here are four reasons to catch ST/LL at the
The Beauty of Time and Image: “ST/LL” at SIFA 2019 Read More »
By Aparna Nambiar (1440 words, six-minute read) “How has colonialism affected you?” This question flashes upon the giant screens that span the studio walls of The Esplanade Theatre Studio. Miss British, directed by Felipe Cervera and devised by The Art of Strangers staged between April 4th and 7th 2019, offers this answer: colonial attitudes make us both
“Miss British”: Embodying the Post-Colonial Complaint Read More »
Auditions for The Second Breakfast Company’s The Hawker We are casting for our upcoming production this coming November! Interested participants can email us your CV and headshot by 26 April. Auditions* will be held 3 – 5 May. *Only shortlisted applicants will be notified of their audition slots. More information here. Auditions for Bhumi Collective’s
Open Calls and Opportunities: April 2019 (Singapore) Read More »
