Esplanade Theatres on the Bay

The Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) returns from May 17 to June 2, 2024, following the theme They Declare. Don’t miss out on The Prose And The Passion, a collaboration between Singapore theatre-makers Haresh Sharma and Chong Tze Chien where characters created by English novelist E. M. Forster come alive to interact with characters from Sharma’s imagination. Other highlights include Singapore visual artist Genevieve Chua’s Wilful Machine; and a 90-minute live adaptation of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick by Norwegian theatre troupe Plexus Polaire, a  performance that employs filmic techniques, captivating puppetry, and clever stagecraft to manipulate the audience’s perspective.

Embrace absurdity and uniqueness at Esplanade’s Flipside, a 10-day programme filled with circus acts, puppetry, physical theatre, and comedy. Look for humour and meaning in the every day as these acts take ordinary objects like household items and give them unexpected meaning and form. International acts from France, Thailand, and Australia will be performing at the festival, such as Compagnie Bakélite’s (France) Stars In Our Eyes – A Double Bill, Circus D Lab’s (South Korea) One Two, One Two, and Mumusic Circus’ (Spain) Flou Papagayo.  Of course, local acts will also be available at Flipside, with award-winning clown and actor Shanice Stanislaus hosting a workshop for attendees to delve into the art of physical comedy and the history of clowns. Improvper Conduct will also  present a free 30-minute sketch titled pRINTiNG ERR0R!!!, and be sure to look out for the spectacular acrobatic performance, Convergence, by the Bornfire Circus at the DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre. Check out the full list of programmes and purchase tickets here.

In a time where most content and entertainment are found online, a break away from screens is very much needed. The Umbilical Brothers provide us with that rest, by incorporating an enormous screen to their stage performance. The Distraction is a 75-minute physical theatre performance that incorporates multimedia, with two green screens placed on opposite ends of the stage. The production has gone on to win Best Comedy at the 2021 Adelaide Fringe Festival with its use of physical comedy and cinematic special effects while critiquing our reliance on screens as technology progresses.

Local dance company The Human Expression’s contemporary dance festival is back again for its 14th edition, with this year’s theme spotlighting human connection and how movement helps us to understand each other and ourselves better. This year’s festival brings together six performances and 30 classes and workshops from local and international dancers. Highlights include the free 40-minute performance Dance the Dusk showcasing the explosiveness of dance; and Elusive – a double bill, a collaborative performance with acclaimed choreographers Kim Jae Duk and Ginevra Panzetti. The performance is also paired with an excerpt of the upcoming work Hawla by Klievert Jon Mendoza, set to premiere in 2025. Look forward to workshops by international dancers like Taiwan’s Chang Chien-Hao, South Korea’s Kim Jae Duk, and Australia’s Billy Keohavong. These workshops range from beginner to advanced, so anyone interested in dance can sign up.

J-culture fans, it’s time to mark your calendar as Japan’s most esteemed production house, Kyodo Tokyo, will be making its regional debut in Singapore this June. Embrace the vibrant energy of the charming city that is Tokyo through Tokyo ~the city of music and love~, a captivating one-of-a-kind song and dance spectacular starring, produced and directed by multi award-winning Japanese actor and singer, Yu Shirota. Experience a fusion of musical genres and dance performances in this dazzling production, featuring an eclectic mix of J-pop favourites, classic Disney tunes and Broadway hits, all curated to embody the spirit of Tokyo. Joining Yu Shirota are J-pop sensations miwa, RIOSKE, yuzu, and rising star Rainy。– along with Singaporean singer-actor, Nathan Hartono. The show will be held on 22 June, 2024 at Esplanade Theatre. Find out more and book your tickets here.

Embark on an emotional journey with visual artist Sim Chi Yin as she delves into her family history and their struggles during the Malayan Emergency. This multimedia performance showcases Sim’s photographic and filmic work in the form of a documentary combined with archival footage, and an emotive live score by percussionist Cheryl Ong. Uncover the history of Sim’s grandfather, whose memory was erased and hidden by her family, and gain insights into Chinese diasporic experiences and the long legacy of colonialism.