1. art and entertainment
2. theatre

S I N G A P O R E’S D E F I N I T I V E A R T S & C U LT U R E G U I D E
16
issue
15 MAY
to
28 MAY
2015
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the
YOUNG
at Art
FUll
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liSTingS for
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events!
Bringing out the creative spirit in kids!
INSIDE TElling SToRiES * URban SkETchERS * FighT choREogRaphy • JonaThan lim
N AT I O N A L
PIANO
&
VIOLIN
COMPETITION
201 5
28 November – 6 December 2015
The National Piano & Violin Competition
is back for its 10th edition!
Showcase your musical abilities before an international panel
of judges, and stand a chance to perform with an orchestra!
Winners will also receive attractive cash prizes.
REGISTRATION IS
NOW OPEN
Register before
30 June 2015, 5pm
For more details, visit www.nac.gov.sg/npvc
Co-organised by
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In celebration of
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LIST
CONTENTS
15 mAy
To
28 mAy
2015
ISSUE 16
11 ABC GUIDE
10
features
02
THE YoUng aT arT
Turn your kids into arts
fans with events designed
especially for them!
lET mE TEll YoU a
STorY
The art of storytelling holds its
captivating magic — over grown-ups.
one small
voice
NEWS
14
06
WHaT’S a-bUzzIng
HEar US,
Too!
The arts can afford to be more
inclusive of people with disabilities,
says Deaf musician and social
entrepreneur LiLy Goh.
Cover Credits photography chINg/gREEN PlaStIc
SoldIERS art direction toNy law models (clockwise from
top) ISla lEE ZhI XI (kite)/NIcolÓ chIaNg (boat hats)/
RyaN taN (windmill)/RIlEy-jEaN KaElaSh (lollipop)/
aydaN ZIQRy
PROFILES
07
JonaTHan lIm
The playwright,
director, actor and
author expounds on
his advisory duties in
Singapura: The Musical.
08
i.M.Pei.
Preservation
of Sites &
Monuments.
Pangdemonium.
13
Naked Museum tours, the
Musicians Guild of Singapore and
the latest contest.
15LISTINGs
24EPILOGUE
gkkkkkkh
the A teAm
editorial director
MIchaEl chIaNg
wangmeimei@a-list.sg
creative director
toNy law
head, digital marketing
wIllIaM low
editor
PaMEla ho
specialist, digital marketing
NIcK yEo
writer
jo taN
contributors Pamela Quek,
tonylaw@a-list.sg
pamelaho@a-list.sg
the a list is a
PuBliCation By
suPPorted By
nickyeo@a-list.sg
ki’ern Tan, Joel Tan,
Jimmy lee
www.a-list.sg
ENQUIRIES
This rare breed of Singapore
actors/fight choreographers can
turn a show into a big hit.
williamlow@a-list.sg
jotan@a-list.sg
TheAListSG
FIgHT clUb
associate art director
waNg MEIMEI
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general
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Urban SkETcHErS
SIngaporE
The A List is published by MediaCorp Pte ltd.
They explore a city — one sketch
at a time.
Caldecott Broadcast Centre. andrew road, singapore 299939. Copyright is
held by the national arts Council. all rights reserved. reproduction in whole
or in part without permission is prohibited. distributed by MediaCorp Pte ltd.
Printed by times Printers Pte ltd.
in PartnershiP with
held in
in CeleBration of
Main PHOTO Ching/Green Plastic Soldiers
2
the
YOUNG
at Art
I
Film festivals for kids. Improv musicals for preschoolers.
Turn your children into arts fans with events designed
especially for them. JO TAN
t’s a common scenario: wellmeaning parents take their
children to arts and culture
events only to end up with a
bored and fidgety brood on
their hands. Patience wears thin
and bouts of scolding ensue.
The fact is, not all events fit the
interests or attention spans of
today’s young’uns. In this article,
we suss out some age-appropriate
events tailor-made to introduce
inquisitive young minds to the
wonders and joy of different art
forms. Whether it’s a play, dance
performance or storytelling
session, arts programmes can
help children develop language,
memory and other cognitive
skills, as well as encourage them
to use their imagination. Best of
all, they’ll soon figure out that
learning is fun!
I
by
FACE THE
MUSIC
f even us grownups are too used
to four-minute
Top 40 tracks
to sit through a
symphony, what
hope is there
for younger
audiences? Lots,
it would seem,
since the Singapore Symphony
Orchestra (SSO), Singapore Chinese
Orchestra (SCO) and other classical
music coalitions, such as the Tee
Khoon Tang Grand Series, often
organise well-received concerts for
children. In a musically-engaging
environment, children can enhance
their ability to concentrate and make
full use of their eyes and ears. On
30 May, the folks at Tee Khoon Tang
Grand Series will put together two
short, sweet, interactive 50-minute
bEWIGGED & bEWITCHING
INTroDuCE CHIlDrEN To
ClassICal musIC WITH
a CHIlD-frIENDly sso
proGrammE.
musical programmes
that begin with the basics. One
concert teaches tots about the four
string instruments using speciallychosen pieces by Schubert, while
the other is a study in poetry coming
DANCE PARTY ThE
SiNgAPoRE DANCE ThEATRE
PRESENTS ChilDREN’S
bAllET, Peter & Blue’s
Birthday Party, iN JulY.
together with music to make songs.
See teekhoontanggrandseries.com
for details.
The SSO aims for an even more
comprehensive classical music
introduction in Jason’s A to Z
of Classical Music (part of its
regular Concerts for Children
series) happening 1 June. Associate
conductor Jason Lai will take budding
Mozarts through the FAQs of classical
music, unveiling why the orchestra
always tunes to A at the beginning
of a concert, among other fun facts.
More details at www.sso.org.sg
Want to introduce your child to
something different-sounding? The
SCO is known for pulling out all
the stops with its Young Children’s
Concerts (such as the upcoming
one on 22 & 23 May), playing not
just catchy, child-friendly Chinese
music, but often incorporating
fantastic characters to help weave
the tunes together. The use of
puppetry or different types of
theatre certainly go a long way in
keeping kids on the edge of their
booster seats. Visit www.sco.com.sg
for details.
All DRESSED uP
ATTENDEES AT ThE
SiNgAPoRE DANCE
ThEATRE’S JuNioR
PRogRAmmES CAN
ENJoY A PhoTo
oPPoRTuNiTY wiTh
CoSTumED DANCERS.
C
lEARNiNg JouRNEY
ExPloRE PlAYgRouNDS of
ACTiviTY AT A muSEum.
SONG & DANCE
lassical ballet’s delicacy
and precision might be
lost on young audiences.
But you can open their minds to
how coordination, stamina and
focus come into play with the
Singapore Dance Theatre’s ballets
for children, as well as its annual
Dance Appreciation Series (DAS)
of ballet excerpts. In July, the
company presents children’s ballet
production, Peter & Blue’s Birthday
Party, which tells the tale of a boy,
his dog, cat and various magical
forest creatures.
Meanwhile, the DAS takes selected
excerpts from renowned ballets like
The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and
Sleeping Beauty, and links them by
way of narration of the main plot
for easy comprehension. DAS also
incorporates educational elements
about dance, such as demonstrations
of graceful ballet moves. The whole
event lasts no longer than an hour
to better cater to the junior crowd
and their short attention spans. It
often includes photo-taking sessions
with the gorgeously-costumed
dancers post-performance. Visit
www.singaporedancetheatre.com
to find out more.
GALLERY GAMBOL
isiting a museum or art
gallery is one of the easiest
ways to introduce youngsters
to the world around them and expand
their understanding of their place
in the universe. By viewing different
exhibits, they also enhance their
ability to observe, describe and
analyse. Check out the extremely
interactive art at the ongoing
Imaginarium at SAM@8Q (on till
19 July), the annual contemporary art
exhibition for children. Expect mini
museum-goers to be able to jump on
bicycles to trigger secret exhibits,
pick candy off trees, and even
construct their own housing estates
from cuddly Tetris-shaped blocks.
See www.singaporeartmuseum.sg
for details.
Even the Asian Civilisations Museum
(ACM) — which houses noncontemporary, and in fact pretty
ancient artefacts — explodes with
youthful life on the first Saturday of
each month. Saturdays@ACM features
storytelling and special performances
especially for the playground pack, as
well as activities teaching them how
to create their own artwork. From
30 May to 26 July, ACM presents Once
Upon a Time in Asia: The Animal
Race, a special trail where participants
can explore interactive art ensembles,
create animal-themed art and hear
stories, all inspired by how the art of
many cultures revolve around animals
in different forms and visions. See
www.acm.org.sg for more information.
3
W
WRITE STEPS
4
e do take care of our baby
bookworms in Singapore.
The annual Singapore
Writers Festival boasts a students’
arm, Words Go Round, which
takes literary luminaries, including
writers, storytellers and poets, into
schools to meet aspiring literati
aged as young as four. Singapore
also hosts the Asian Festival of
Children’s Content, where visitors
can browse children’s books from
across Asia, some newly-launched
at the festival. Held at the National
Library Building from 30 May to 6
June, there will be free multilingual
public activities like storytelling
sessions, interactive performances,
author appearances, and even a live
duel between illustrators as they
draw a story on the spot while it
is being read to them. Also in the
programme line-up: workshops
for parents to help them facilitate
Junior’s reading journey. A child
who likes reading and storytelling
My WoRd! REadINg
WoRKShoPS CoNduCTEd
By PRofESSIoNalS BRINg
SToRIES To lIfE.
SCREEN PICKS ThE BIg EyES,
BIg MINdS fIlM fESTIval
foR ChIldREN offERS
ShoRT aNd ENTERTaININg
PRoduCTIoNS.
will not only have better literacy and
communication skills, he/she will
also have a greater understanding
of other cultures described in the
many tales encountered.
W
CREATE A SCENE
hen people think
improvisational comedy,
they think of stand-up
comedy or Whose Line Is It
Anyway?, both of which may require
more than a PG rating. You’ll be
surprised to know that kids have
their improvised comic content, too!
The Fantastical Story Factory, a
visiting UK production that ended
its run on 3 May, was a completely
improvised musical adventure for
kids, with a new show each night
created from audience suggestions.
If you missed that, there’s always
Story Challenge performed by the
education and outreach arm of
The Theatre Practice, and taking
place across Singapore multiple
times a year at schools as well as
public venues, including libraries.
The concept is simple: actors have
the audience call out a title of an
existing book/film/TV show or
other story. They then use that title
to create a brand-new tale on the
spot — such as turning Hollywood
hit The Hunger Games into a
weight-loss competition. Young
audiences will have fun throwing out
suggestions and imposing additional
conditions on the performers, like
Tall TalES SToRy ChallENgE
INvolvES PlENTy of CREaTIvE
audIENCE PaRTICIPaTIoN.
instructing them to speak only in
rhyme. Audience members are also
regularly invited onstage to take
part in the story-reinvention, with
the help of the professional actors,
of course. The next edition of
Story Challenge will be held on
2 June at the National Library
Building as part of the Asian Festival
of Children’s Content.
S
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
ingapore boasts myriad
children’s theatre productions
each month, featuring a slew
of songs, multitude of masks and
proliferation of puppets. Here are
some extra-value kids’ festivals that
offer theatre and more.
W
PICTURE THIS
e’ve enjoyed a bumper crop
of film festivals this year,
from the European Union
Film Festival and the Southeast
Asian Film Festival to the Singapore
Chinese Film Festival and, of course,
the Singapore International Film
Festival. It’s only fair our little
darlings get Big Eyes, Big Minds,
the first and only film festival in
Singapore dedicated to kids from as
young as two years of age. Choose to
attend screenings of various shortfilm collections, grouped by target
age or youthful subject matter,
such as Stick Up for Yourself! or
Bicycles & Balloons. You can even
expect some quality works created
by camera-toting boys and girls, a
cinematic showing of self-expression
that could inspire your movie-loving
moppet to be the next Eric Khoo or
Royston Tan. This year, the festival
takes place on 30 & 31 May
as well as 6 & 7 June. Log on to
www.bigeyesbigminds.com for
tickets and details.
TWO THUMBS UP THe
Big eyeS, Big MindS
filM feSTival fOr kidS
feaTUreS favOUriTe
SUBjecTS like aniMaTiOn
and aniMalS.
Happening from 30 May to 9 June,
Jelly, Wobble! is a one-stop tottargeted art exhibition, theatre
show and drama workshop
complete with interactive visual
arts activities. Seeing how it’s based
on a book (The Jelly That Wouldn’t
Wobble by Angela Mitchell), it also
encourages interest in literary
arts. Centred around the story of
89 year-old Princess Lolly who
receives a birthday jelly that refuses
to wobble, participants are taken
through various fun tasks to help
Lolly and Jelly find their respective
happy endings. Along the way, your
cheeky cherub will learn about
what it means to be stereotyped
and the derring-do required to
break free from labels. Information
and tickets are available at
www.act3international.com.sg.
SWeeT TreaT Jelly,
Wobble! iS a THeaTre
SHOW and draMa
WOrkSHOP rOlled
inTO One.
More family-friendly arts fare is
available at the Esplanade’s excellent
annual Octoburst! festival. On
from 9 to 11 October this year, it
offers a range of acclaimed free and
ticketed theatre, music and dance
performances sourced from both
our shores and far beyond. You can
also sign up for various parent-child
workshops where you and your
mini-me learn how to make fabulous
art together. Visit www.esplanade.
com/octoburst for updates. a
5
INTERVIEW BY PAMELA
ho
one
small
voice!
The arts can afford to be more inclusive of people with disabilities,
says Deaf musician and social entrepreneur Lily Goh.
THE CAST OF Tribes AT
PANGDEMONIuM ASkED ME
MANy quESTIONS — about
my experience being Deaf and on
how their characters should behave
— when I was teaching them Sign
Language (SL) in preparation for
their production. Tribes revolves
around a family with a deaf son,
Billy. The script explores themes
of communication, identity and
belonging.
When I was working with Thomas
[Pang, who plays Billy], I explained
to him that learning SL in a
6
I have a an impediment — I look
just like you.
It’s sad that not many theatre
or arts groups reach out to Deaf
people. Most shows don’t include
an interpreter or surtitles. This
automatically excludes us.
As an artist, I have performed
song-signing and percussion music
at the Asian Festival of Inclusive
Arts in Cambodia, and represented
Singapore at the ASEAN Festival
of Disabled Artists in Myanmar.
I’ve seen how the arts can cater
Not many theatre
or arts groups
reach out to Deaf
people.
LiLy Goh DEaf musIcIaN/socIal ENTREpRENEuR
classroom setting and direct from the
community is very different. Since
Billy learnt through immersion in
Sylvia’s [played by Ethel Yap] Deaf
world, he would have learnt more and
faster. He also needs to express more
as picking up SL this way forces you
to be very expressive.
Billy can also mouth words as he
signs. Because his character can
speak, he doesn’t need to strictly
follow the ways of Deaf people who
don’t use voice but rely solely on
SL. It’s a misconception that all
Deaf people can sign. Some can’t
sign, but can speak. Some do both.
I think Tribes is a good start for
Singapore to know more about
us because we’re very hidden. If
you look at me, you can’t tell that
to many types of disabilities: they
built ramps for those with physical
disabilities, paired the blind with a
buddy, and included an interpreter
on stage for the deaf, who have a
designated space near the stage so
that they can see the interpreter.
These are usually Category 1 seats
and the most expensive. As such,
many arts groups won’t want to
set them aside for those who are
Deaf and Hard of Hearing. But
Pangdemonium and Marina Bay
Sands have subsidised these seats at
Tribes performances incorporating
SL, so that the Deaf community can
buy them at a good discount.
At ExtraOrdinary Horizons, a social
enterprise I founded, our vision is
to create an inclusive society where
the deaf can gain confidence in
their abilities through the arts, SL
and entrepreneurship.
We teach Deaf adults handicraftmaking skills and how to promote
their products, which they sell at
flea markets. The money goes into
their pockets. We’re not a charity.
Besides handicrafts, our percussion
band has been engaged to perform
at public spaces and private events.
We always require organisers to
pay us. In the past, companies
didn’t pay us and we felt used,
like puppets. If they treat us like a
circus show, I don’t want to work
with them. We want to work with
organisations that truly support
and empower us. I think it’s time
we earn something for what we’ve
worked so hard to put out there.
I hope the Singapore arts scene
can be more inclusive. I hope we
can work together to see how we
can create greater access for people
with disabilities, so that we can also
participate and contribute. A
LiLy Goh is the founder and director of ExtraOrdinary
Horizons, a social enterprise that aims to empower the Deaf
community in Singapore through the arts, Sign Language (SL)
and entrepreneurship. Goh is a performing artist who plays the
xylophone, marimba and other percussion instruments. She
has performed at the 2008 Asian Festival of Inclusive Arts in
Cambodia, and represented Singapore for the 2014 ASEAN
Festival of Disabled Artists in Myanmar. She continues to
teach percussion music, song-signing and SL to the deaf. Goh
is the recipient of MediaCorp’s Singapore Woman Award 2014.
Profile
jonathan lim
jonathan
lim
script
dOcTOr
What exactly is a dramaturge? Playwright,
director, actor and author Jonathan Lim
expounds on his advisory duties in Singapura:
The Musical. BY jo tan
PHOTO Ki’ern Tan
“I’ve made THIs bed
fOr myseLf — I WanT
TO exPLOre dIfferenT
asPecTs Of THeaTre, and
it’s become an uncommon luxury
to focus on one thing,” admits
Jonathan Lim, multitalented,
multitasking playwright, director,
actor and author who mixes and
matches his stage skills with
great aplomb.
Case in point: Lim is best
known for creating the iconic
Chestnuts series, theatrical spoofs
that provide comic commentary
on Singapore’s thorniest topics, in
which he writes, directs and acts.
Lim continues his usual
multitasking role in upcoming
musical Singapura by the
Philippines’ 4th Wall Theatre
Company. He is slated to perform
in the later part of the run,
playing the role of a bus driver
unwillingly embroiled in the racial
and political turbulence of 1950s
and ’60s Singapore. He was also
the show’s dramaturge leading up
to the rehearsal process.
“Dramaturge is a vague sort
of word, it can just mean research
assistant. Since they already did
a lot of research, Singapura’s
Manila team might originally have
hired me just to advise on correct
placement of ‘lahs’,” he laughs.
“I helped with everything
from plot suggestions to the nittygritty, the 50 shades of Singapore.
Like, when the makcik sets up
a stall, what is she selling, is it
mee siam, is it
lontong? What
does she say?
So maybe my correct title should
be dramaturge/script doctor/slang
expert. And dialect coach. It was
my job to help the Singaporean/
Filipino cast collectively sound
believably Singaporean.”
While this means Lim wears
even more hats than usual, he is
excited by the prospect. “Singapura
came about because many
Filipinos really admire Singapore,
and that’s why they persisted with
this show even though it is very
difficult to take on.
“Some Singaporeans might be
resistant to Singapura’s Filipino
origins, but it’s precisely because
it’s ridiculously difficult that
everybody works so hard to take
care of details that a Singaporean
team might have taken for
granted. I’m here to be as tough
as the toughest audience will
be, and hopefully, we’ll achieve
something quite special.”
Singapura won’t be Lim’s
only tribute to Singapore this
year. He’s also in talks to write
and direct a musical about the
Singaporean everyman character
Mr Kiasu, and is preparing for his
SG50 edition of Chestnuts.
“As usual, Chestnuts
will satirise some significant
Singaporean events,” he reveals,
“but why can’t that be considered
a tribute? SG50 and Singaporeanness aren’t all about nostalgia
and the past. In the present,
we’re vocal. We have the luxury
of healthy cynicism that our
forefathers didn’t have, plus the
luxury to laugh at ourselves.
That’s worth celebrating too.
“For example, I’ll also be
spoofing Singapura and my part
in it. I told the Manila team, even
as I’m helping to write the actual
scenes, I’m already crafting its
spoof insidiously,” Lim chuckles.
“Who says I’m not fair?” a
Singapura: The Musical plays from
19 May to 7 June at Capitol Theatre
Singapore. Tickets available at
singapurathemusical.eventclique.com.
7
Feature
Gordon Choy and Sunny
Pang belong to the rare group
of Singapore actors/fight
choreographers who can turn a
show into a big hit. BY JO TAN
8
PhoTo The Theatre Practice
GORDON
OPPORTUNITY
Gordon Choy
(right) is
regularly called
in whenever a
play requires
wushu action, as
in The Theatre
Practice's
Legends of the
Southern Arch.
“I
t’s quite sad. We may
see brawls enacted on
Singapore TV and films,
but very little martial-arts
fight choreography with
flair,” says Sunny Pang, actor
(best known as Inspector Han in
Ch 5’s Code of Law) and film fight
choreographer.
Gordon Choy, stage actor and
fight choreographer, feels that the
demand for action scenes onstage
is better, although irregular. “It’s
a trend that comes and goes. In
2004 and 2005, I had lots of jobs
choreographing fights and stunts.
Then it faded away. In the past few
months, I choreographed fights
for both Monkey Goes West and
Legends of the Southern Arch.”
Pang and Choy once had more
stable professions. Pang taught
boxing and kickboxing among
other combat skills. Choy, who
picked up stunts and stage fighting
from his Chinese-opera-artiste
dad, later joined Singapore’s
National Wushu Team. Along the
way, both fell in love with acting,
were roped into fight scenes and
decided to try choreographing
them. They soon realised though,
that being skilled in combat moves
alone wasn’t quite enough.
“My initial challenges were
understanding the philosophy
— a fight isn’t just a fight,” Pang
explains. “It’s part of the story and
process the character goes through
to end up in the next part. I need
PhoTo iStock
club
to understand the character’s
background, traits and emotions
before helping him or her continue
telling the story through the fight.”
Choy adds, “Even if it’s a big mess
of a fight, you can’t make the stage
too rowdy or crowded, otherwise
there is no focus, the audience
doesn’t know what to look at.
That was my mistake when I first
started,” he says with a sigh. “I’ve
also been learning how best to help
different actors. I’m a dancer as
well, so if actors know dance and
rhythm but not martial arts, I use
rhythm to teach.”
Even while Choy and Pang have
been honing their choreography
skills, there are limited
opportunities to use them,
especially on TV. “In Singapore,
we have safety regulations and
censorship. You can’t do this or
that,” says Pang. “Moreover, fight
choreographers require a lot more
collaboration than local directors
might be used to offering. Many
don’t understand action very well,
or that we need to work together
to plan the whole scene where
fights are involved. In that way, I
can design the choreography, try
it with the actors and shoot the
whole trial with my camera phone
to show directors what camera
angles and shots are needed for
everything to look convincing,”
elaborates Pang.
“After all that, I’d want to help with
the editing, cutting from shot to
shot, to ensure the tempo is right.
It’s so important. I’ve previously
offered to edit the fight scenes
for free. But often, directors don’t
want people to interfere with what
scenes should look like, and they
don’t set aside enough time for me
to work with the actors.”
Indeed, sufficient time with the
actors is a pre-requisite, whether
for fights onstage or onscreen.
Says Choy, “It’s easy working
with someone who already knows
martial arts. But martial artists
can’t always act. For Legends of
the Southern Arch, we used two
young martial-arts professionals
who underwent training from our
director to say their lines properly.
On the other hand, most actors
MaRTIaL
COMBaT
Sunny Pang
(left) not only
designs fight
choreography,
he has also
performed it in
regional films
such as 2012’s
The Collector.
don’t know martial arts, so for
Legends of the Southern Arch,
they started training from October
last year all the way until the show
opened in March, just so they
wouldn’t hold their weapons like
brooms! The training time is also
an opportunity for me to really
observe them and see who is good
at what, so I can put myself in their
shoes and say, ‘You can do this, not
that... let me create something for
you from there, that will make you
look like you can really fight.’ ”
Pang agrees. “Training and
observing actors allow you to help
them,” he says. But occasionally,
egos get in the way. “Some martial
artists never want to play the
bad guy. Or when you explain
something to them, they go, ‘Are
you trying to tell me my style is
wrong?’ Sometimes, they refuse
to understand it’s fake fighting. I
saw one shoot where a performer
insisted on punching for real, and
put his partner out of commission
for a few days!”
Despite the difficulties, Choy and
Pang love the thrill of the fight.
They also enjoy developing their
skills for the next job. “I’m always
watching and re-watching different
types of movies to get inspiration,”
shares Choy. “The first scene in
Legends of the Southern Arch was
REaDY TO
RUMBLE
Pang’s
knowledge
of different
martial-art
styles allows him
to choreograph
and perform in
a range of films,
including period
productions like
short film, The
Forest Spirits.
playful, a first meeting. So I learnt
from Jackie Chan’s comic action
scenes, where the actor throws
things to distract the people
chasing him, shocks them and
fends off blows with a straw basket.
Or for certain more dramatic
fights, I might include some
Chinese-opera elements.
“Of course, I still love doing the
fights myself. But somehow, I
always get injured. I just have
to hide it and constantly seek
treatment. As age catches up, I
know my skills and technique
aren’t what they used to be.”
Pang concurs, “I’ve loved martial
arts from a very young age.
Learning it broke my nose and
two of my teeth, knocked me out,
gave me cuts — I still loved it.
Back in 1996, I even set a
Guinness World Record with 17
other qi gong students, where we
got a lorry weighing one ton to
drive over our stomachs. But I’m
not getting younger and want to
pass the baton on.”
Accordingly, Pang has been
training young actors in screenfighting for a token sum or even
gratis. “You never know, there
might be an action flick coming
up, if not produced in Singapore,
then somewhere in the region,
overseas films
are casting here
now! I am also
initiating my
own film projects
to bring up the
level of action
films here, and
create careers
for actors of the
new generation.
Before I start
counting down
on my own
ability level, I
want somebody
to take over.” a
9
P
ABC
Your Dictionary To The Arts
BY joel tan
even though he does not
characterise his work as
belonging to any particular school
of design, emphasising instead a
consistent method, what he calls
an “analytical approach”. For
Pei, each design is a unique
response to the building’s
geographical circumstance
and human context. In
1983, he was named
a Laureate of the
prestigious Pritzker
Architecture Prize, the
profession’s highest
honour.
10
I.M. PeI
illustration Jimmy lee
I
eoh Ming Pei is a Chineseborn American architect and
one of the leading figures of
modern architecture. He has
designed several high-profile
buildings worldwide, including
the famous glass-and-steel
pyramid of the Louvre Museum
in Paris and the John F. Kennedy
Library in Boston. The 98
year-old ‘starchitect’ has also
designed a number of buildings
in Singapore, most notably the
OCBC Centre building.
Born in 1917 in Suzhou
province before relocating to
Hong Kong and then Shanghai,
the teenage Pei enrolled at the
University of Pennsylvania in
the United States. Later, he
transferred to the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, where he
met and was deeply inspired by
French architect Le Corbusier.
Pei’s designs are masterpieces
of the late-modernist style
PReSeRVatIon
oF SIteS &
MonUMentS (PSM)
A
longside government efforts
in the 1970s to support
the arts and culture sector
was a push to preserve Singapore’s
architectural and urban heritage in
the midst of rapid development. In
1971, the PSM, under the Ministry of
National Development, was founded
as the Preservation of Monuments
Board. Over the years, it has shifted
hands and since 2009 has been
merged with the National Heritage
Board, and renamed to include
sites and places on top of specific
buildings and monuments.
The aim of the PSM division is
to protect and preserve physical
heritage — sites and monuments
of national significance — through
research, regulation, public
outreach and by serving as an
advisory board to the government.
Some sites and monuments
that have been gazetted for
preservation include the Former
Tanjong Pagar Railway Station
and the National Museum of
Singapore. The PSM is currently
applying for UNESCO World
Heritage Site status for the
Singapore Botanic Gardens. PanGDeMonIUM
P
angdemonium is a Singapore
theatre company run by
husband-and-wife team
Adrian and Tracie Pang. Founded in
2010 with its inaugural production
of The Full Monty, the company
has over the past five years,
gained traction and rave reviews
for its work, a programme of
contemporary, mostly American
and British plays.
Applying high-production
values and Singapore cast and
crew to acclaimed plays drawn
from the West End and Broadway,
the trailblazing company has
become in its short history a
major player in Singapore theatre,
routinely garnering nominations
and awards at the annual Life!
Theatre Awards. Across its
shows, the company prides itself
on introducing new actors to
mainstream theatre audiences
in Singapore.
To date, Pangdemonium has
produced musicals like Spring
Awakening (2012) and Next to
Normal (2013) alongside intimate
full-on drama. Tribes, their latest
production,
will be playing
at the Drama
Centre Theatre
from 22 May.
See Listings
pg 22. a
Feature
e
M
t
e
L
Tell You a Story
The art of storytelling holds its captivating
magic — over grown-ups. BY PAMELA HO
P h OTO
Mark C
han
T
“The whole idea of Telling Stories
Live (TSL) is that everyone and
anyone can tell a story,” says
Petrina Kow, co-founder of this
monthly free event held at The
Fabulous Baker Boy café’s That
Spare Room. “So far, we’ve had
writers, artists, students… all
kinds, really!”
Founded in September 2014
by Kow and Shireen Abdullah,
TSL has since featured about 30
speakers over eight sessions. “We
ask them to tell us a personal
story, but we do try to get them to
‘craft’ it a little so that it doesn’t
become one long rant or therapy
session,” Kow says with a chuckle,
adding that each speaker is given
10 to 15 minutes.
POWER OF
PERSONAL STORIES
Kow
Ph OTO Petrina
BARING OUR
SOULS
(From left, above)
Stephanie Chan,
Anita Kapoor,
Irene Jansen
and Brendon
Fernandez shared
their personal
stories at TSL in
March. (Right)
TSL founders
Petrina Kow and
Shireen Abdullah
with their April
speakers, which
included Dim Sum
Dolly Pam Oei.
he mic crackles. The
hum subsides. The
audience sits up and
collectively leans in.
As the speaker takes
the mic, you notice just a flicker
of apprehension. After all, he’s not
trained in the professional craft
of storytelling, he’s an ordinary
person like you and me. But when
he opens up, and you empathise,
an instant connection is created
between strangers.
11
T
V host Anita Kapoor shared
her story in March. “I talked
about losing my dad in a
plane crash and grappling with my
mum’s health. But really, it was
12
Fiction writer, Alison Jean Lester,
who has shared twice at TSL —
on the significance of her NETS
personal identification number and
the enduring love of her parents —
says, “Live storytelling by amateur
storytellers is an antidote to all the
airbrushed communication going
on around us,” she says. “Listening
to someone share a story makes
us realise how often we judge
others by their looks, and creates
immediate connections between
people who’ve just met.”
Josiah Ng, a creative consultant,
revisited his experience in the
military and told the tale of how
he sustained a broken spine as a
result of his own folly. “Crafting my
story became a process of selfexploration,” he reveals. “It made
me slow down, reflect and appreciate
life. It helped me find strength again
in the darkest places.”
Faridah Haji, who is a regular at
this event, was new to Singapore
when she stumbled upon TSL on
Facebook. “I went because I love
to hear stories, and it was free,”
she says. “But what keeps me going
back is that I feel it’s a great way to
start reviving human connections
again. Here, people actually talk
and listen to each other, and don’t
stare at their phones!”
The monthly TSL sessions are open free
to the public. The next session is on
10 June, 8pm. To find out more or to share
your story, visit www.tellingstorieslive.com.
TRADITION
BEARER
Professional
storyteller Kamini
Ramachandran
says her calling
is to revive an
art form and
her focus, adult
audiences.
T
he moment you step into
the Play Den at The
Arts House, you feel like
you’ve entered another world.
At the end of the dimly-lit room
sits a beautiful lady dressed in
churidhar kurta (a traditional
Indian outfit)
surrounded
by colourful
throws, pots and
spices. This is
Shakti: Women
Behaving Badly
— a storytelling
session based on
tales of Indian
folklore.
The lady in
question, Kamini
Ramachandran,
is a professional storyteller and
co-founder of MoonShadow Stories,
set up in 2004 to promote the lost
art of the oral narrative tradition.
Her repertoire ranges from folktales
from around Asia to stories handed
down by her grandfather.
“Since ancient times, storytellers
have been passing on ‘tribal’
cultures and ways of living. They
are educators and traditionbearers,” she explains. “My calling
is very clearly linked to reviving
an art form, to telling traditional
tales that are dying, and my focus
is adult audiences.”
A misconception many people
have is that storytelling is for
children. But Shakti, for example,
carries an NC16 rating. “Another
misconception is that storytellers
do not need to be paid because
anyone can tell a story,” she
reveals. “But I think the industry
now understands that a good
storyteller is an artist and has a
price tag attached!”
On the process of preparation,
Ramachandran discloses, “I
believe a story will call to you to
be told. And I listen. I research
my stories, think about how to
tell them, how I can breathe life
into them. I don’t subscribe to
simplifying and ‘tidying up’ my
stories to suit the audience. It is
the artist’s responsibility to expose
the audience to the unfamiliar, in
order for art to open their minds.”
PhoTo Kamini Ramachandran
about how it made me a better
person. I think that is what tragedy
is for: not to depress you or to take
your life’s meaning away. It’s there
to make you square up to fear,
pain, death; to the responsibility
of living.”
This professional
storyteller believes in
exposing audiences to
the unfamiliar.
PhoTo Silverfox Photography
PhoTo Andrew Gurnett
ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH
Fiction writer Alison Jean Lester,
who has shared twice at TSL,
says there are still more stories
left in her!
Revival of an
Ancient Art Form
Whether it be personal stories
or folklore, storytelling unites
people. “If we come with an open
mind and listening ear, we can
create a more communicative and
compassionate society through
storytelling,” TSL’s Kow reasons.
Ramachandran concurs. “For a
moment, we’re all connected by
the storyteller’s web of words and
we’re all travelling on the same
journey. This is a deep act of
bonding and provides a sense of
common ground.” A
Catch Kamini Ramachandran in Secrets of
a Storyteller at the Esplanade Rehearsal
Studio, 17 May (tickets via Sistic), and
Folktales of India (for ages 4 to 8 years),
Indian Heritage Centre, 23 May. To find out
more, visit www.moonshadowstories.com.
Profile
urban sketchers
urban
sketchers
sketch
me if you can!
Urban Sketchers Singapore explores a city —
one sketch at a time. BY PAMELA HO
h er S
Urban Ske Tc
to
s
e
f
i
n
a
M
01
oors or out,
We draw on location, ind direct observation.
m
fro
capturing what we see
ry of our surroundings,
Our drawings tell the sto
ere we travel.
wh
and
the places we live
of time and place.
Our drawings are a record
we witness.
nes
We are truthful to the sce
les.
and cherish our individual sty
We use any kind of media
draw together.
We support each other and
ine.
We share our drawings onl
wing at a time.
dra
We show the world, one
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
TheSe are gUidelineS
yoU’ll have To obServe
when yoU SkeTch wiTh
The Urban SkeTcherS, an
interest group founded by architectturned-art/design educator, Tia
Boon Sim (above), in 2009.
Urban Sketchers Singapore has
affiliations with the global group,
Urban Sketchers, founded by Gabriel
Campanario in Seattle, USA. It was
Tia’s obsession with on-location
sketching that led to her searching
actively for like-minded people in
Singapore and forming a branch here.
“Urban Sketchers grew out of
a strong online community, built
around our blog and Facebook
group,” reveals Tia. “From four
members, we now have 50 to
80 participants at any of our
sketchwalks.”
The group meets every last
Saturday of the month, near an
MRT station, for a quick briefing
before dispersing to sketch in
smaller groups. Their sketchwalks
have taken them from tourist
attractions to lesser-known enclaves
like Eunos and Kranji as well as
places that are facing potential
redevelopment. After two to three
hours, everyone re-assembles for a
show-and-tell.
“Many newcomers
have initial fears, but
they gain confidence as
our members are always
encouraging and generous
in sharing tips and
techniques,” assures Edric
Hsu (right), a full-time actor
and singer, who joined Urban
Sketchers in its early days.
“Our members range from hobbyists
to professional artists and freelance
illustrators, from ages six to 60.”
Beyond sketchwalks, the group
has staged many exhibitions and
published a book, Urban Sketchers
Singapore: Volume One (2011). Their
second volume will be launched on
16 May at the National Library. Come
22 to 25 July, Singapore will play
host to the global Urban Sketchers
Symposium 2015.
“The best way to start is to join
one of our monthly sketchwalks.
Observe where other sketchers stop,
what they sketch, what they use, and
ask questions,” Tia advises. “Start
with a small sketch. You can also
join sketching workshops to pick
up skills.”
Adds Hsu, “Being a regular
Urban Sketcher has really helped
me improve my craft and opened
many doors for me as a freelance
illustrator and artist. It even led to
the publication of my first solo book,
Scenes of Thailand.” A
To find out more, visit www.facebook.com/
usksg. A sketching workshop, We Draw
Singapore Together, will be held on 30-31 May.
Register at www.tp.edu.sg/wdst.
13
NEWS e
n toledo
Latest
BY PAMELA
HO
For more
information,
visit www.
nationalgallery.sg.
ph oto S
pamela h
o
include 15,000 aluminium
strips on the roof that allow in
natural light without the glare;
giant ‘trees’ that hold up the
connecting structure between
the two buildings; and the two
bridges that link them.
In Her
Naked Glory FOR THE
YOuNG &
National Gallery goes
bare for the public.
RESTLESS
Starting 2016, new
award recognises
arts for the young.
To celebrate the professionals
who dedicate themselves to
entertaining young audiences,
the M1-The Straits Times Life!
Theatre Awards introduced a
new award last month — Best
Production for the Young — to
raise the public profile of arts
targeted at children aged 12 and
below, and to spur practitioners
to excel in this field.
GuardiaNS
of the MuSic
Galaxy
a ground-up initiative
launched to protect
the rights of Singapore
musicians.
T
he Musicians Guild of Singapore
was officially launched on
25 April at 10 Square @ Orchard
Central to provide professional advice
and support for musicians. The Guild
will also serve as a platform to foster
collaboration, exchange of ideas and
resources within the community.
The Patron for this non-profit
professional organisation is Professor
Tommy Koh, founding chairman of
the National Arts Council. Others
on its Board include respected arts
practitioners and advocates like former
Nominated Member of Parliament
Janice Koh, jazz singer Rani Singam,
and entertainment lawyer Samuel Seow.
Membership privileges include
legal clinics and services, insuranceplan discounts, an online knowledge
repository and a music jobs database.
The Guild offers three types of
membership, catering to professionals,
amateurs and music students. A
For more information on the Guild, visit
www.facebook.com/musiciansguildsg.
STAY SOCIAL
& WIN!
photo clay Kelton & pushpamala N
14
B
efore the paintings and artworks
take centrestage, the National
Gallery Singapore shone a
spotlight on the architecture of the
building — without doubt, an artwork
in itself.
A series of Naked Museum tours were
organised over two weekends in late April
and early May. Led by a team of docents,
these 60- to 90-minute walking tours
took visitors to the newly-refurbished
City Hall and former Supreme Court to
marvel at their bare beauty.
Restoration and remodelling work
by French architectural firm Studio
Milou began in 2011 and highlights
cees Va
FROM THE ARTS SCENE
We’re giving out The O.P.E.N. passes this
week! An exciting line-up of events, including
exhibitions, talks, performances and even an
augmented reality tour await you. Watch our
Instagram, Facebook and twitter pages
closely for details.
Follow us for updates, news and other surprises!
TheAListSG, AListSG and alistsg
photo
Z
LISTINGS
Your 14-daY guide to what’s ahead
15 MAY to 28 MAY 2015
Fresh as ever
The classics have never tasted better!
1
Turn the fable
PHOTO iStock
Written in 1875, The Gingerbread Man folktale gets a
clever update by I Theatre (p17)
2
3
Selling pointe
Girl power
The widely-acclaimed St Petersburg Ballet
makes its Singapore debut with Tchaikovsky's
beloved Swan Lake (p16)
Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga belts Broadway's
best, while Taiwanese pop chanteuse Tang Na
teams up with a Chinese classical ensemble! (p19)
15
+
dance
Sides 2015
Frontier DancelanD
Local contemporary company Frontier
Danceland presents its annual
mid-year production, a triple bill
featuring choreography that includes
a Singapore work, an Australian item
and a unique new piece that is the
result of a year of no-holds-barred
choreographic improvisation among
the company’s artists.
VENUE Esplanade Theatre Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $25
DATE 15 & 16 May
TIME Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm & 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Le Corsaire
the esplanaDe co ltD
16
If the only ballet characters you know
are pirouetting swans, open your
eyes to Le Corsaire’s sexy Conrad the
swashbuckler, who sails the seas to
find the beautiful harem girl Medora.
This reinvention of the 1856 work is
performed by the English National
Ballet, set to a rousing score by nine
composers and features extravagant
sets and costumes by Hollywood film
designer Bob Ringwood (Batman, Alien
3 and Troy).
Silences We Are
Familiar With
t.h.e Dance company
In this all-encompassing piece of art,
sound artist Bani Haykal accompanies
the powerful choreography of lithe
dancers contemplating life, death, love
and everything in between, with a live,
visceral soundscape of vocals and
instruments, and even evocative poetry.
VENUE SOTA Drama Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $28, $38
DATE 28-30 May
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Family
VENUE Esplanade Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $60, $100, $140, $180, $220
DATE Till 17 May
into an ecstatic, exhausted
slumber.
TIME Thu & Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm & 8pm, Sun 3pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
VENUE Esplanade Recital
Studio
Swan Lake
ADMISSION PRICE $49
DATE Till 16 May
Base entertainment
The world’s most famous ballet comes to
town, performed by one of the world’s
most famous ballet troupes: the St
Petersburg Ballet. Witness the tragedy of
Odette, a young woman transformed into
a white swan, and her possible salvation
courtesy of the young Prince Siegfried.
VENUE Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands
ADMISSION PRICE $55, $95, $135, $175
DATE 28 May-1 Jun
TIME Thu & Fri 7.30pm, Sat 2pm & 7.30pm,
Sun & Mon 1pm & 6pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
George and the
Music Box
Belle epoque music limiteD
To put her son George to sleep, Emily
eschews the violent entertainment of
today in favour of some pleasant family
fables she finds in an old book. To
the boy’s happy surprise, his toy doll,
soldier and bear are roped in to bring
the tales to life. Cue music and merrymaking to send the whole company
Young Children’s
Concert — The Little
Adventurer of SCO:
Fascinating Sound
Waves
singapore chinese orchestra
Music not only soothes the savage
beast, it also has significant
relationships with science and
mathematics, among other important
things. This tot-tailored concert by the
Singapore Chinese Orchestra seeks
to explain these relationships by
playing tunes that are by no means all
Chinese-centric. Expect to hear songs
like ‘Under the Sea’ from Disney’s
The Little Mermaid and even Malay
nursery rhymes.
Snappy Shortcuts
Three apps that amateur photographers will love!
VENUE SCO Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $25
DATE 22 & 23 May
TIME Fri 10.30am, Sat 2.30pm & 5pm
The Incredible BookEating Boy
ABA Productions Pte Ltd
You know when someone says,
‘He devours books’? Well, young
Henry takes it literally, chewing and
swallowing pages and gaining the
knowledge printed on them. One day,
he feels sick to his stomach, quite unable
to digest all the information in his system.
Can he find a way to appreciate books
without eating them? This charming
Australian adaptation of the picture
book of the same title features songs,
puppetry and movement.
VENUE SOTA Drama Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $38, $48, $58
DATE 22-24 May
TIME Fri 4.30pm, Sat 11am & 2pm,
Sun 11am, 2pm & 4.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
The Gingerbread Man
i theAtre
This family fable, about an insufferable
biscuit who comes to life and torments
his old creators as well as various
hungry animals, gets a stage adaptation
complete with masks, puppets and
songs, plus some mandatory morals.
aDOBe PHOTOSHOP
TOuCH (Android, iOS)
WHaT This app, which
brings some of the core
functions of the desktop
version to the mobile
platform, is ideal for
shutterbugs looking for a
more technically-advanced
photo-editing app.
THe GOOD Edit highresolution photos without
any downscaling (up to 12
megapixels) so you don’t
lose any precious details.
THe BaD The learning curve
is steep and it’s pricey.
PrICe $5.98
VSCO Camera
(Android & iOS)
WHaT The app’s camera
functions aren’t much
to crow about, but its
photo-editing functions are
top-notch. You can tweak
image saturation, apply
film grain, add shadows,
highlights and more.
THe GOOD Multipurpose
and versatile preset filters
with adjustable strength
sliders.
THe BaD You have to pay to
access some of the more
interesting filters.
PrICe Free
Roald Dahl’s
The BFG
PLAyers theAtre
See Roald Dahl’s tale of the gentle
giant come to life with puppets, props
and general exuberance in the hands
of established local family theatre
company Players Theatre.
VENUE Ulu Pandan CC Theatrette
ADMISSION PRICE $30
DATE 16-31 May
VENUE Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel
TIME Various times
ADMISSION PRICE $32
WEBSITE Call 6446-4430 or email tix@
DATE 20 May-7 Jun
theplayerstheatre.org for tickets
TIME Tue & Wed 10am & 2.30pm, Thu & Fri
10am, Sat & Sun 10.30am, 2.30pm & 5pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
FaCeTune
(Android, iOS)
WHaT Instead of the
usual editing tools,
this app is specifically
designed to help make
your selfies and portraits
look better.
THe GOOD Easy-to-use
tools to whiten stained
teeth, correct red-eye,
colour grey hair and
remove blemishes.
THe BaD You won’t look
as good as your photos.
PrICe $4.98
Imaginarium:
A Voyage of Big
Ideas
singAPore Art MuseuM
This annual contemporary art
exhibition for children returns, this
time, themed ‘A Voyage of Big Ideas’
in tribute to our little nation’s ability
to dream and think large. In this
spirit of imagination, emerging and
established artists from Singapore
and the region present seven new
large-scale artworks, ranging
from installations requiring viewer
contribution, to entire worlds in which
to dream and discover.
VENUE Singapore Art Museum, SAM@8Q
(8 Queen Street)
ADMISSION PRICE Usual museum admission
charges of $5, $10. Free admission for
Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and
all children under the age of six. Conditions
apply.
DATE Till 19 Jul
TIME Sat-Thu 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-9pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
TexT Ki’ern Tan
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
17
+
Counting Sheep,
Dreaming Goats
music
singapore philaTeliC MuseuM
’Tis the year for sheep and goats,
so get your children into the spirit of
things with this exhibition that focuses
on famous hooved heroes from stories
and cultures. Visitors can also examine
gorgeous goat-themed stamps from
around the world.
VENUE Singapore Philatelic Museum
ADMISSION PRICE Usual museum admission
charges of $4, $6. Free admission for
Singaporeans & Permanent Residents.
DATE Till 27 Sep
TIME Mon 1pm-7pm, Tue-Sun 9.30am-7pm
WEBSITE www.spm.org.sg
+
Brahms’ Second
alt-J
singapore syMphony orChesTra
seCreT sounds asia
German maestro Claus Peter Flor leads
the Singapore Symphony Orchestra
on the cheery musical escapade that
is Brahms’ Second Symphony. Also
on the lyrical line-up is Haydn’s 101st
Symphony, inspired by the composer’s
sojourn in bustling London.
These Brit boys boast music that’s
anything but bubblegum. With clever
lyrics set to complex but catchy
tunes blending electronic, folk and
indie rock, it’s no wonder alt-J have
snared accolades including the British
Broadcasting Corporation Radio 6’s
Album of the Year, the Mercury Prize,
and a Grammy nomination for Best
Alternative Music Album.
VENUE Victoria Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $32, $55, $72
DATE 15 &16 May
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Literary
Swara Sandhya —
Confluence of Sunset
Melodies
The esplanade Co lTd
Certain time-specific ragas, reflecting
our cycle of emotions throughout the
day, were written to be enjoyed best
at certain times of day. This sunset
concert features Indian tunes written
specifically for dusk, including Swara
Sandhya, a confluence of sounds
between Indian classical music
traditions of the north and south.
Pairing the sitar with violin, the tabla
with mridangam, expect a heady
aural treat to usher in the night.
18
Secrets of a
Storyteller
The esplanade Co lTd, BiTesize
Lots of artists are happy to lean
on flashy lights, sound effects and
spectacular sets to make their artwork
attractive. Not local storytelling royalty
Kamini Ramachandran, who captivates
both little and adult audiences with
her self and skill alone. In this special
workshop, the sultana of stories shares
some secrets to mesmerising listeners
for hours on end.
VENUE The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel
Singapore Resorts World Sentosa
ADMISSION PRICE $105
DATE 17 May
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Limelight 2015 by
Meridian Junior
College Choir
The esplanade Co lTd
Be surrounded by the richness and timbre
of teenage voices at this performance by
the multi-award-winning Meridian Junior
College Choir, under the leadership of
legendary choirmasters Nelson Kwei
and Foong Hak Luen.
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $13
VENUE Esplanade Recital Studio
DATE 19 May
ADMISSION PRICE $28
TIME 7.30pm
DATE 17 May
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
TIME 6pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Symphony of Voices
2015
Heartstrings
loh Jun hong
Soak in a sea of stellar voices at
this concert by the celebrated,
internationally award-winning Victoria
Junior College Choir, which will perform
melodies ranging from sacred music of
the Latin tradition to contemporary Asian
and Western tunes.
More Than Music, a collective of
attractive twentysomethings who are all
celebrated musicians in the international
scene, strive to put a personal element
back into the sometimes-intimidating
world of classical music. Violinist Loh
Jun Hong, pianist Abigail Sin and
cellist Elizabeth Tan join forces to play
passionate and even dramatic pieces
by Dvorak, Brahms and Sarasate.
VENUE Esplanade Rehearsal Studio
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
VENUE Esplanade Recital Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $15
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $30, $40
ADMISSION PRICE $30
DATE 17 May
DATE 17 May
DATE 20 May
TIME 2pm
TIME 7.30pm
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
ADMISSION PRICE www.sistic.com.sg
ViCToria Junior College
Mesmerize — Tang Na
in Concert With Ding
Yi Music Company
Ding Yi Music coMpanY LtD
Classical Chinese music ensemble Ding
Yi Music Company has a go at pop
for the first time, with feted Taiwanese
actress/singer Tang Na on vocals, no
less. Hear the chanteuse’s most popular
hits, recalibrated and given a full
orchestral treatment.
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $38, $48, $68, $88, $108
DATE 20 May
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Joanna Paul and
Christus Cantores
singapore sYMphonY orchestra, Vch organ series
Celebrate Victoria Concert Hall’s
reopening with this concert in the grand
historical venue. Best part? It’s free!
Joanna Paul will entertain with majestic
pieces by composers from Pachelbel to
Mendelssohn to Bach, not to mention
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Phantom
of the Opera’, on the concert hall’s
beautiful old organ.
VENUE Victoria Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE Free (pre-registration required)
DATE 22 May
TIME 5pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Lea Salonga in Concert
the espLanaDe co LtD
Legendary musical theatre actress Lea
Salonga, best known for her Tony-Award
winning lead role in Miss Saigon, as well
as being the singing voice of Disney’s
Princess Jasmine and Mulan, is in town
to thrill us islanders with this concert
featuring her most celebrated tunes.
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $35, $48, $68, $98, $128, $158
DATE 22 & 23 May
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Age of Transition by
Paul Danial
the espLanaDe co LtD, Late nite @ espLanaDe
Local musician Paul Danial may look
prickly with his shaven head and steely
shades. But you’ll see a softer side to
this versatile guitarist in this concert
featuring intimate stories of his life as
well as personal and emotional music
from his latest EP, Age of Transition.
VENUE Esplanade Recital Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $25
DATE 22 May
TIME 9.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Harihara: Songs
of Oothukadu &
Gopalakrishna Bharati
by Aditi Gopinathan &
Varija Menon
collective Take 5 invites you into the
deeper, darker regions of Europe with
pieces by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius
and Norwegian composer Christian
Sinding. At once grand, intimate and
emotional, these pieces, which break
many rules of traditional composition,
evoke the majestically bleak landscapes
of the region.
VENUE Esplanade Recital Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $25
DATE 24 May
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
the espLanaDe co LtD
Be spellbound by devotional music
written by two celebrated Carnatic
composers: Oothukadu Venkata Kavi
and Gopalakrishna Bharati. Vocalist
Varija Menon and her daughter, Aditi
Gopinathan, take audiences on a
journey through the sublime, storytelling
songs of these Tamil composers.
VENUE Esplanade Recital Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $25
DATE 23 May
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Northern Lights
take 5 piano Quintet, the espLanaDe co LtD
Tired of your standard Bach and
Beethoven? Singapore chamber music
La Vie En Rose
sing’theatre LtD
To commemorate the 100th anniversary
of enigmatic French songstress Edith Piaf,
seven stellar Singapore-based singers
pay tribute to the sassy superstar by
reinterpreting her classic songs, layered
with their own life experiences. Expect
all-new renditions ranging from jazz
and pop to classic, rock and Latin, by
The Zurich Blue Piano
Experience
Zurich insurance
Think the piano a staid and predictable
instrument? Let award-winning Swiss
musician Nico Brina change your mind
as he plays the piano at dizzyingly fast
speeds using his fingers, feet and nose
while singing at the same time. By the
way, Brina has been immortalised in the
Guinness Book of Records for his swiftfingered boogie-woogie performance!
VENUE Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage,
Singapore Botanic Gardens
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE 24 May
TIME 6pm
WEBSITE www.zurich.com.sg
the likes of ‘Broadway Beng’ Sebastian
Tan, Lim Kay Siu and Rani Singam, just
to name a few.
VENUE Victoria Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $45, $50, $55, $60, $65,
$70, $75, $80
DATE 27-30 May
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
19
+
Concert Etiquette 101
visual
Attending a classical concert soon? Take note of these do’s & don’ts.
holD YouR applause…
…till the end. Clapping between
movements of a symphony disrupts the
flow. If you’re unsure when the piece
concludes, wait for the conductor to
lower his arms and relax.
Be civil
If you’re not impressed with the
performance, no verbal remonstration is
needed. Simply sit silently in your seat
without clapping.
spReaD no ill Will
If you’re nursing a bad cough, stay
home. Loud coughing fits can be heard
throughout the auditorium and spoil the
mood for everyone.
Respect the peRfoRmeRs
Keep noise level down. Don’t hum
or tap your feet to the beat; avoid
shuffling in your seat and keep
whispers to a bare minimum. Focus on
the performance.
Don’t phone a fRienD
Keep your mobile phone turned off —
don’t even leave it on vibrate.
Resist the urge to snap a selfie too.
Journey of the Lone
Monkey
Pearl lam Galleries
Enter the strangely familiar world of
Chinese artist Li Tianbing in his first
solo Singapore exhibition. Peruse his
richly-textured oil paintings featuring
the monkey in captivity and in the wild,
alongside Li’s recognisable portraits of
imagined brothers and playmates set
in part-autobiographical, part-imagined
scenes of his hometown, Guilin, as he
continues his exploration of loneliness.
VENUE Pearl Lam Galleries, Gillman Barracks,
9 Lock Road, #03-22
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till 17 May
TIME Tue–Sat 11am–7pm, Sun 12pm–6pm
WEBSITE www.pearllam.com/city/singapore
TexT Ki’ern Tan
20
European Union Film
Festival
euroPean union Film Festival
Cho-Liang Lin Plays
Mozart I & II
sinGaPore symPhony orchestra
International violin star, the TaiwaneseAmerican Cho-Liang Lin, takes
centrestage in these two all-Mozart
concerts also featuring the Singapore
Symphony Orchestra.
VENUE Victoria Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $32, $55, $72
DATE 23 & 24 May
TIME 4pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
An Evening With
Michael Bolton
Base entertainment
This multiple Grammy
Award-winning singer,
songwriter and social
activist, with soulful hits
spanning the past few
decades, is in town
for a one-night-only
concert.
VENUE Grand Theatre, Marina Bay Sands
ADMISSION PRICE $90, $130, $170, $220,
$520 (box seats for 4), $1,000 (VIP box
seats for 4).
DATE 28 May
TIME 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Now into its 25th year, this insightful
festival celebrating the best of European
cinema presents its biggest installment
yet, with 29 films from 29 countries
including Oscar and Cannes Film Festival
nominees and winners. For a sprinkling
of local flavour, a collection of Singapore
short films will also be screened.
VENUE Golden Village Suntec City
ADMISSION PRICES Various prices
DATE Till 24 May
TIME Various times
Tee Khoon Tang
Grand Series
tee Khoon tanG GranD series
A salute to Schubert, this series of
concerts features different masterpieces
by the maestro, including sonatas,
quintets and even poems. The range of
performances feature concerts for adults
as well as dedicated, interactive ones for
kids, all brought to life by homegrown
violinist extraordinaire Tee Khoon Tang
plus a bevy of international musicians.
VENUE Esplanade Recital Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $32, $42, $52, $62, $82, $102
DATE 28-30 May
TIME Various times
WEBSITE teekhoontanggrandseries.com
WEBSITE euff.sg
Edge of the World
reDsea Gallery
In this exhibition, Russian contemporary
artist Anna Berezovskaya presents
works inspired by her daily life and
Russian culture, which somehow also
extend into a whimsical world of
enchantment and gaiety.
VENUE REDSEA Gallery, Block 9 Dempsey
Road, #01-10
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE 15 May-14 Jun
TIME Mon–Sat 9.30am–9pm, Sun & public
holidays 10.30am–9pm
WEBSITE www.redseagallery.com
+
researcher and photographer’s
beautiful images of diverse art events
in Singapore’s past.
VENUE Jendela Visual Art Space, The
Esplanade
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till 19 Jul
TIME Mon-Fri 11am-8.30pm, Sat & Sun
10am-8.30pm
WEBSITE www.esplanadesingapore.com
Donna Wilson
K+ CuraTOrial SpaCe
Who knew art could be so cuddly?
Award-winning UK artist Donna Wilson
has been expanding her menagerie
of odd knitted creatures since 2003,
along with other creations from
handcrafted techniques like felting,
sewing, knitting and wrapping that
remind her of home.
TheaTre
VENUE K+, Scotts Square, #03-14/15
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till 31 May
TIME 12pm-8pm
WEBSITE kplus.sg
No Sex, Please —
We’re British
BriTiSh TheaTre playhOuSe pTe lTd
The Sew-Out Show
Kevin Ou, The General COmpany
Accessorise with art at the second
edition of The Sew-Out Show, where
celebrated Singapore artists have their
works adapted into bow ties, tote
bags and the like for public purchase.
This time, the artist in question is
photographer Kevin Ou, best known
for his psychedelic images of coloured
lights.
VENUE The Connoisseur Concerto ‘The
Gallery’ 51 Circular Road
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till 8 Jun
TIME Sun-Thu 11am-midnight; Fri, Sat &
eve of public holidays 11am-2am.
WEBSITE www.theconnoisseurconcerto.com
Prudential Eye Zone
prudenTial, arTSCienCe muSeum
This exhibition is a charming
complement to the Prudential
Singapore Eye, one of the largest
surveys of Singapore’s contemporary
art scene. In Prudential Eye Zone,
contemplate more modern art with the
works of 17 contemporary artists from
Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia
and Singapore, all co-curated by
Korean pop sensation T.O.P no less.
VENUE ArtScience Museum
ADMISSION PRICE $5.50, $8, $9, $12, $13
DATE Till 28 Jun
A fabulous farce with a 16-year run
on the West End, this madcap play
revolves around a respectable young
couple who sends an email order
for Scandinavian glassware, only
to receive an unstoppable river of
Scandinavian adult materials, saucy
movies, questionable photographs
and even ‘party girls’, threatening their
sanity and the young husband’s career
at the bank.
TIME 10am-7pm
VENUE Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel
WEBSITE www.marinabaysands.com
ADMISSION PRICE $100, $110, $115, $125
DATE Till 16 May
Macpherdoodle
All the world’s a stage, and for the
Band of Doodlers, every wall’s a
canvas. This collective, dedicated
to turning white walls into arresting
doodle surfaces, is collaborating with
hawker-stall owners to turn the Circuit
Road Hawker Centre wall into a mural
that pays tribute to the heritage and
culture of a beloved food hangout.
VENUE Circuit Road Food Centre, Block 80
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till Jul
TIME All day
WEBSITE bandofdoodlers.com
Art Places
The eSplanade CO lTd
Think Singapore is devoid of art?
Koh Nguang How has photographic
proof otherwise. See this arts
TIME Tue-Fri 8pm, Sat & Sun 4pm & 8pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
The Tempest
SinGapOre reperTOry TheaTre, ShaKeSpeare in The parK
The annual Shakespeare in the Park
is generally a magical experience,
what with its extravagant sets and
scenes under the stars, but this year’s
edition is set to be even more so. The
play being staged is The Tempest,
the tale of an aged sorcerer who can
command fairies and monsters alike,
but cannot escape the island he is
trapped in until his betrayers arrive in
a royal shipwreck.
VENUE Fort Canning Park
ADMISSION PRICE $40, $45, $50, $55, $65,
$85, $98, $108
DATE Till 24 May
TIME Wed-Sun, 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
21
+
Indonesian pop-rock group NOAH.
VENUE Resorts World Ballroom, Resorts
World Convention Centre
ADMISSION PRICE $96, $146, $196, $296
DATE 24 May
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
Flipside
The esplanade Co lTd
Decimal Points
Cake TheaTriCal produCTions
Living up to its reputation for fun and
fabulous postmodern theatre, Cake
Theatrical Productions once again
presents a performance starring
movement artists-cum-actors, namely
the dynamic Rizman Putra, Pat Toh
and Tay Wei Liang, as they enact the
search of a body striving for a home.
VENUE The Substation Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $20, $25 (email admin@
caketheatre.com to book tickets)
DATE 22 & 23 May
If you feel art can be heavy-going,
get some respite with the light, bright
offerings at this annual festival.
Programmes span the spectrum of
theatre, music and dance, but all share
a common denominator of being fun
and offbeat. Even if you don’t make it
into the various theatre venues, casual
visitors should prepare to be ambushed
by roving acts.
TIME 8pm
VENUE Various venues in The Esplanade
WEBSITE www.substation.org
ADMISSION PRICE Various prices, includes free
programmes
DATE 29 May-7 Jun
Q: Protagonists at
the Edge
TIME Various times
WEBSITE www.esplanade.com.sg/flipside
others
The esplanade Co lTd
22
You’ve enjoyed watching actors perform
plays. Now, watch a performance of
actors enjoying (or not enjoying) plays,
instead. Three actors, the graduating
cohort of Intercultural Theatre Institute,
examine their responses to classic
Singapore plays by Kuo Pao Kun and
Lim Jen Erh, then replay these responses
to the audience as a theatre experience.
Directed by Ang Gey Pin.
VENUE Esplanade Rehearsal Studio
ADMISSION PRICE $25
DATE 27-30 May
Singapore
HeritageFest 2015
naTional heriTage Board
In the largest edition of this festival to
date, expect to be surprised by familiar
Singapore spots, from riverbanks to
community neighbourhoods, as you
rediscover their secret stories and
forgotten pasts.
TIME 7.30pm
VENUE Various venues
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE Till 18 May
Tribes (Advisory 16:
Coarse Language)
pangdemonium TheaTre Company
This award-winning Singapore theatre
company returns with a play that proves
actions speak louder than words.
Quiet, deaf protagonist Billy struggles
to be heard among the clamour of his
brilliant but eccentric family.
VENUE Drama Centre Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $30, $40, $50, $60, $70
DATE 22 May-7 Jun
TIME Tue-Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm & 8pm, Sun
3pm, with extra 8pm show on Sun 7 Jun
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
TIME Various times
WEBSITE www.heritagefest.sg
Konsert Amal 3
Negara
Jamiyah singapore
Malay stars from the region combine
forces for this charity concert,
where all proceeds go to Jamiyah
Singapore, provider of education
services and welfare homes, just
to name a few. Expect moves and
tunes from Taufik Batisah, Malaysian
comedians Bocey and Jihan Muse,
and music from actor/singer Datuk
Jamal Abdillah as well as megastar
Have an art affair you’d like
to include in our listings?
Simply send us details of the event at
least 6 weeks before it takes place, at
a-list.sg/submit-an-event. (Listings
are free but not guaranteed.) We’ll
help you get this arty started.
*All information is correct at press time
but may be subject to change.
Coming up!
Pentatonix
‘The on My Way
Home Tour’
Midas ProMotions Pte Ltd
arguably a cappella music’s hottest
stars, Grammy award-winners
and recipients of over 200 million
Youtube hits, Pentatonix are in
town to sell out more shows after
their successful visit to singapore
just last year.
Chun Kwang
Young: New
Dreams
art PLuraL GaLLerY
this exhibition showcases a happy
evolution in the worldview of
septuagenarian artist Chun Kwang
Young. the Korea-born Chun has
always let his struggle to find a
style native to him show in his
work, but this exhibition —
boasting a bold palette of bright
pinks, deep oranges, warming
yellows and evocative blues —
reveals a new and blissful reverie.
VENUE Art Plural Gallery,
38 Armenian Street
ADMISSION PRICE Free
DATE 29 May-20 Jul
TIME Mon-Sat 11am-7pm, closed
on Sun and public holidays.
WEBSITE www.artpluralgallery.com
Jelly, Wobble!
aCt 3 internationaL
When 89 year-old Princess Lolly
is presented with a jelly that
refuses to wobble on her birthday,
the stereotype-defying royal and
jelly, in a bid to find their happy
ending, must go through certain
challenges in the form of art and
drama activities, enlivened with
audience participation. Let your
little one experience the most
unusual princess birthday party
ever at this all-in-one tot-targeted
art exhibition, show and drama
workshop complete with visual-arts
activities.
VENUE Ion Art Gallery, Ion
VENUE The Star Theatre
orchard
ADMISSION PRICE $88, $108,
ADMISSION PRICE $35
$128, $148
DATE 30 May-9 Jun
DATE 1 Jun
TIME 10.30am, 3.30pm
TIME 7.30pm
WEBSITE www.act3international.
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
com.sg this concert features a clutch
of singapore’s best-loved indie
musicians who have played
sold-out shows across the world.
don’t miss the soulful Charlie Lim,
the gorgeous inch Chua and the
Great spy experiment in this rare
combined outing.
VENUE Esplanade Concert Hall
TIME 7.30pm
Jason’s A to Z
of Classical Music
sinGaPore sYMPHonY orCHestra
Let charming sso associate
conductor Jason Lai take kiddies
through the depth and breadth
of classical music in a lively, fun
fashion with selections from some
of the best-loved pieces in history.
VENUE Victoria Concert Hall
ADMISSION PRICE $25, $30
DATE 1 Jun
TIME 11am, 2pm & 4pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
featuring public activities for
kids, professional conferences,
masterclasses and workshops, a
rights fair and media mart, this
annual festival is for everyone
involved in the growing industry
of children’s literature. Writers,
illustrators, editors, publishers,
agents, distributors, parents,
children, teachers and librarians will
all find their niche here.
VENUE Various venues in the
national Library Building
ADMISSION PRICE Free, with
certain ticketed programmes
at various prices.
DATE 30 May-6 Jun
TIME Various times
WEBSITE www.afcc.com.sg
dreaM aCadeMY
House of riot
DATE 6 Jun
nBdCs tHe BooK CounCiL
The History
of Singapore
Part I
A Triple Bill:
Charlie Lim,
iNCH, The Great
Spy Experiment
ADMISSION PRICE $50
Asian Festival
of Children’s
Content
Live Spectacle
Naruto
iMPeriaL artiste ManaGeMent
this live-action adaptation of one
of Japan’s most popular anime
comes to singapore! expect epic
drama and gorgeous effects as the
tale about a young ninja with a fox
demon trapped in his body comes
to spectacular 3d life.
VENUE Resorts World Theatre,
Resorts World Sentosa
ADMISSION PRICE $58, $78, $108,
$138, $168
DATE 6 & 7 Jun
TIME 1.30pm & 7pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
the dim sum dollies, terrible trio
of local comedy, returns with their
2007 critically-acclaimed hit The
History of Singapore Part I. Get set
for a madcap ride as the dollies
take you through the early days
of singapore, with appearances
by sang nila and his quest for real
estate, diva-licious samsui women,
the sin-city hustle of opium dens
and brothels, and prematurely
ejected kamikaze pilots.
VENUE Esplanade Theatre
ADMISSION PRICE $48, $68, $88,
$128, $148
DATE 5-21 Jun
TIME Tue-Fri 8pm, Sat 3pm &
8pm, Sun 3pm
WEBSITE www.sistic.com.sg
23
EPILOGUE
bEcAusE Art is LOng & LifE is sHOrt
H
e’s only 11 years old, but
Japanese artist Mondo has held
solo exhibitions and published
a book. His blog gets as many as
40,000 hits a day! Best known
for his portraits, Mondo wields just a black
BY PAMELA
HO
marker, adding pops of colour to bring out
details. He started drawing portaits at age
three – inspired by his musician dad’s record
collection – and has no formal training. These
illustrations were part of his recent Singapore
exhibition at K+ Curatorial Space. A
boy
drew
little
PHOTO Edwin Koo
PHOTO Kinetic. Follow Mondo on Instagram @mondo_world.
24
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