Latest news with #EsplanadeTheatreStudio
Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
The Necessary Stage's No Man's Land asks how masculinity works today
The Necessary Stage's No Man's Land follows four men as they navigate the landscape of contemporary manhood. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY SINGAPORE – A quartet of inter-disciplinary artists with a shared curiosity about masculinity are collaborating for a live performance in six acts. The Necessary Stage's No Man's Land, which plays at the Esplanade Theatre Studio from June 12 to 15, is a devised work incorporating theatre and dance elements. It follows four men as they navigate the landscape of contemporary manhood. The four actors reflect a diverse range of bodies and experiences, as co-directors Alvin Tan and Sim Yan Ying (also known as 'YY') insist that 'meaningful change requires multiplicity'. One of the cast members is 76-year-old actor Michael Tan, who plays a paternal role in the show and expresses a form of emotional repression in his relationship with his son. Sim says of Tan's role: 'Though mostly a wordless role, his presence brings out the weight of a father's expectations on his sons.' Sim – who also conceptualised (2024) which looked at the lives of four women at watershed ages – says: 'Over time, I grew curious about the other side as well – while obviously acknowledging that gender is not a binary. In all my attempts to advocate for gender equality, I feel like you can't really achieve that without addressing masculinity.' The 80-minute performance, Sim says, will run the gamut from realism to abstraction. The other cast members are performance-maker Neo Hai Bin; dancer and choreographer Shahizman Sulaiman; actor Vishnucharan Naidu, who is trained in Bharatanatyam dance; and actress-musician Suhaili Safari. While writer Danial Matin wrote the text for the performance, working with a choreographer helped him realise his ideas more fully , he says. 'Sometimes the text is inadequate. Sometimes text is not enough to express some of the more embodied elements, especially when it comes to a topic like masculinity.' His formative experiences with masculinity were shaped by being in all-male environments such as a boys' school and during National Service: 'I think there are certain boundaries that can disappear in an all-male environment – such as personal boundaries.' The team for No Man's Land includes (from left) writer Danial Matin, co-director Sim Yan Ying, choreographer Hafeez Hassan and co-director Alvin Tan. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY Choreographer Hafeez Hassan – who also runs The Brothers Circle, a space for men to express themselves authentically – will tap on his early years learning silat to choreograph the movement for the show, which also blends 'contemporary dance and human biomechanics'. 'When I practice silat, I feel like I get to reclaim my Malay body,' says Hassan, who adds that the movements will also build on the cast's familiarity with dance genres such as Bharatanatyam and street dance. Co-director Tan grew up in a household where the housework was split between his parents. 'I thought every family was like that, only to realise later it was divided into gender roles.' The cast, as expected, are cognisant about how gender dynamics play out in the rehearsal room. They acknowledge that Sim, for example, is the one keeping track of the various changes in the show – which leads to discussions of whether her style is more 'top-down' or if she is performing a kind of 'feminised labour'. Tan says, however, that the work is not an attack on masculinity: 'It's not masculinity. My problem is with patriarchy and matriarchy.' To effect change, he is starting small. 'I don't want to go and try and change big policies – I'm tired of that. Just to change in small ways in the rehearsal rooms.' Book It/No Man's Land Where: Esplanade Theatre Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive When: June 12 to 14, 8pm; June 14 and 15, 3pm Admission: $38 Info: Go to Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Things to do with kids: Mario Kart-themed fun at Jewel Changi Airport, ballet show for children
Mario Kart-themed installations are debuting in South-east Asia at Jewel Changi Airport, coinciding with the return of a Nintendo pop-up store. ST PHOTOS: ELISA CHIA SINGAPORE – Make family time all the more special with these ideas and activities. Mario Kart fun, Nintendo pop-up store The only Nintendo pop-up store outside Japan returns to Jewel Changi Airport from April 25 to July 24. The store at level 4 retails more than 500 items, including some 150 exclusive merchandise items from Nintendo video games such as Super Mario, Animal Crossing, Zelda, Splatoon and Pikmin. This is the second time the store is operating at Jewel, with the first being a 1½-month stint during the 2023 year-end holiday season. Coinciding with the store's return are Mario Kart-themed installations debuting in South-east Asia at Jewel. If your family enjoys the Mario Kart video game, visiting the Forest Valley at level 1 will be fun as it features a recreation of Rainbow Road, a popular racecourse from the game. You will be greeted by a vibrant, 5m by 4m centrepiece featuring moving lights and beloved characters Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach, as well as other kart-racing crew. Keep your eyes peeled for a 1.3m-tall 'banana', a reminder of the game's infamous hazard. Meanwhile, the iconic soundtrack plays in the background, adding to the immersive experience. There are also Mario Kart-themed photo spots from levels 1 to 5, where you can also find stamp collection points. Collect all six stamps on a 'rally card' to redeem a Mario Kart sticker pack, which contains a mystery character and three power-up items. Find out more at Peter & Blue's School Holiday ballet show Peter & Blue's School Holiday is an hour-long ballet production for children. PHOTO: BERNIE NG Looking for diverse theatre experiences for your children? Ballet production Peter & Blue's School Holiday offers a unique option. The one-hour show, recommended for families with kids aged three to eight, will be staged at Esplanade Theatre Studio from June 26 to 29. Join Peter and his dog Blue on their school holiday escapades, including a trip to the zoo and the beach. PHOTO: BERNIE NG Join Peter and his dog Blue as they head to the zoo and the beach , embracing the carefree spirit of a vacation. Choreographed by Singapore Ballet's artistic director Janek Schergen, the performance aims to introduce children to the magic of dance and creative expression. He created the show during the Covid-19 pandemic. A shortened version can be watched online, while the full-length live performance was last staged at the School of the Arts' Studio Theatre in 2022. 'Experiencing the arts can never start too early, and an appreciation of movement, music and spectacle can lead us into wonderful realms of possibility,' Schergen says. For the upcoming production at the Esplanade, free-seating tickets are priced at $28 each for children, students and senior citizens, and $35 for adults. Buy them at Final season of Apple TV+ series Jane Celebrated ethologist and conservationist Jane Goodall makes a special appearance in the final season. PHOTO: APPLE TV+ The third and final season of Apple TV+ series Jane, which draws inspiration from the work of celebrated ethologist and conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, has been released. The show centres on nine-year-old environmental enthusiast Jane Garcia, who uses her imagination to go on adventures and help protect endangered animals. After all, her idol, Dr Goodall, famously said: 'Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, can they be saved.' The first season, which premiered in 2023, was recognised for Outstanding Visual Effects for a Live Action Programme at the Children's & Family Emmy Awards that same year. Dr Goodall, a United Nations Messenger of Peace, makes a special appearance in the latest season's last episode. She says: 'I believe that stories have the power to inspire people to action. I am very hopeful that this series will encourage young people, their families and friends to help save animals around the world.' Get the ST Smart Parenting newsletter for expert advice. Visit the microsite for more
