It’s time to haul your saggy butt off the sofa and into a seat
(or truck) at this year’s Singapore Arts Festival. By Hidayah
Salamat.
Cargo Kuala Lumpur—Singapore by Rimini Protokoll
(Germany)
Ever wondered why cargo truck drivers always seem so glum and
irritable? Slip into their shoes (or Crocs, whatever it is they’re
wearing nowadays) by embarking on a ride in a converted truck
through the back streets, parking areas and warehouses of
Singapore, accompanied by an audio commentary by a real-life truck
driver. May 14-Jun 12, 6:30pm, site-specific, starting at Esplanade
Waterfront carpark, $36. Call 6837-9541 for more information.
Y O’Clock—faifai (Japan)
Set in an afterschool daycare center, this sensitively crafted
piece of theater explores the curious phenomenon of playacting with
toy robots and dolls. Stay afterwards and you can play with the
set. May 19-20, 3pm, 8pm, Drama Centre Black Box, $36.
Gatz—Elevator Repair Service (USA)
This unique production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
consists of a six-hour verbatim reading of the classic novel by a
cast of 13 set in a small contemporary office. May 21-23, 2-10pm
(includes dinner break and two intermissions), Esplanade Theatre
Studio, $45.
In The Mood—The Mobile Sewing Company (The
Netherlands)
Tailoring extraordinaires Karin Arts and Mariken Biegman will be
asking members of the audience to take off their clothes and get in
the mood—the fashion mood, that is. Allow your clothes to be
transformed into original pieces of art on the spot with antique
sewing machines powered by two beautiful classic Dutch bikes. If
your clothes are selected, you can pedal a bike while waiting for
your avant-garde outfit to be completed. May 27-30, 6:30-9:30pm,
VivoCity (East Boulevard), free.
As part of its After Dark series, the Festival presents two
late-night events for all you nocturnal revelers. For storming
global beats check out UK’s Nitin Sawhney
Sound System— May 29, 10:30pm, Supperclub, $35— or for a
multi-sensory event fusing music and visuals, experience the
collaboration between Atsuhiro Ito from Japan and
Singapore’s own Zai Kuning and “laptop rockstar” The Analog
Girl—Jun 5, 10:30pm, Supperclub, $25.
The Hood—La Passionata Svironi
(Israel/Singapore)
The audience are invited to put their heads inside seven miniature
theaters where they can be part of a scene with a cast of clown
puppets and other miniature dolls. Jun 4-6, 6:30pm, 8:30pm,
VivoCity (Sky Park), free.
Street Revolution JAM! (Singapore)
From hot DJs to cool rappers and breakdance battles, don’t miss
this one-night only musical extravaganza by the Singapore Youth
Festival. Jun 5, 8pm, Victoria Theatre, $12.
Maybe Forever—Meg Stuart / Philipp Gehmacher
(Germany/Belgium)
This piece of dance drama is an opportunity for the audience to
ponder lost loves and the “what-ifs” of past romances.Jun 11-12,
8pm, Drama Centre Theatre, $20-50.
Cool—Beijing Paper Tiger Theater Studio
(China)
This piece of “cruel theater” explores modern urban China and
promises to make you shiver in your seat. Jun 12-13, 8pm, Esplanade
Theatre Studio, $36.
Drama Centre Black Box, 3/F National Library,
100 Victoria St., 6837-8400.
Drama Centre Theatre, 3/F, National Library, 100
Victoria St., 6837-8400.
Esplanade Theatre Studio, Esplanade—Theatres On
the Bay, 1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377.
Supperclub, 331 North Bridge Rd., 6334-4080.
Victoria Theatre, Victoria Memorial Hall, 11
Empress Place., 6333-0041.
VivoCity (Sky Park), 1 HarbourFront Walk,
6377-6860.
Tickets are from Sistic. For more information, log on to
www.singaporeartsfest.com.