What do you think accounts for the enduring appeal of Shakespeare’s work and in particular, King Lear?
Shakespeare wrote with such deep insight into basic human emotions that it transcended language and culture. King Lear is the father in all of us, the daughter in all of us, the fool in all of us and the bastard brother in all of us. These are the essentials we carry wherever we are from, in place or time. We all go through love, betrayal, jealousies, existential angst, pride, old age, senility and blindness—in different forms. Those are King Lear’s existential pillars and that’s what we explore every time we revisit the show. 

What’s the most surprising thing about this staging?
That even through the most humorous rant or vaudeville act we manage to touch upon the very tragedy of this senile old king.

What’s it like playing a clown?
It’s a mask that is liberating. It gives us the license to explore acts and ideas, which we might not if we were naked without a mask. Often this exploration results in magical stuff and it is fun.

Many people find clowns scary (coulrophobia). What do you think accounts for this?
Clowns are scary like dolls are scary. Some of it is just Hollywood and Bollywood imagery. But it is real: I remember once a circus clown approached me in the audience and I wanted to disappear. When an actor walks up to you and looks into your eyes, it’s very disconcerting.

Nothing Like Lear is on May 8-9, 8pm at The Drama Centre, National Library, 100 Victoria St., 6837-8400, teamworkprod.com. $54-100 from Sistic.

Chrysanthemum Collins
This take on the classic Tom Collins comprises Polish Wyborowa vodka and limoncello, which is lengthened with homemade chrysanthemum soda. The drink’s creator and manager of Bartini (which is run by the same folks as Mariko’s) Barnaby Murdoch says, “My theory was that the subtle flavor and aroma that comes from chrysanthemum would complement a neutral spirit like vodka.” Tall and refreshing, the pale yellow glassful is just right for balmy evenings.

$22 at Mariko’s

Lavender Evening
Clear and colorless, this tipple is served with a tea strainer filled with lavender. It doesn’t look like much, but the mix of SKYY vodka, lavender-infused syrup (made with organic sprigs imported from Australia) and tonic water is intensely fragrant. One half of Morsel’s chef-owner couple Petrina Loh says, “I blend teas from herbs and thought it would be nice to have a relaxing drink with lavender.”

$14 at Morsels

Rose Seduction
Sweet aromatic French rose liqueur is balanced with fresh lemon juice, then shaken and stirred with Grey Goose vodka and Bombay Sapphire gin. The pink blend is then strained into a chilled martini glass. Not only does the concoction have plenty of body and well-rounded flavor, garnished with deep red petals, it’s also the most romantic-looking drink of the lot. Chin Hui Wen

$25 at Maison Ikkoku

How did you come up with the idea for the app?
Connected to 230 destinations around the world, Changi Airport is well-poised for travel within the region. So we wanted to create weekend getaway guide that was accessible continuously, anytime and anywhere, providing not just inspiration, but an effective one-stop shop to their next weekend trip. With the high penetration of smartphones in Singapore, an app was the most effective mode in reaching to our target audience. The idea was developed early last year and the entire process took about eight months. 

How did you choose the cities to feature?
Besides the usual weekend favorites Bangkok and Bali, we wanted to highlight lesser-known regional destinations which are less trodden such as Miri, Yogyakarta, Vientienne and Changsha. We have plans to update the app later this year to include even more exciting destinations like Mandalay and Paro in Bhutan.

Do you plan to add new functions to the app?
Yes, we are planning to add new functions, such as allowing users to share a particular destination, an itinerary planner, and maybe a function that allows searching by interest. We are also looking at creating an iPad version of the app.

Why did you choose to focus on nearby destinations?
There are many hidden gems in the region and budget carriers have made travel very affordable and accessible.  After a week of work stress, there is nothing more relaxing and rejuvenating than jetting off to a destination doesn't take too long to reach yet is unlike Singapore.

Download the Weekend Escapades app for iPhone at iTunes and Android at Google Play.