Who are your biggest comedic influences?
Dan Clarkson: We are both huge Monty Python fans and love their surreal style and unique approach. Growing up watching Saturday Night Live re-runs also helped push our love for spontaneous improvisation.

How difficult was research on the Harry Potter series?
DC: Not very. To be honest, when you sit down with a tub of popcorn and butterbeer to watch the movies (and get to say it's for work), life becomes pretty good!

What were the biggest challenges putting together the show?
DC: Getting it down to seventy minutes. The first draft ran closer to seven hours. We try to remain loyal to the books, but often do find ourselves replacing 500 pages of plot with a silly hat and funny voice.

Have you ever had a Harry Potter fan take the show badly?
Jeff Turner: Not that we know of. However, if we ever get anything wrong on stage—due to a slip of the tongue or a mental block—they are not shy to correct us. Loudly!

How do you keep the performance from getting old?
JT: We constantly surprise each other. Dan tries to make me laugh on stage. The audience loves it! Also, a fair proportion of the show is improvised. That forces each version to be different.

Potted Potter is on September 4-16 at DBS Arts Centre home of the Singapore Repertory Theatre.
 

Bangkok Tree House
Bangkok, Thailand
Opened since: February 2012
The buzz: This innovative Bangkok hotel is breathing new life into the sleepy Bang Krajao peninsula area (just a few kilometers downstream from the Chao Praya River).
The facilities: On the rooftop deck is Reflect restaurant, where you can order high tea sets while enjoying the waterfront and forest views. Guests can use the complimentary hotel bikes to explore the surrounding neighborhood.
The details: A cluster of three-story suites in untouched green surrounds, this structure boasts a clean-cut modern design and architecture that combines mineral and organic materials. Rates for the suites are B6,000 ($244).
Perfect for: A convenient retreat that’s just down river from busy Bangkok.
60 San Phawut Soi 23, Phra Pradaeng, Greater Bangkok, +66 2995-1150, www.bangkoktreehouse.com. 

Naked Stables Private Reserve Tree Top Villas
Moganshan, China
Opened since October 2011
The buzz: Located in a nature reserve three hours outside Shanghai, it’s not the typical flashy China property but a super laid-back retreat in the hills of Moganshan.
The facilities: Expect a horse riding center, conference facilities, three swimming pools, restaurants and a spa.
The details: It’s all eco-friendly and back-to-nature here: accommodation in the 60-hectare resort is made up of treetop villas or earth huts made with sustainable materials. All treetop houses come with a full kitchen, private barbecue pit and outdoor hot tub. A two-bed treetop villa costs RMB5,800 ($1,146).
Perfect for: A secluded yet super luxe getaway.
No. 37 Shangxiazhuang Village, Paitou Town, Deqing County, +86 21 6431-8901, www.nakedretreats.cn.

Sanya Nanshan Treehouse
Sanya, China
Opened since: December 2000
The buzz: The Treehouses of Hawaii group is behind these four aerial lofts. They are set atop a sand dune—just a hop and skip from the beaches of the South China Sea—and surrounded by tamarind trees.
The facilities: There’s electricity and a small cafe onsite but no on-premise showers. Guests can order high-end Chinese vegetarian food from the Nanshan Buddhist Culture Zone Restaurant nearby.
The details: Find options to suit groups of all sizes. The Big Beach in the Sky tree house sleeps four, the Beach Club tree house and Guan Yin Spa tree house are designed for two, while the Hawaiian Hale Hotel tree house will accommodate 16-20 persons in seven separate spaces spanning three levels. Visit the Nanshan Buddhism Cultural Theme Park, which features a 108-meter statue of the Buddha Guanyin. Accommodation rates range from RMB220 ($43) for a room to RMB980 ($194) for the entire Beach in the Sky tree house.
Perfect for: A real rustic experience with virgin beaches and lush green surrounds.
Nanshan Rd., Runzhou, Sanya, Jiangsu, +18 0 8248-7241, www.treehousesofhawaii.com.

Tranquil Resort
Wayanad, India
Opened since: 2000 (tree houses added in 2006)
The buzz: Located in Southern India, this refurbished plantation—which originated in the late 1800s—is surrounded by coffee, tea and spice fields. The entire property is a homestay and includes a tree house and a larger tree villa resting on Gul Mohr trees.
The facilities: A pool, traditional ayurvedic massage, bird watching activities and tours of the working plantation are on offer. Communal Western and Indian meals are also served. Expect produce and coffee grown onsite as well as homemade breads and condiments.
The details: The 46 sq. meter tree house is built from coffee wood and features a king-size bed, veranda, and fab rainforest views. A more spacious option is the 100 sq. meter tree villa which has two bathrooms and two verandas on opposite sides of the house. Prices start at INR13,000 ($296) for the tree house and INR14,850 ($338) for the tree villa.
Perfect for: Local food lovers—the coffee and fresh meals are huge draws.
Kuppamudi Coffee Estate, Kolagappara Post Kolagappara Ambalavayal Rd., Kerala, +09 9 4758-8507, www.tranquilresort.com.

The Tree Top Lofts
Sentosa, Singapore
Opened since: July 2012
The buzz: The newest addition to RWS (they’re not even open to the public yet), these natural timber houses stand in stark contrast to the rest of the colorful man-made leisure center.
The facilities: Their butlers will drive you by buggy to any restaurant or attraction at RWS.
The details: Choose from two houses, Angsana and Tembusu, standing at seven and 12 meters tall respectively. Two to three people can stay comfortably in each. Both boast a double roof system to keep the interior cool. The living room, bedroom and bathroom of each house is 73 sq. meters in area, with 90 sq. meters of outdoor terrace space surrounding it. The rooms are airy too: ceilings are five to six meters high. The rate for each of the houses is $3,000++ a night.
Perfect for: Those who want to head to Sentosa but need to get away from the busy (and tacky) main entertainment stretch.
Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway, 6577-8888, www.rwsentosa.com

Berry-Good Hand Massage
Been gripping that mobile phone so tight that your hand has cramped up? The soothing 20-minute massage ($26) promises to ease the tension. Pressure is applied to special reflexology points—from the top of your arm to your finger tips—to relieve any damage caused by overzealous texting on electronic devices.
Available at Refresh Bodyworks (Tanglin Mall).

CranioSacral Therapy
Sitting hunched in front of the computer all day can give you awful migraines, not to mention affecting your posture. Set things right with this hour-long therapy ($150) that involves applying gentle pressure to your skull bones and spinal cord, allowing the cerebral spinal fluid at the back of your head to flow. This should provide your noggin some pain relief while also straightening your back. 
Available at Awakening Touch.

Hopi Ear Candles
If you’ve been blasting music on your headset 24/7, use this all-natural method to soothe ear discomfort. Used by the ancient Native Americans, a hollow beeswax candle is lit and placed in your ear, causing a sucking sensation which gently massages the eardrum. A piece of linen at the bottom of the candle prevents hot wax from entering your ear. A half-hour session costs $48.
Available at Basic Essence Holistic Wellness Centre.

Quintessential Facial
Research has shown that most mobile phones are dirtier than the average toilet handle. Yet tech addicts have them plastered to their faces all the time. Repair any damage to your skin—unclog pores, clear acne, whiteheads, and blackheads, and even reduce those fine lines—with this comprehensive facial ($200). The 90-minute session involves exfoliation, the use of LED lamps, and custom blended masks and serums.
Available at Porcelain Face Spa.

Smooth Away Dark Eye Circles & Puffiness Now
Staring at the desktop late into the night can leave you with unattractive dark rings around your strained eyes. This treatment, which utilizes a handheld endermologie machine to stimulate the collagen cells under your eyes, will lighten any discoloration and soothe the swelling. A 20-minute trial session goes for $72.
Available at Spahaven.

Your 2009 album Gown began as a series of field recordings conducted in Cambodia. Do you expect Singapore to inspire you as well?
Cambodia is a stunning country with a fascinating and tragic history. I have yet to discover Singapore but I am intrigued.

How did you start creating music with the AirPiano?
I came across Omer Yosha, the inventor of the AirPiano, playing an early prototype on YouTube in 2009. I was attracted to its simplicity and the fact that it looks like you’re magically plucking sounds out of the air. I made contact with him and ended up traveling to Berlin where he made a custom prototype for me to work with. I gave feedback how it worked in the real world. It’s a partnership of sorts.

Did you grow up in a musical family?
Yes, my siblings are all very musical. We grew up singing traditional songs of the highlands and islands of Scotland in a one-room primary school with our teacher from the Isle of Skye.

Having traveled all over the world, do you have a favorite country?
I feel an affinity to Scotland. Having been brought up there, my early memories are very strongly Scottish. But the world is such a rich and fantastic place, I can’t have a favorite.

Who inspires you?
I usually draw my inspiration from things outside of music, but I do appreciate Bjork’s and My Brightest Diamond’s work. I also really enjoy watching Imogen Heap’s creative process.

Jo Hamilton performs on August 8 at the Esplanade Recital Studio