Love isn’t all smooth sailing for the valet Figaro and chambermaid Susanna in the latest offer by Singapore Lyric Opera and Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. Set in Seville in the late 18th century, the couple tries to tie the wedding knot in The Marriage of Figaro, but finds the process fraught with difficulties.

Characters scheming to separate Figaro and Susanna include the Count Almaviva, who himself hankers after Susanna, and Marcellina, who desires Figaro. Adding to the mayhem is pageboy Cherubino, who goes after Count Almaviva’s spouse. The simple act of getting married with your lover seems complex, mind boggling and bewildering. Seems like a hilarious opera is in the works, and getting married isn’t all as lovey dovey as the Social Development Unit makes it out to be.

Its poster is already garnering much attention, and we hope The Marriage of Figaro lives up to it. “Eye-catching was the intended effect. Provocative is the bonus. We have assembled an exceptionally strong cast with an experienced artistic team. Look forward to an exciting performance,” claims Toh Weng Cheong, chairman of the Singapore Lyric Opera.

Don’t miss this aural and visual treat. This comic opera organized in conjunction with Mozart’s 250th birth anniversary might just hold you riveted from start to end—and make you rethink marriage too.

Eight-year-old indie act Tiramisu used to be all stiff and dull on stage, with only a twitch now and then from its members. Now with experience and a fairly new lineup that comprises Rizman Putra, Norazlan Misnan, Athif, Keith Su and Syed Ahmad, it’s electrifying gigs one after another.

One remembers Tiramisu for the members’ outrageous costumes on stage. So what’s the latest craze for the band? “I like old tai tai clothes. I shop for the band, and normally I’ll pick tai tai clothes for the other members too. I have a fetish for women’s swimming costumes, stockings, legwarmers and hip hop apparel also,” says Rizman Putra, the vocalist of Tiramisu.

Putra takes his pick for gig outfits from the Salvation Army a week before a show. The rest of the band members get to see the costumes only a few hours before their performances.

One reason that could account for Tiramisu’s wild gigs is that these self-confessed poseurs are in love—with themselves. “Normally we don’t really care about the crowd. We used to perform to only 15 to 20 people. The most important thing is to just have fun. Most of the time, the audience is secondary. We perform for ourselves first, then the crowd! Haha. The stage is a cathartic space where we release our hidden emotions,” says.

Tiramisu apparently enjoys what it does, and has grown much over the years. The band will play at Baybeats 2006—The Indie Alternative Music Festival of the Region next. Come dressed up too, and get set for a rocking time.

Watch out, women are going to seize the stage. Crossroads 2006 is a week packed with performances, workshops, forums, a talk and an exhibition. This exciting festival is brought to you by Magdalena (Singapore), a society born out of the desire to promote interaction among—whom else—women in the creative arts scene.

Among the long list of performances to look out for are Palette of Desires (Jul 13-14) and The Red Room (Jul 11-12). Local talents Elizabeth de Roza, Koh Leng Leng and Low Yuen Wei work together for the first time to bring you Palette of Desires. The tale revolves around three unwanted machines in a warehouse. Hoping to be useful, they desperately search for batteries and freedom, and in the process confront their past.

In The Red Room, Kerensa Dewantoro paints a portrait of a lady who is accused of adultery and infanticide. Guilty of murdering a newborn but innocent of infidelity, she implores the audience to help her escape imprisonment. This poignant solo show explores the concept of justice, and features the works of renowned scribes such as T.S. Eliot, The Righteous Brothers and Emily Dickinson.

Other performances out to woo you are No Doctor for The Dead, Umbral, The Path and Seven Graces.

Several workshops cater to theater practitioners eager to pick up tips from experts. Performing Space, conducted by Jadranka Andelic and Antonella Diana, investigates the relations among space, performers and the director. It is specially tailored to offer participants an insight into the working process in contemporary theater.

Jill Greenhalgh will share her thoughts on stage presence in The Presence of the Performer. The workshop will see her discussing ways of exuding charisma on stage and getting the audience’s attention.

Other classes included in Crossroads 2006 are Performing Words, The Articulate Body, The Language of Memory, Kecak, Feldenkrias Workshop and Every Woman’s War: Rehearsal. Two forums, a talk, and a photo exhibition of women in Indonesia’s theater scene are lined up as well.

Even though Crossroads 2006 is particularly aimed at fostering a healthy theater environment for the women, the festival caters to everybody. “Whether you are a theater practitioner keen to learn from the visiting artists or a theater goer keen to experience new works, we are confident that you will find it at Crossroads 2006. There are a slew of workshops exploring various performance techniques which male and female performers alike will find useful,” says Verena Tay, president of Magdalena (Singapore).

Mark your calendars. Here’s a dynamic festival that’s about to shake the theater scene for both men and women.

Crossroads 2006 is on Jul 9-15. Log on to http://www.magdalenasingapore.org for more information.

For over 30 years, four piece act The Manhattan Transfer has been bringing its phenomenal tunes to discerning jazz devotees all over the world. The vocal group, which comprises Tim Hauser, Alan Paul, Janis Siegel and Cheryl Bentyne, is in town to bring you a riveting concert on Jul 3. We grab the chance to have a chat with Hauser before the group’s concert here.

Hauser, you have been singing since young, and recorded a couple of singles when you were only 15. Have you always wanted to be in a vocal group?
I wanted to be in a vocal group since I was 14. But I did try some other things. I was a marketing research executive for a large manufacturing corporation, and also worked for a large advertising agency. I was also a taxicab driver.

The Manhattan Transfer has been in the scene for more than 30 years. Was the career path of The Manhattan Transfer smooth sailing from the very start? 
It was not smooth sailing from the start. Our style of music was not supposed to be popular. After all, it was not rock ’n’ roll, nor was it post modern. It is a jazz based entity, and jazz is not supposed to be popular in the US. Europe, though, was very accepting of our sound from the beginning. It took us about six years to really gain Americans’ acceptance.

How has the musical direction of the group changed over the years? 
We have gone back and forth doing more jazz inspired albums, to more pop inspired albums. And then sometimes, we do combinations of both.

Is there any album that is particularly memorable?
Yes, our Vocalese album. It is our most critically-acclaimed CD. It is the third most Grammy nominated album of all time, having earned 12 nominations and won two Grammys.

Your latest offering Vibrate is marked by a mix of traditional and progressive jazz, and has elements of Latin, world and pop music. Any plans to attempt other musical genres in future works?
Not at this time. We don’t bring in these influences or varied genres for their own sakes. It really depends on what inspires each individual at a particular point in time.

We are amazed at the group’s versatile sound. How do you people maintain your voices? 
We warm up for 30 minutes before each concert. It’s like working out at the gym.

Who are the group’s influences?
We like the Swing vocal groups of the ’30s like the Spirits of Rhythm, 4 Vagabonds and Ink Spots. The four part harmony groups of the Big Band Era, such as the Modernaires, Pied Pipers and Delta Rhythm Boys, and the R&B vocal groups of the ’50s like the Moonglows and the Flamingos are some of our influences too. And of course, there’s King Pleasure and Eddie Jefferson. These are just a few.

What can we look forward to in your upcoming concert?
We try and do a reasonable representation of our many albums and CDs. We like to combine our earlier songs with our more recent material. We also like to do a cross-section of our jazz, and pop material.

Do you have anything to say to your loyal fans that have supported you all these years?
We are very grateful for the support you have given us. We will still continue to work hard to entertain you, and to try and give you the best of what we can do.

Simple yet poignant, the works of Japanese artist Ai Yamaguchi speak of a world where beauty and noble values reign. Held hostage by her absorbing art pieces in the exhibition Fiction@Love currently showing at the Singapore Art Museum, we chat with the soft-spoken artist to find out what makes her tick.

How did you get into art?
Illustration is not what I studied when I was in university. It was more a hobby then. I submitted an art piece for an exhibition in my campus, and received good response. I was then recommended to do some shows in Los Angeles. An old American lady really loved my works in Los Angeles, and that was when I felt that I could share and express my feelings with others through art, and I decided to become an artist.

How would you describe your artistic style?
I feel that I am a successor of tradition, and am more like a craftsman than an artist. I made the canvas myself instead of buying it from shops. Everything is created from scratch. I pursue beauty, which can be found in Japanese traditional paintings. The artists of these paintings pursue utopia in their works. I just want to inherit that kind of idea too.

Why the fascination with young girls with black hair and big eyes in your works?
The subject matter in my works is often nine to 10 years old. In the Edo era, some young girls have to practice and learn to be accomplished geishas. These girls are around nine or 10 years old, and are happy and innocent-looking, but everyone knows that in future, they are going to work and become geishas. So there is a sad and lonely feeling to their plight. At this age too, it’s hard to decipher the gender of children. They are “in-between,” caught at the stage before they bloom into a boy or a girl. The ambiguity associated with this age range and environment is close to what I want to express as an artist.

Would you say your career has been smooth sailing all the way?
I wouldn’t say my career has been completely smooth sailing. It’s not easy to be known, but I’m glad that I have the opportunities to do solo exhibitions, and I’ve met people who know what good art is, and who have inspired me. These few years, things are getting better. I’ve just done a project with Japanese cosmetics label Shu Uemura too.

For your project with Shu Uemura, your design appeared on the limited edition “SHU by ai” cleansing oils. What do you think of doing commercial works like that, as opposed to artistic pieces?
I’ve met up with Mr. Shu Uemura, who is also an artist, and we respect each other. This project may be a commercial one, but I had an interesting experience. I have to work with a different medium—the bottle. As a painter, I usually work on canvas. So, even though it’s a commercial collaboration with Shu Uemura, it’s a new dimension of experience for me as an artist.

Well, apart from Mr. Shu Uemura, is there anyone you would love to work with?
I would like to collaborate with musicians, regardless of the instruments they play. They can be singers, or composers. Music will be good stimulation and inspiration for images, and vice versa. I like to work with younger artists as well, because I’ve worked mostly with older people so far.

This is theater with a twist. Forget the usual routine of thespians just sashaying up and down the stage. In Phobia, be prepared to see a group of performers play with ice, windscreen wipers, celery and egg beaters. Curious, we sit down with director Douglas Horton.

What inspired you to create Phobia?
It is inspired in part by Hitchcock’s late ’50s classic Vertigo, as well as the whole realm of film noir and suspense genres that Hollywood has bequeathed us. The production of this soundscape is also inspired by Foley artists, who were sound effect artists during the ’50s and ’60s. It mirrors their activities. At that time, the entire soundtrack for a film, including the dialogue and hand produced sound effects, was often dubbed after a film’s completion.

What is the concept behind Phobia?
The central concept of Phobia revolves around the activities associated with producing a soundtrack to an imagined film. This focus on sound is punctuated by occasional filmic apparitions performed behind and in the setting. The theatricality, musicality, irony and humor of the work is partly motivated by the absurdities and intricacies involved in producing this sound world. Even the archetypal voices of femme fatale or detective never rest with any one performer.

What is the message Phobia is trying to convey?
Phobia is really an elaborate send-up of filmmaking and the Hollywood thriller. Film noir’s standard repertoire of emotional devices includes suspense, deception, mystery, paranoia and manipulation. In the ’50s and ’60s, these emotional states resonated with a world extremely anxious about communist subversion and the nuclear war. At the center of these works are beautiful, vulnerable and mysterious women. The genre thrived, and continues to thrive, on the fulfillment of male fantasies and concerns.

What is the most unconventional prop you’ve ever used to create a sound effect in the show?
We use celery to make the sound of breaking bones. It’s used while a performer is doing a backward somersault down a staircase in slow motion.

You’ve directed productions such as The Heiress and Sweet Death. How do you think Phobia is different from your previous operas in terms of production?
For one thing, there is no singing in Phobia. And in relation to orchestration, I have never worked with such an odd bunch of instruments!

Lying, coaxing, ego massaging and washing underpants—it’s all in a day’s work for Norman, the dresser behind the thespian Sir in The Dresser. We gossip with Adrian Pang, who plays Norman, to learn more about the two men.

Tell us more about your love-hate relationship with Sir. What do you like or dislike about him?
I’ve been working as Sir’s dresser for the past 16 years, and I’ve become like a mother to him. And like every good mother who understands her child, I know every twist and turn of the rotten bugger’s mind. Yes, he’s a rude, high maintenance, demanding, unreasonable, ungrateful bullying brat—but he’s MY brat.

Sixteen years? What makes you stay at his side for so long even though Sir is a brat?
He needs me. He would have fallen apart if not for me, and vice versa. He had me at “hello.”

Tell us about his quirky habits.
Sir and Her Ladyship have a ritual. Before he goes on stage, Her Ladyship will say to him, “Struggle Bonzo,” which is her term of endearment for him because he reminds her of her pet dog with the same name; and he will reply, “Survival, Pussy,” which is his nickname for her because ... well, never you mind.

What is the most intimate thing you’ve done for Sir?
He occasionally patronizes the local brothels when we go on tour. Once, he brought back with him a “souvenir” in the form of a rather unpleasant infection. Only I, with my years of experience, skills, special mix of bleach and lye soap, was able to wash away the tell-tale stains from his underpants.

Let us in on Sir’s wardrobe. Any exciting finds there?
He has a rather large codpiece—which serves to artificially enhance rather than protect his nether regions.

As a dresser, have you ever lied to Sir in order to make him feel better?
I lie to him all the time in order to keep his ego inflated. On several occasions, I had to hide or break his reading glasses just so he couldn’t read a particularly nasty review. Once, I told Sir that a certain critic, who had given Sir a nasty review for his King Lear, had been killed by one of Sir’s enraged fans. In actual fact, the poor man had laughed so hard at Sir’s portrayal of Richard III, that he suffered a fatal heart attack in the middle of Act One.

How quickly can you help Sir change from one costume to another?
Four seconds is my record, for helping Sir with his change from Bottom to Prospero. It’s for his bold, experimental, (and much maligned) production A Tempestuous Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Whom do you hate more in King Lear—Goneril or Regan?
Goneril, it’s because her name reminds me of a rather unpleasant incident. Remember the “souvenir” Sir brought back after a visit to one of the brothels?

If you can choose to be a character in King Lear, whom would you be and why?
Kent, because he sticks by his King through thick and thin. I can identify with that kind of unconditional loyalty. Plus, in our production, Kent gets to wear some really gorgeous orange tights.

Do you get bored of King Lear? Since you’ve watched Sir stage it 226 times.
No, every time I see King Lear, it’s like watching it for the first time. Though lately, every time Sir performs it, it’s like his first time, because he keeps forgetting his lines, the silly boy!

Do you think dressers have it easier nowadays, compared to you?
I think possibly J. Lo’s dresser has it worse than I.

The image of a struggling musician with his guitar strapped around him, strumming for the love of music and hoping to earn enough to eat, certainly is a romantic one. But if you’re a busker in Singapore, you’ll soon learn that romance won’t pay the bills. Even the Singapore Buskers’ Festival, which was last held in 2004, didn’t do much to increase the profile of street performers here. Out of 91 registered buskers in Singapore, there are only a few prominent mainstays in the busking scene along Orchard Road, and newcomers slug it out to earn even change from the passersby.

I-S Arts and Entertainment Writer (and guitarist) Ng Hui Hsien and her vocalist friend Florence Chua went busking for a day, survived the experience (just barely) and learned something about the scene here.

First, there is a prejudice among many Singaporeans that busking is only for people who cannot earn a living in mainstream society. For example, the elderly and handicapped comprise most of the buskers here. This is compounded by the general attitude that performing or making music is not a serious activity, and should remain a hobby rather than become a source of income. And second, they learned that with busking, location is everything.

Here’s their account of what happened ...

The Audition

We had initial reservations about the whole busking thing. First, to busk we needed to get a letter of endorsement from the National Arts Council (NAC), and to get that we had to audition. To get an audition, we in turn had to complete an application form and send it to the NAC. Phew.

Auditions are held only once a month—on the first Friday of each month, at a time and place determined by the NAC. We thought there would have been more than one day a month for auditions, so we were quite taken aback by this. Contrary to what we believed, there are obviously not many wannabe buskers out there.

We were told to show up for auditions at 9:40am. The problem was both of us have full-time jobs and were working that Friday morning. We tried to push the auditions back to 9:20am so we could make it to work on time. It took a few phone calls and pleas before we could shift the audition time, and the earliest that the NAC officers in charge could make it was 9:30am. But the audition began at 9:40am anyway, so our multiple phone calls to reschedule it seemed like a waste of time, as something so menial turned out to be so troublesome and pointless (that’s what happens when there’s so much red tape going on). Auditions held this infrequently and during office hours are definitely not very convenient, especially for those who work.

The audition took place in one of the meeting rooms at the MICA (Ministry of Information, Communications and The Arts) building. There were four judges, who strolled in one by one. All of them sat on one side of a huge table, and the mood was a bit formal. We were ushered into the room along with a blind guy, who was auditioning too. It felt like we were competing against a disabled person for a busking spot. It was also a bit weird that when we began auditioning, another wannabe busker was in the room with us, listening to our performance.

The NAC officers wanted us to perform three songs, but as we were pressed for time (Florence had to be in the office by 10am), we did only two: Kylie Minogue’s popular “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” and a Mandarin number, Mayday’s “Wen Rou.” Overall, we weren’t very well prepared and were sleepy, and we missed the beat a few times on the guitar. It certainly wasn’t our best performance, but we tried. There was a bell for the officers to ring if they’d heard enough, but thankfully, they rang it only during our second song. They were pretty quiet throughout our audition, and we had the feeling that they just wanted get the audition over and done with.

After our audition, the officers asked us a few questions, such as whether we had jobs, and, if so, what we did, and why we wanted to busk. We simply said we wanted more exposure for our new band, Iris, and an opportunity to sing for the public. The questions about how we earned our living got us thinking that perhaps skill or talent were not the sole criteria for passing the audition. One’s ability to earn one’s keep mattered as well, as we had the feeling that the blind guy would get the license as he needed it more than we did.

So it came as a surprise that after just a few days, NAC’s Festivals Officer Linda Wee called us to say that our letters of endorsement had been approved, with one for each of us so that we could choose to perform individually or as a duo. A receptionist at the NAC later mentioned to us that most people who audition get through, and we reckon that only people who perform really really badly, like the caterwauling Phoebe from TV’s Friends, are rejected.

The Big Day

With our letters of endorsement, we were free to busk around Orchard Road, Chinatown and along Singapore River—locations we had requested—subject to conditions drawn up by the NAC (see box below). So in true guerilla style, we decided to try out as many spots as possible on a Sunday afternoon.

On the day itself, we accidentally left our letters at home and started busking without them, even though NAC regulations state that buskers need to have their letters of endorsement on display while they are busking. Interestingly, no one noticed or cared, and when a friend later showed up with our letters in hand, we just carried on as if nothing untoward had happened.

We began on Orchard Road, and looked for a quiet spot as we were not going to perform with amplifiers (apart from battery operated ones, amplifiers are not allowed). We initially wanted to perform near the escalators outside Shaw House as traffic flow there is very high, but to our disappointment, harmonica player Loh How Tong had already taken the spot, and according to busking guidelines, buskers performing in the same location should keep a reasonable distance from each other.

Our first spot was near the escalator leading towards the underpass connecting Shaw House to Wheelock Place. As we were performing, we realized that without amplifiers, we were drowned out by the high level of noise from the street. After six songs, we decided to give up as we managed to earn only a miniscule 50 cents. Audience response here was disappointing, as most were more interested in shopping and getting through their day than in listening to us sing.

Our second location, in the underpass linking Shaw House and Wheelock Place, was a much, much better spot to busk in. The area was air-conditioned, and no one had taken the spot, much to our relief. The concave ceiling of the underpass helped to carry our voice and guitar sounds, and we did fine even without a microphone or an amplifier. The underpass was not very crowded, but there were enough passersby and they moved at a more leisurely pace than in our first spot. Some even made an effort to stop for a few minutes to hear us belt out a few songs. A family of three, for example, stayed on for four songs and contributed $5. And later on, a little kid enthusiastically ran towards us and dropped $2 into our humble donation box. All this more than made our day as, in less than half an hour, we had earned more money here than we would earn in all our other spots combined!

After the success with this underpass, we wanted to try our luck at the other underpasses around town, but to no avail. We thought the underpass that connects Lucky Plaza and Ngee Ann City would be a good bet, but the noise and echo levels there were so high we couldn’t even hear ourselves play, and gave up after just two songs. We then proceeded to the space outside Paragon, which was the hottest and noisiest yet, and with too much activity on Orchard Road. It also didn’t help that Ethan Ong, the popular drummer boy, was playing at the other end of Paragon, and drowning out our acoustic guitar and vocals with his heavy drumming!

We almost gave up right here, but decided to try Chinatown. We found a nice spot atop a spacious bridge near Outram MRT station, but the crowd was not very forthcoming and we didn’t earn a single cent even after singing about five songs. On top of that, some of the uncles gave us weird, lewd stares, which made us uncomfortable.

Our last stop for the day was Clarke Quay, which further confirmed our suspicion that life as a busker is really tough! We were not allowed to play along The Riverwalk, Clarke Quay or Boat Quay—because they are private properties. This pretty much left us with just a few isolated spots to choose from. We sang a few songs along the Singapore River near the Asian Civilisations Museum, but the passersby were non-existent, so we stopped.

Overall, we think buskers are much neglected. By the end of the day, we had earned only $8.70—and were very tired and discouraged. And, after all the fuss we went through to get our letters of endorsement from the NAC, no one noticed or cared whether we had a license or not. In fact, no one really noticed or cared, period.

It’s Tough Being a Busker

Busking in Singapore is caught in a vicious circle. Because busking is one of the few means of earning money for those who can’t find “normal” jobs, the standard of busking in Singapore is low. The fact that NAC feels holding auditions during office hours only once a month is sufficient also reflects this—why would any capable or talented person with a full time job want to busk after all. And because the standard of busking is not very high, not many people take buskers seriously. Even the good ones find it hard to get recognition. There’s a preconceived notion that buskers are not talented (otherwise they wouldn’t be busking), too lazy to get a real job, or simply have too much time on their hands.

Which is why we are having second thoughts about busking again, and haven’t busked since that day. We do not want to be perceived as people who are busking because we have no other choice in life. Besides, we have full-time jobs, and play regularly with our own band. And the kind of money (what money?!) that we earned from this busking experience was not worth it, considering that most people were unappreciative of our music to begin with.

But if you don’t really care about what others think of you, and just want to get your music out there, busking may be a way to do it—if you have no other option. Just remember to find a comfortable and lucrative spot to perform in, and stick to it.

Busking conditions as drawn up by NAC (taken from www.nac.gov.sg):

1. A Letter of Endorsement should be obtained from NAC and clearly displayed during performances.
2. Buskers should perform at designated spaces and times.
3. Busking at outdoor spaces of private properties is permitted only if prior permission of the property owners has been sought.
4. Busking hours are generally from 10am to 11pm daily, unless otherwise stated.
5. Buskers do not have exclusivity over busking sites.
6. Buskers performing along the same location should keep reasonable distance from each other for safety reasons.
7. Buskers should not sell any items or merchandise.
8. The sound level generated from busking activities should not exceed 70dBA.
9. Buskers shall indemnify the NAC against any claims.
10. The NAC shall not be liable for comments and opinions expressed by the buskers.
11. The NAC reserves the right to amend the conditions of the scheme from time to time.
12. The NAC reserves the right not to disclose reasons for approving or rejecting an application.

Busking rules and regulations as stated on the letter of endorsement:

During busking, the person should not:
1. Obstruct, or cause obstruction to, pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
2. Actively solicit any donation.
3. Use any sound amplification device, other than those that are battery operated.
4. Make any vulgar or obscene gesture or remark.
5. Sell any items or merchandises.

We sent the NAC some queries after our grueling experience. Below are its replies.

Auditions are only held once a month. Why is that so? Do you think this decreases the number of wannabe buskers?

The monthly auditions sufficiently meet the demand of people who want to busk. The consistent frequency also gives applicants sufficient time to plan and prepare for their auditions. The audition cycle does not impact the number of buskers. In fact, the number of buskers has increased over the years as more and more people busk out of their interest to perform.

How are applicants assessed during auditions?
Applicants are assessed on various criteria which include the standard of performance, creativity and originality, as well as the suitability of the auditioned item for busking. Everyone, whether young or old, able-bodied or disabled, will be given the opportunity to be auditioned. NAC will award the letter of endorsement to applicants who meet the artistic standard and maintain their quality of performance.

The letter of endorsement is free of charge. Have we seen an increase in the number of buskers over the years?
The free audition process and letter of endorsement have certainly encouraged more people to busk. The busking scheme was first introduced in 1997 to enliven our streets, encourage Singaporeans to exhibit their artistic talents and make the arts more accessible to the public. Since then, the number of endorsed buskers has risen from 14 in 1997, to 137 in 2005. We also see more professionally trained talents taking a strong interest in busking to hone their craft, or simply out of passion for street performance. As of June 2006, we have 91 endorsed buskers.

How are the busking spots determined? Are there plans to increase the number of busking spots?
The National Arts Council works closely with various agencies and site owners to identify suitable venues for busking. Factors such as suitability of spaces for busking, safety and flow of pedestrian traffic are taken into consideration to determine appropriate sites for busking. Approved busking locations include both outdoor venues and sheltered spaces such as covered walkways and pedestrian malls. The list of busking locations is reviewed regularly and updated whenever appropriate. (see www.nac.gov.sg for full busking spots)

We busked for a couple of hours without displaying our letters of endorsement. Are there patrolling officers that go around to inspect that buskers display their letters of endorsement all the time?
The police and busking site owners may carry out random checks and are in the position to stop a person from busking if he or she is not able to produce the letter of endorsement.

Even though busking hasn't exactly catch on here in Singapore, but that doesn't mean we do not have some diamonds in the rough as far as talent goes. Click here as we uncover some of the best (and worst) buskers on this tinnie winnie island.

The Style Asia Presents Singapore Water Polo Championships 2006 is in view and we eye the hunky sportsmen as they sweat it out. Thrilled, we jumped into our swimwear and got wet with one of them.

Any recommendations for this year’s most fashionable beach wear?
My vote is for the bikini! This beach apparel will never go out of fashion.

Besides having a gorgeous physique, what are the other advantages of undergoing tough water polo training?
Water polo promotes sportsmanship and teamwork. It builds one’s character and enhances one’s EQ and IQ. In addition, we get to hang out with a great bunch of guys!

Do you have screaming bikini babes rooting for you every time you compete in water polo competitions?
Yes! We do have girls screaming during competitions, but it’s likely that they just want us to score the goals. Unfortunately, they were not dressed in bikinis! But we are indeed anticipating some lady-supporters in bikinis at the Style Asia Presents Singapore Water Polo Championships 2006.

Who is your most ardent supporter?
I have two. They are the women in my life—mummy dearest and my fiancée.

What are the ingredients for a wet and wild time in the water?
Wet and Wild Time = Hot Babes + Hot Water Polo Players.

Ever swam with sharks?
Yup, I get that feeling when playing against my teammates! The rule of survival applies—eat or be eaten.

Boys drenched in water are attractive because…
Of the added definition that is made to their six pack hot bods, the luscious muscular silhouette … But I am more into girls.

We know your favorite outdoor sport. So what’s your favorite indoor sport?
TV marathon! I am quite a TV junkie and a couch potato. However, I am rarely allowed to indulge in this pastime now, with a heavy work schedule and the training.

What is more exhibitionistic, doing fashion shows or swimming? Why?
Both! At fashion shows we flaunt our hot bods and try to get the nonchalant catwalk look right, when playing water polo we get to exhibit our talents and strikes.

In The Great War, parsleys stand proudly upright, resembling trees in a dense forest. With the help of a sprayer, rain pelt down mercilessly on toy soldiers holding little machine guns. We stare awestruck as animated objects tell us a story about soldiers during the First World War. With mouths agape, we sit down with performer Herman Helle to know more about the play.

What can we expect from The Great War?
The Great War is about the life of the soldiers in the trenches of Europe during World War I. We do that with miniature battlefields, sugar, parsley, little guns, little cannons, puppet soldiers which are about 10cm high, and small surveillance cameras. We’re making live animation, using simple props to create realistic effects such as explosions. There will be a composer on stage too. We also have letters from real soldiers which tell of what happened then.

What kind of dramatic elements will drive the play?
There are several. The landscape at first is a beautiful portrait of Western European villages. During the play, it gets destroyed and becomes more like hell. Another important part is the sound. The soundman will have sounds on his computer, but he’ll also use objects to make “live” sounds for horses and the wind. There are also the surprise factors that’ll drive the play. For example, the scene may be peaceful one moment, and the next, you’re in a middle of a tremendous attack, with lots of noise and explosions. People may get the feeling that we’re just grownups playing with puppets in the beginning, but after a while, they believe in the story. Because they know what they see is not real, they use their imagination and get very involved. These are the elements that’ll drive the play.

Is the play going to be cinematic and dark, or is it hopeful?
It is not very hopeful. There is a scene of dead soldiers, where you will see snow and rain. You see that war is over and life goes on, but still, there are people lying beneath the earth. The ending is not so much hopeful but sad and melancholic.

Why do you choose World War I as the subject for this show, and not other wars, like World War II?
We wanted to do a universal story about all wars. The First World War was the first real modern war in Europe. Machine guns, poison gas, tanks, airplanes, submarines and torpedoes were used for the first time and in a way, the war says something about all wars in general. But the Second World War was much more complicated. There is the Holocaust, the Germans and more. It’s very hard to tell a general story using the Second World War. It’s easier to talk on a more general and universal level with the First World War.

How did you go about researching for The Great War?
Coming from The Netherlands, we did have to do quite a bit of research. Holland was neutral, while Europe was at war at that time. We had to read a lot and look at documentaries. We also went to the battlefields in Belgium and France. We saw the trenches, the ruins, the barbed wires and the forests.

So where has the show been performed at?
Besides Holland, we have performed in France, Spain, Slovenia, Poland, Germany, Britain and Italy. Singapore is our first stop in Asia, and I’m happy to visit the place where my father had spent part of his life at. He was a prisoner of war at Changi Prison.