5 local theater shows to catch before the year ends
From reprisals of well-loved productions to a mystical staging of the Mahabharatha, local theater is closing out the year with a bang.
The year is coming to a close, which means local theater companies are eking out their final productions of the year. There's quite a roundup between now and the end of December, including the international premier of a big-deal Peter Brook play. Read on.
The Spirits Play (until Nov 15)
Hardcore theater-goers will know that the classic Kuo Pao Kun play, The Spirits Play, is being staged again. In it, a general, a man, a girl and two other ghosts recount the suffering they have experienced during WWII. This time, Oliver Chong of the Finger Players is bringing a new take. Don't worry if you don't speak Chinese--there are English subtitles at this one. Drama Centre, National Library Singapore. $35
A Twisted Kingdom (Nov 12-14)
A Twisted Kingdom. Photo credit: Christopher Fok
Christopher Fok and his crew are subverting fairytale tropes in A Twisted Kingdom. The protagonist is a fool who is looking for a kidnapped prince, and in doing so, has to face his inner demons and some childhood trauma. The Substation, $28
Beauty World (Nov 13-Dec 12)
The famous local musical by Michael Chiang and Dick Lee is a throwback to the '60s, with a naive protgaonist entering the cabaret world in search of her lost father. Notable names include Jeanette Aw, who is returning to the stage, and veteran Janice Koh. Victoria Theatre, $38-$128
Peter Brook's Battlefield (Nov 17-21)
Decades ago, Tony and Emmy award-winning director Peter Brook turned the epic Mahabharata into an equally epic stage production. Almost 30 years later, SRT is co-commissioning the international premier of Battlefield, in which Brook takes the final scene from the Indian epic to make it a standalone play. The world premier was in Paris just back in September, so it's a pretty big deal that Singapore is the site of the international premier. Capitol Theatre, $48-$108
The Emperor's New Clothes (Nov 20-Dec 12)
Even if you aren't into the theater, Wild Rice's annual Christmas pantomine, The Emperor's New Clothes is a production for mainstream audiences. This time, an emperor of a kingdom that is celebrating its 50th anniversary wants to hold the most exorbitant National Dress Parade (we see what you did there, Wild Rice). This year, playwright Joel Tan (who we've interviewed before) makes cheeky jokes and social commentary that is requisite of every Wild Rice Christmas production. Drama Centre, National Library Singapore, $50-$80
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