Reviews – Patricia Tobin

Voices uninterrupted: “Two Songs and a Story” review

We’re more than six months (days? years?) into the COVID-19 outbreak in Singapore. Cancellations for arts and theatre performances started as early as in February, as countless performances and discussions have gone online.

Enter Two Songs and A Story, or more accurately, ten songs and five stories – the latest work by Checkpoint Theatre. The online video series comprises of five parts, told by five distinct voices (ants chua, Inch Chua, Jo Tan, Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai, and weish). These pieces were written and composed during the Circuit Breaker period¹, and it emits an earnest sense of creativity and attempts in meaning-making during isolation.

Saccharine sweet “Mak Mak Menari”

Bhumi Collective’s Mak Mak Menari tells the story of a traditional Malay dance troupe, as named in the title. “Mak mak” which translates to “mum” and “menari” meaning “dancer” in Bahasa Melayu aptly describes the group of ex-dancers, working mothers and homemakers. Their story is charmingly told; a loving tribute to dance and these Malay women.

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On me, you, and me: “Beside ourselves” review

Beside Ourselves marks local electronic duo .gif’s theatrical debut. Part live music and part narrative performance, Beside Ourselves plays out like a live concept album on stage. It opens with a quietly daring question: Where do we go when we are beside ourselves?

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All aboard “The Utama Spaceship”

The Utama Spaceship Incident Report #000291

Reported by: P Tobin

Title/Role: Passenger G328β

Date of Report: 14012020

Location: Space, 59³ light years away from Alpha Centauri

Type of Security Incident: Unauthorised ship repair attempt.

→ A plunger over an air hole.

Continue reading All aboard “The Utama Spaceship”