SINGAPORE (Feb 28): Laugh out loud with Singapore’s most irreverent comedian, or witness feminine fury on stage. Otherwise, sit in front of the TV to catch Korean zombies or head out to watch a movie about the awesome power of Mother Nature. The choice is yours, as we bring to you the best picks of things to do for the week.
COMEDY
Vote Kumar
April 8 – April 18
Esplanade Theatre
Drag queen, entertainer, host and comedian Kumar dishes out lots of laughs as he ‘prepares’ for the elections year under the banner of the ‘Singapore NonStop Action Party’. Whether you’re conservative, progressive, left-leaning, right-leaning or otherwise, Kumar’s a one-man party who represents every Tom, Dick or Harry – regardless of race, religion and political affiliation. Tickets are available now on Sistic.com and start from $20 to $105 ($125 for VIP tickets).
THEATRE
Goddesses Of Words: Angry Indian Women
March 15 (3pm - 4pm, 7pm- 8pm)
The Arts House
Angry Indian Women is the second devised play in the Goddesses of Words series, this time with poems by Singaporean poets Deborah Emmanuel and Pooja Nansi. The bold new production looks at identity from a racial, cultural, physical, intellectual, financial and sexual perspective. However, for the under-represented voices of the Indian female, their identities are often hidden, with anger suppression a lesson learnt at a young age. Experience a new perspective in this play, written and directed by Grace Kalaiselvi and performed by Mumtaz Maricar, Pramila Krishnasamy and A. Yagnya. Tickets are priced at $15.
LITERATURE
Textures: A Weekend With Words
March 13 – March 22
The Arts House
Returning for its third edition with the theme ‘These Storied Walls’, the signature annual literary arts festival is inspired by The Arts House’s many identities. From a Scotsman’s planned estate to a courthouse, assembly house, our nation’s first parliament and now Singapore’s literary arts centre, the walls of The Arts House have been etched with many stories. So, imagine the fantastical tales they would tell if they could speak to us. In this celebration of local narratives, Singapore’s writers, artists, and performers will come together to create more stories for the walls to tell, dovetailing The Arts House’s past as a heritage site and its present as Singapore’s home for local literature. Co-commissioned by The Arts House and #BuySingLit with support from the National Arts Council, this year’s edition features an array of interactive elements that animate Singapore literature throughout the house. The audio-visual exhibitions and interactive installations will have you getting up close and personal with storytellers and stories both real and mythical. Listen, feel, and look closely — only then will the tales unveil themselves to you. Admission is free.
FILM & TV
Kingdom (Season 2)
From March 13 on Netflix
Korean dramas are not just about love. Sometimes, they are also about rabid killer zombies in 15th century Korea. Here, the exiled Prince Chang fights the undead to save his kingdom and his people. This Netflix original series was a sleeper hit that took everyone by surprise: In the first season, the prince and his allies battle zombies only to discover a terrifying secret (as if being assaulted by the flesh-eating undead was not enough). While that season cliffhanger left everyone at the edge of their seats, this time around Prince Chang has to also face his political enemies while dealing with a King who just wants to keep all the intrigue and mayhem under wraps.
Aquarela
In cinemas now
Aquarela is a deeply cinematic journey through the transformative beauty and raw power of water. Filmed at a rare 96 frames-per-second, this film is a visceral wake-up call, reminding us mere mortals that we are no match for the sheer force and capricious will of Earth’s most precious element. From the precarious frozen waters of Russia’s Lake Baikal to Miami in the throes of Hurricane Irma to Venezuela’s mighty Angels Falls, water is this movie’s main character, with director Victor Kossakovsky capturing her many personalities in startling, eye-popping detail.