The Sleeper Awakens…
Singapore’s a city where there’s never a dull moment. Fresh off the action-packed Jubilee weekend, the Singapore Night Festival is just around the corner. The punchlines will be fast and furious, and the shining lights and flames will illuminate the evening. Don’t forget the Festival Village, where the food is as good as any party you’ll attend. Brace yourselves.. the Singapore Night Festival is coming. Here are 10 reasons why you should check it out.
1. Risk being mercilessly ridiculed by Kumar at Cabaret – Queen Of Glamour
Photo Credit: Hard Rock Cafe
Singapore’s beloved drag queen Kumar will be making the House Of Glamour stage his own this Singapore Night Festival. With two decades of entertainment and an impressive resume of film, television and theatre credits, you’ll be sure to laugh till your sides ache – I certainly had quite a few good laughs over this video of Kumar, the Drag Queen.
Kumar’s jokes centre around race and sexuality, so stay clear if you’re easily offended. A word to the wise though: don’t make ANY form of eye contact with Kumar, don’t stand too close to the stage, and be sure to duck as low as you can when you see Kumar scanning the room for his next target. You have been warned!
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 10.00 pm to 10.45 pm
Venue: House of Glamour, Cathay Green
Admission: $15 | For 18 years & above
… and laugh till your sides split at RIOT! by Becca D’Bus!
Update: We’ve been informed that tickets to Kumar’s House Of Glamour have all sold out! As such, we’d like to recommend RIOT! by Becca D’Bus. It’s a lil’ trashy, a lil’ flashy, and a guilty pleasure for all. It’s hosted by Becca D’Bus – she’s been called a revolutioniser of the world when she was really just turning on the spot. As such, it’s no surprise that you have to be at least 18 to enter. You know what they say – don’t be a drag, just be a queen.
Date: 29 Aug & 30 Aug
Time: 1.00 AM to 1.45 AM
Venue: House of Glamour, Cathay Green
Admission: $15 | For 18 years & above
Note: To reserve tickets, email your name, date of birth, contact number, programme title/date and number of tickets to [email protected] //
2. Alchemy by Starlight Alchemy
Source There’s nothing quite like lighting up the night with a dazzling display of fire and light. Starlight Alchemy are Singapore’s premier fire and light performance group, presenting flaming extravaganzas and dancing lights. They’ll be performing a journey of reconciliation between Apollo, from the world of Ethereal Light, and Nuri, from the world of Eternal Flame. This team of local and international artists are sure to fire up the crowd for the whole night.
For a taste of what to expect, check out the video below!
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug
Time: 8pm, 9.30pm & 11pm (25 mins each)
Venue: Singapore Art Museum , Front Lawn. Admission is free.
3. Be astounded by Singapore’s best ventriloquists
Everybody talks. Source
I’ve always been jealous of people who can make puppets talk. And when they have comedy and magic backing them up, it’s an irresistible combination. Joseph Then, professional ventriloquist, and Shawn Chua, magician and ventriloquist, will be combining to bring you an evening of laughter and entertainment with their puppets Harry the Horse and The Sensational Stefano. Admission is free too, so you really have no reason to be missing this. Remember to email early to reserve your tickets.
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug
Time: 7.00 pm to 7.45 pm
Venue: House of Glamour, Cathay Green
Note: email [email protected] //
4. Make your own souvenirs at the CREATIONS Workshops
Cedric Le Borgne’s artwork. Source
At CREATIONS Workshops, you’ll take part in exciting activities and show off your art to your friends. One of the workshops, Bend And Break with Cedric Le Borgne, will teach you how to bend wires to make your own sculptures.
Another workshop that caught my eye is Find Your Flow! by Starlight Alchemy, where participants can experience Maori poi spinning, hula hooping and staff manipulation. Be careful not to swing fire-laced sticks around at home though – the SCDF won’t be amused.
Sat, 22 Aug
Bend and Break with Cedric Le Borgne | 10am – 12pm
Be a Director with Stephanie Ronzon and Fred Multier | 3pm – 5.30pm
Wed & Thu, 26 & 27 Aug
Catch the Light with Bryan van der Beek | 8pm – 9.30pm
Thu, 27 Aug
Find Your Flow with Starlight Alchemy | 7.30pm – 9pm
Sat, 29 Aug
Hula Hoop Flow with Starlight Alchemy | 5pm – 6.30pm
CREATIONS tickets range from $25 to $38, with concessions available. Tickets available from SISTIC.
5. Singapore’s brightest street musicians on the Festival Village Stage
Homegrown musician Jaime Wong. Source
Busking is where many musicians cut their teeth overseas, practicing and honing their craft while getting little to no pay for it. In Singapore, buskers are a little different, needing to demonstrate to the National Arts Council that they’re good enough to get a permit to busk proper.
For these local buskers, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime to play their hearts out to the crowds on the big Festival Village Stage – show up and let them know their music is getting heard! Performers include Amanda Tee, Jaime Wong and Awi Rafael.
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 7.00 pm to 2.00 am
Venue: SMU, Campus Green. Admission is free.
For a list of all performing artists, click here.
6. Sing along to Rasa Sayang Eh! at the Peranakan Museum Variety Show
The Main Wayang Singers. Source
If you liked the Little Nyonya, you’ll love the Peranakan Museum Variety Show. For a taste of Peranakan culture, the Peranakan Musuem Variety Show stands unrivalled. With classic baba-nyonya tunes and sing-along performances in the dondang sayang tradition, this party in Armenian Street will deliver a Peranakan experience like no other.
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug
Time: 8.00 pm to 9.00 pm
Venue: Armenian Street. Admission is free.
7. Watch Improv Comedy Take The Stage!
SourceAs someone who takes a long while to think before he speaks, I find improv comedy downright distressing. It’s probably best to leave it to the professionals – professionals like The Improv Company, who will present a night of comedy theatre that’s made up right there and then on the spot.
Audience members get to make suggestions, inspiring witty punchlines and stories, so if you’ve got a great idea but can’t quite think how to make it funny, be there and help make The Improv Company’s life a little tougher – they’ll thank you for it!
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug
Time: 11.30 pm to 12.15 am
Venue: House of Glamour, Cathay Green
Admission: $15 | For 18 years & above
Note: To reserve tickets, email your name, date of birth, contact number, programme title/date and number of tickets to [email protected] //
Drawn In Light by Ralf Westerhof. Source
In PERSPECTIVES talks, you’ll get to meet the performers, artists, and people who make the Singapore Night Festival a success – in short, a perspective from the production side that will illuminate the show in a new light. This year’s talks feature David Passegand & Moetu Batlle, creators of the Anookis, as well as Ralf Westerhof, who makes 3D line drawings out of hand-bent wires.
While it’s $12 for a ticket, they come bundled with a $10 drink coupon which you can use at the Festival Village. For insights into how the performers prepare themselves before their acts, you really have no reason to attend at least one of these talks.
Sat, 22 Aug
1.00 pm | Meet the Anookis by David Passegand & Moetu Batlle
2.30 pm | Ride the Magic Carpet by Miguel Chevalier, Carolyn Kan and Depression
4.00 pm | Drawn in Light by Ralf Westerhof
Wed, 26 Aug
7.30 pm | Dream Weavers by Brandon Tay & Stephanie Ronzon
Sat, 29 Aug
2.00 pm | Fire Starters by Starlight Alchemy
Each artist talk is 60 minutes long.
PERSPECTIVES tickets are $12 (inclusive of a $10 drink coupon) each, concessions available. Tickets available from SISTIC.
9. Discover the art of how people interact in HDB flat corridors
Source HDB flats are a common experience for many of us, myself included. Choreographer Dapheny Chen, a founding member of local dance company Re:Dance Theatre, recreates this experience through the medium of contemporary dance, telling stories of community spirit, relationships, personal growth, and life.
These encounters were inspired by Chen’s own recollections of common spaces, and promise to strike a chord with many Singaporeans.
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 8.00 pm, 9:00 pm, 10:00 pm
Venue: Waterloo Centre, ARTSPLACE @ Waterloo Centre (along Queen Street)
10. Eat and Shop at the Festival Village
SourceThe food has always been an integral part of the Singapore Night Festival. This year’s mouth-watering line-up includes the unmissable Soi 55, a Thai beverage stall with Thai milk tea, green milk tea slushies, and Scrumptious At The Turf, a Turf City restaurant which brings beef burgers, creamy chicken and beef meatball pasta to the table.
There are over 20 food stalls, so you can be assured to be spoilt for choice. Also making an appearance are Hoshana, an artisanal jewellery shop, and Ourheartbeads, which sells quirky and ethnic accessories.
Date: 21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug
Time: 6.00 pm to 2.00 am
Venue: SMU, Campus Green
To The Rhythm Of The Night!
With so much to do, there’s no excuse to miss out on it! These are only 10 of the best events to look out for, but if you’re generally looking for new things to do, just walk around the entire festival and you’re sure to find new things to capture your interest.
The Singapore Night Festival is the most happening festival in Singapore for the next couple of weeks and most of the programmes are free. Book your tickets early to avoid disappointment!
What: Singapore Night Festival 2015
Where: Bras Basah and Bugis area
When:21 Aug & 22 Aug, 28 Aug & 29 Aug, 6pm till late
TSL Giveaway!
We’ll be giving away 2 x pairs of tickets of Find Your Flow (Thursday, 27 August) and Hula Hoop Flow (Saturday, 29 August) by Starlight Alchemy. To win tickets, all you need to do is:
Step 1: Like TheSmartLocal and ‘Join’ the Singapore Night Festival 2015 event on Facebook.
Step 2: Share this post on Facebook.
Step 3: Leave a comment below that post and tell us which tickets you’d want to win, and why!
Results will be announced on 24 August 2015. Good luck!
This post was brought to you by Singapore Night Festival 2015.