We reveal the theme of SIFA 2016, and our top picks of plays, art installations and interactive activities of the annual festival
Artholics in Singapore, while we might have bid farewell to the jam-packed Singapore Art Week 2016, there’s another striking artsy festival coming our way in the later part of the year. Directed by Ong Keng Sen, the pinnacle arts event of Singapore’s annual calendar, Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA), makes its comeback for its third rendition and it’s gonna be bigger, bolder and definitely better! Happening from August 11 to September 17, the 2016 season matures into a creations festival decked with 20 productions, of which a record-breaking 15 will be brand new creations, specially (and thoughtfully) curated chiefly for the main festival.
What makes SIFA the art event that you cannot miss is that it focuses on art beyond our border, looking deeply into the international arts scene and the intricate interplay between local, regional and global art. Taking off from its previous instalment, this year’s festival is the third of the trilogy – leaving behind the past (2014, Legacies), shifting away from the present (2015, Post-Empires) and advancing forward into the future and its potentialities – which is the theme of SIFA 2016. Brandishing the theme of POTENTIALITIES, SIFA 2016 dabbles on the optimistic facet of the future and, more importantly, places great emphasis on the potentials of individuals who are living in the system, and who can change the world for betterment.
With 15 new creations – by artists with calibre and stature from both the international arena and the Singapore scene – gracing this season, it’d be pretty hard to decide which performances to catch. Fret not! We’ve got you covered, ’cause here are our top five must-catch performances this coming SIFA season.
Everything by My Side by Fernando Rubio
Well-revered Argentine dramatist and visual artist, Fernando Rubio, is bringing us an eccentric work that’ll change your perspective on art. Rubio’s Everything by My Side is a miniature play in bed where an audience member will lay side by side on 10 white beds with 10 various actresses from 10 different countries, who’ll take turns sharing their childhood memories. Rubio has also consciously designed this performance to possess a Singaporean flavour. Talking about getting in bed with an actress – in the name of art, of course!
Hamlet | Collage by Theatre of Nations and Robert Lapage
If you’re Shakespeare’s biggest fan, it’s time to treat yourself to an unusual re-imagination of one of Shakespeare’s greatest texts – Hamlet! Taking more than two years to create, celebrated Canadian theatre director, Robert Lepage, will present us with a robust and dynamic masterpiece that has been interjected with astounding video technology, making it an imaginative and awe-inspiring Shakespeare performance you’ll ever witness. What’s more? This performance is designed for only one actor, and it’ll be performed by one of Russia’s greatest contemporary stage actors, Evgeny Mironov.
I Am LGB by Loo Zihan and Ray Langenbach
Here’s another creation that might pique the interest of artholics who wish to put on their thinking cap. A collaboration between two of the most innovative contemporary performance artists around – Loo Zihan from Singapore and Ray Langenbach who’s currently based in Kuala Lumpur, I Am LGB is a four-hour durational performance that deals with the subject matter of identity politics through art. Commissioned by Singapore International Festival of Arts itself, this must-see performance is utterly provocative and truly mind-blowing.
The Last Supper by Ahmed El Attar
Gather your culture-vulture buddies for a slow evening, and catch The Last Supper by pioneering Egyptian independent stage director and playwright, Ahmed El Attar. Having received a standing ovation at France’s Avignon Festival, The Last Supper is a dauntingly dark comedy theatre-piece that looks into the complexities of life of a typical affluent family in Egypt, after the chaos of the Arab Spring. Exceptionally written by Ahmed El Attar himself, this razor-sharp social commentary contains relatable ethos that dwell on universal themes such as the falsification of wealth, as well as the seemingly ‘vibrant’ human interaction we have to deal with on a daily basis. If you’re keen to be mentally provoked by art, this is one production you cannot miss.
720° by Ron Arad
If you’re looking for a family-friendly creation at SIFA 2016, you might wanna check out designer extraordinaire Ron Arad’s 720° at the beautiful Gardens by the Bay. This gargantuan outdoor video installation will surely astonish you with its massive size and creativity. Made up of 5,600 silicon cords spanning over 37 kilometres in length and suspended from a height of eight metres, these lightweight rods will serve as an interactive video screen for both sides of the 360-degree stage. Experience the spectacle and appreciate the arts at this dreamlike interactive stage with a kickass setting to boot.
But then again, if you’re on the roll and wanna discover all 20 productions, we can’t (and won’t) stop you. Instead, we’d strongly encourage you to slowly explore each and every performance throughout the entire duration of the season. After all, why not?
Tickets for the Festival are available via SISTIC. You can also get the Early Bird tickets (with 20% off ticket purchases!) at SISTIC from 8 April till 8 May. So wait no further and grab your tickets soonest!
Singapore International Festival of Arts 2016, Aug 11 to Sep 17, 2016, various venues. Further deets can be found on the event’s official website or Facebook page.