SINGAPORE – Artistes from China are returning to the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts for the first time in four years.
The annual festival, now into its 22nd edition, will run from Feb 16 to 25. Early-bird tickets are on sale from Dec 14.
Guangzhou-based indie folk-rock sensation Wutiaoren, comprising musicians Amao and Renke, sing in the Haifeng dialect. They have earned critical acclaim since their 2009 debut album and won fans in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Also from China is the Shanghai Pingtan Troupe, originally scheduled to perform in 2020’s Huayi. It will put on stories about China’s legendary The Four Beauties. Performed in the Suzhou dialect, this narrative folk art, which dates back to the Ming Dynasty, combines storytelling and music. There will be English and Chinese surtitles.
Headlining the theatre bill are two home-grown companies.
Nine Years Theatre returns to the Esplanade Theatre after its well-received 2022 main stage debut Between You And Me.
Everything For You is another family drama, written and directed by Nelson Chia, about three sisters reuniting on the first day of Chinese New Year after their mother’s death. Starring Jean Ng, Sharon Au and Mia Chee, this production also marks the stage debut of television actor Rayson Tan.
The Finger Players, under the direction of artistic director Oliver Chong, reinterprets stories from the classic Liaozhai (Strange Tales From A Chinese Studio) in Transplant. The puppetry group will collaborate with Singaporean Vedic metal band, Rudra, in this Esplanade co-production at the Singtel Waterfront Theatre.
There are more traditional theatre offerings too. Cantonese opera lovers are in for a treat as Hong Kong star Liza Wang and her husband Law Ka-ying are performing the lead roles in two shows, The Sassy Princess and Woman Warrior: Mu Gui Ying.
Taiwan’s Comedians Workshop, credited with updating the traditional art of cross talk, will present an uproarious production Dear Governor Bao, with tales about the beloved hero Justice Bao.
Audiences hungry for more experimental fare will celebrate the return of Hong Kong’s renowned contemporary theatre group Zuni Icosahedron, which is staging 13.67, a multimedia adaptation of Hong Kong born Chan Ho Kei’s classic crime novel The Borrowed.
There is also Dance A Dance From My Body, a co-commission by the Esplanade and National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Weiwuying, a new work by Taiwanese choreographer Chou Shu-yi featuring a regional team of artistes from Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
A more family-friendly production produced by Drama Box, The Dog Who Wasn’t Useful, will appeal to young audiences.
Pop fans also have much to look forward to as Taiwan’s Wei Ju-hsuan, better known as Waa Wei, and 2011 Super Idol runner-up Hung Pei-yu are on the cards.
Esplanade’s senior producer Delvin Lee notes in a statement that Huayi will take place after Chinese New Year, a time for family gatherings. “The programmes we plan for Huayi are therefore carefully curated with this implicit goal: to provide an unforgettable experience in the arts that you can share with your loved ones, young or old.”
Book it/Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts
Where: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, 1 Esplanade Drive
When: Feb 16 to 25, various times
Admission: Free and ticketed
Info: esplanade.com/huayi
