Dennis Sofian

revel in the arts through play — SIFA @sifa_sg is back till the end of May 🎭✨ this year’s festival invites you to become part of the works themselves through the interactivity each experience allows: step into the intimacy and elusiveness of light at The Lighthouse, where both children and adults can lose themselves in the boundless beauty light & music can create 🌟 then head on to Victoria Theatre for SHIOK: you are (not) what you eat, where Yang invites us to pause and reflect on our consumption habits. a moment to reflect on our love affair with convenience and single-use plastics in our food culture 🥘🍜🍴 explore the rest of the festival before ending the evening at the Festival Village with Makan Culture, an immersive performance paired with local halal delights like dry laksa, rojak, pandan cake, and kaya toast. beyond the humour, the performance is a thoughtful critique on our tendency to measure local creations against international productions instead of celebrating what’s uniquely ours 😮‍💨🥱 Makan Culture was a personal highlight for me & definitely worth a watch. i left reflecting on how deeply our local food and the arts are intertwined with singapore’s nation building; and what that meant to me 🙂‍↕️🤫 i’ll always love international productions, but i’m equally (if not more) passionate about supporting our local arts scene. i hope i can continue to inspire you to enjoy more of it too 🩷 you can enjoy 10% off ticketed programmes with <SIFAFRIEND10> ❣️ and if you do go, feel free to DM me your thoughts after! i’m always happy to chat about the arts <3 #SIFA2026 #arts #sgarts #makanculture #supportlocal @tateanzur

It's two weeks to Makan Culture, and it's been a trip with this genuinely fantastic bunch, taking a good hard look at our own lives creating culture for consumption. We have an artistic director of a theatre company, an ex-artistic-director, an actor who trained in London and another who dropped out of biomed in Poly, and one clown school graduate who does corporate training... All led by a director who does just about everything. And all of us come up against the struggle of - What is good enough? According to who? And when we're good enough, then what? If you've ever asked yourself the same questions, come join us. These people are hysterical and vulnerable and warm and wonderful; and I know that they'll make the audience laugh and think and feel as valued as they have me. The poster is up everywhere, the Straits Times article is out, and we have several shows in the first week already sold out (if you're worried, there are still unsold-out shows in the second half of the month). Come and makan with us-  every $20 Culturepass-claimable ticket includes a Halal bento with rojak, kaya bread, dry laksa and a drink. Tickets at the link in bio!

8 Mar 2026 Charlotte's Web was the first literature text I studied in primary school. It was a beautiful story about an unlikely friendship. A story that quietly taught me the beauty of reading, of empathy, of caring for someone beyond yourself. Revisiting Charlotte's Web now — through adult eyes rather than a child’s — felt unexpectedly difficult. Because as a child, it was simply a sweet story. As an adult, I saw the weight of what Charlotte gives. I left the theatre wondering whether I could ever be the kind of friend Charlotte was to Wilbur. And honestly, I wasn’t sure I could. Charlotte loves in one of the purest ways possible — wholeheartedly, completely, and expecting absolutely nothing in return. She gives her time, her energy, her care, her wisdom, all for someone else’s sake. And while that kind of love is beautiful, I’m not sure it comes easily to me. Maybe that was what moved me most about this production: not nostalgia, but confrontation. It reminded me that stories we read as children often grow with us. What once felt simple can return years later with sharper questions. Not “Will Wilbur be saved?” But “Could I love someone that selflessly?” “Could I show up for a friend so fully?” A children’s story, perhaps. But not a childish one. ✨

Last three days for $16 tix and these people want to ask if you buy already? Britney @yuyangellisontan is a cultural connoisseur slash critic who will also be in attendance. She would love to hear your cosmopolitan thoughts as to whether Makan Culture actually counts as dinner theatre. Vik @fahimbawe is the stage manager of Makan Culture. He would just like for people to not spill things and the performers to chill. Wilfred @densofian is the independent artist who has somehow got funding to do a community show next to the Raffles statue. He hopes you will be there to support because he is suddenly realising that comes with Expectations. Rahilah @mastyy is a cook who has wandered over from one of the festival village booths to see what you are snacking on, and why didn't you just go eat at her stall instead? The Assessor @jodecro is the grant executive from a stat board who must make sure what Wilfred promised in his grant application is actually delivered. Being consultative, she may ask you for whether Makan Culture fulfils cultural requirements. The early-bird sale ($16 for a show and snacks!) is on for three more days till 13 April at the link in bio. Show runs 15-30 May at the custom- built sheltered area on Empress Lawn. Hope to see you there! Photography by @crispiphotos Design and illustrations by @artleinad Makeup by @benolim Directed by @krishyyy7 !

[ARCHIVE] CHARLOTTE'S WEB by @srt_thelittlecompany 25 February to 28 March 2026 Drama Centre Theatre My first ever children's play at The Little Company! So grateful to @dan_jenkins3 and @glowingtape for having me onboard. Lucky to have such a beautiful team to work with from cast, creative and production team! Thank you for the warmth TLC! SAYANG SEMUA! ✨🌸🐖🕷️🕸️

February ended on a lovely note with the dramatised readings of the winning scripts from the 24-Hour Playwriting Competition 2025, including my Third Prize winning THE TREE OF LIFE. Huge thanks to @tworkssg @nationalgallerysingapore @myleyantay and everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. Lots of gratitude to director @shouchentan , and actors @jodecro @sindukalidas @densofian @filhad @printedpicturesofthefrontline @zorisnnt for bringing it all to life — and for pointing out my huge blind spot during the table read! It was also lovely to meet @thisisinch @fka.wenyi.xcx @nychesterman , looking forward to seeing more works from you guys! #24hpwc2025 #24hourplaywritingcompetition #playwriting #singlit

Some really hot takes here 👀🌶 When a community performance meant to tick nation‑building boxes gets disrupted by a critic, things get spicy as a lively debate about what elevates food and art ensues! Step into Makan Culture, a riotous experience where audiences and performers come together to explore the question: “What makes us worthy?” through a lively sharing of local eats, stories and performance. 🍽 🎫 Get your tickets now at sifa.sg! Link in bio. #SIFA2026 #LetsPlay #oursgarts #sgartists #sgfood

The embargo! It has been lifted!! And we can share that we'll be presenting an interactive show at this year's Singapore International Festival of Arts, called Makan Culture! Literally about how we consume culture, the show is a stripped-down Singaporean take on the dinner theatre experience. Audience members will get to munch on selected hawker food at a sheltered area on Empress Green and picnic with us at kopitiam tables as a ''community performance'' is disrupted by a critic. Expect to make your voice heard as the characters crowdsource your voices and your stories in a debate about what gives meaning to food and art. So happy to be working with an amazing team including these photogenic folk, in this poster shot by the wonderful Crispian Chan and designed by the ever-patient Daniel Choong who illustrated all the monuments, with makeup by the master that is Beno Lim! Thanks for the image that has already found its way onto a bunch of press...thank you @channelnewsasia , @timeoutsg , @businesstimessg for the highlight of our visuals and show! And as usual, thank you always to my incredible mentor @tzechien for commissioning me to do this=) More details about our dream producing and creative team coming up. In the meantime, Makan Culture runs from 15-30 May at Empress Lawn. $20 Culturepass-eligible tix available at #linkinbio now!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Community Showcase of the 24-Hour Playwriting Competition 2025, featuring the Dramatised Readings of this year’s winning scripts. The afternoon was a powerful testament to what can emerge within constraint — bold ideas, urgent voices, and deeply resonant storytelling shaped within just 24 hours. It was a privilege to witness these new works move from page to performance, and to share that moment collectively with our community of artists, collaborators, and supporters. We are especially grateful to National Gallery Singapore (@nationalgallerysingapore ) for their generous partnership and championing transdisciplinary dialogue and expression. Their support made it possible to situate these emerging theatrical voices within a broader cultural conversation. To the playwrights, directors, performers, creative teams, and audiences — thank you for your commitment, rigour, and presence. Your contributions continue to shape a vibrant and evolving landscape for new writing. We look forward to gathering again in celebration of process, collaboration, and the transformative potential of live storytelling. Stay connected for upcoming T:>Works programmes. #24hpwc2025 #24hourplaywritingcompetition #playwriting #competition #singlit Photos by DWKM @_dwkm_ . Images courtesy of T:>Works.

February Dump

thank you 🙏 to these divas ✨ 💃👠 for CLOCKING 👌 OVERTIME ⏰ at the MOTHER FACTORY 🤰🤰👩‍🔧🏭👷‍♀ & staging🎭 & SLAYING 🗡️🐉💅 our scripts 👓📖DOWN⬇️ 👇 BOOTS 👢🤠🐄 😔🐎😎

Charlotte's Web has officially opened — and the barn is buzzing with excitement!​ Our favourite farmyard friends kept crowds on the edge of their seats. Their playful antics on the stage and bursts of action spilled right into the audience, delighting all! ​ Don't miss this fast-paced adventure packed with surprises around every corner! Round up your favourite humans and enjoy 15% off our Family Package.​ Running now till 28 Mar 2026 at the Drama Centre Theatre, tickets are going fast! Book yours now via the link in bio. ​ 📣 This performance is SG Culture Pass Eligible.