Five things to do in Singapore over the weekend of October 11-13

This weekend, it's an arts feast! Catch a performance at the da:ns festival at Esplanade, watch the hilarious award-winning musical Urinetown, or explore the representations of demons in Indian cinema with Associate Librarian Dilip Kumar.

1. Rasas 2019: Kathakali

Photo courtesy: Jayaram Nair
Photo courtesy: Jayaram Nair

Explore two stories from the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, told through kathakali. 

Kalyana Sougandhikam tells the story of Bhima, the son of the lord of the winds, and his wife Panchali, when she asks him to search for the rare, night-blooming sougandhikam flower.

The other story is Duryodhana Vadham, which describes the conversation between Panchali and Krishna after being humiliated by Druyodhana and Dussasan. Panchali seeks Krishna's promise to prevent any reconciliation between the two warring parties – the Pandavas and the Kauravas, until she avenges herself.

When: October 11-13
Where: Esplanade Concourse
Entry: Free

2. Annotations: Art + Archive in Southeast Asia

Photo courtesy: unsplash
Photo courtesy: unsplash

“Annotations: Art + Archive in Southeast Asia” is a gathering of voices from the imbricated domains of art history, artistic and curatorial practice, and digital humanities.

Speakers will share their perspectives — or “annotations” — on key issues as well as new modalities of archival work in Southeast Asia, suggesting how we can gainfully activate and advance beyond that to hold the archive as a compelling site of critical possibilities.

When: October 12
Where: Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium
Entry: Free

3. A Librarian's World – Horror-Scope: Demons in Popular Horror Lo

Photo courtesy: National Library Board
Photo courtesy: National Library Board

Do we feint fear of monsters because we are attracted to the ones outside or detest the ones within? Associate Librarian Dilip Kumar dissects the conventions of horror created by popular literature & films through the window of Indian cinematic demons.

By diving into the wells of Sadako, the whistle and bells that restrain Annabelle to Bella’s obsession with milk faced bat(d) boy Edwards, to sewer dwelling clowns who are not joking about It, to exposing disbelieving exorcists who are not Constantine, to Kanchana's saffron sari, we uncover the opportunities grasped and lost in Indian Cinema to translate demons of centuries of myth into a strong film identity.

When: October 12
Where: Central Public Library 
Entry: Free

4. World Press Photo Exhibition 2019: Singapore

Photo courtesy: Joana Choumali
Photo courtesy: Joana Choumali

This exhibition features the World Press Photo of the Year, and for the first time, the World Press Photo Story of the Year. The winners were chosen by an independent jury that reviewed more than 78,801 photographs entered by 4,738 photographers from 129 countries.

When: October 11-13
Where: National Museum of Singapore
Entry: Free

5. Urinetown: The Musical

Photo courtesy: Pangdemonium
Photo courtesy: Pangdemonium

Award-winning URINETOWN is the hilarious musical satire that gleefully makes fun of politicians, populism, “people power”, capitalism, corporate corruption, and musicals.

In a fictional “most expensive city in the world”, a “cross-border water crisis” has led to a government ban on private lavatories. The woeful water shortage sees the erection of "pay-to-pee" public toilets operated by an all-powerful corporation. 

When threatened with yet another "pee-fee" hike, the poor citizens – having endured overwhelming oppression and bursting bladders – can no longer hold it in, and stage a revolution.

When: October 11-13
Where: Drama Centre Theatre 
Entry: SGD 30-100