10 Performances & Activities To Check Out At Singapore Night Festival 2016
PUBLISHED August 20th, 2016 10:45 am
If there’s any good reason to be out late at night in the city, it’s the annual Singapore Night Festival (sorry, Pokémon Go), which returns to the Bras Basah. Bugis precinct for its spectacular ninth edition from 19 to 27 August.
Spreading across two weekends, this is that time of the year where the streets come alive with unconventional light art installations, gravity-defying performances, and roving street acts by a star-studded smorgasbord of local and international artists. We’d recommend heading out every single day for the full Night Festival experience, but if you’re hard on time, here are the highlights to watch out for!
The Wheel House by Acrojou
Described as a tender and post-apocalyptic love story, The Wheel House – straight from the UK – is a fascinating rolling acrobatic theatre show that literally revolves inside and around a circular home. This is not your usual fantasy dystopian story, but one filled with laughter, friendship. As the audience, you’ll be treading lightly alongside these traveller-gathers on the road to nowhere and everywhere.
When: 19 & 20 Aug 2016, 8pm – 8.25pm, 9.25pm – 9.50pm, 10.50pm – 11.15pm
Where: Main Ground
Les AquamenS by Machitern Company
Imagine two men dressed in suits, whose heads are stuck in a jar of swimming goldfish. Sounds absurd? Ask them about it yourself as they as they roam around the festival grounds in this comical act, if you can find them. The question is, how do you interact with people when barriers are up?
When: 19 – 20 August, 8pm – 11.30pm
Where: Roving
Keyframes by Groupe LAPS
A new installation by French artists Groupe LAPS will be taking over the iconic facade of the Singapore National Museum this year, weaving micro-stories that bring the past to life. Part animation and part moving sculpture, artists will be equipped with LED lights to imbue the stately building with energy and excitement, dancing, scaling, and tumbling with their jaunty bodies.
When: 19, 20, 26, 27 Aug 2016, 7.30pm – 2am, 21 to 25 Aug 2016, 7.30pm – 11pm
Where: National Museum of Singapore Front Lawn
Late-Night Texting
It’s a night of text-based works in fun, bite-size experiences at Centre 42. There’ll be over 15 short plays, spoken word performances, completely improvised musicals, and other late-night textual adventures, complete with some retail and drinks therapy – the lineup including Les Musicables, destination: INK, and Dark Matter Theatrics.
When: 19, 20, 26, 27 Aug 2016, 6pm – 10pm
Where: Centre 42
The Bloc Party @ Armenian Street
A mainstay of every edition of Singapore Night Festival, the Armenian Street Bloc Party features an assortment of electrifying programmes, from a rumbling Harley Davidson motorcycle convoy to an epic light saber battle royale by FightSaber Singapore. On another week, listen out for the acapella tunes of Vocal XTC, and watch the eclectic Main Wayangat ensemble performing your favourite classic hits.
When: 19, 20, 26, 27 Aug 2016, 7.30pm – 2am
Where: Armenian Street
A Kaleidoscope of Spring by NAFA
When: 19, 20, 26, 27 Aug 2016, 7.30pm – 2am
Where: Ixora Room, Peranakan Museum
House of Curiosities by Sweet Tooth
Professor Chambers is a celebrated explorer and inventor, who builds a time machine thats brings them to wondrous crystal caves in subterranean depths. At The House of Curiosities, curious man-made machines tell the story of adventure and the human condition in a steam punk-esque world. Told with interactive activities and performance, come draw out the imaginative and creative spirit in you.
Tickets are available at the door and via SISTIC at $16.
When: 19, 20, 26, 27 Aug 2016, 6pm – 8pm, 8.30pm – 10.30pm, 11pm – 1am
Where: Cathay Green
Festival Village: Stage
Weekend Noise is back at the Singapore Night Festival, bringing along a stellar line-up of Noise alumni musicians, as well as three Australian emerging acts. Featuring the likes of Stopgap, Linying and HubbaBubbas, this year will see talents from down under – Alice Ivy, Tali Mahoney, and Frida -, mixing up an eclectic evening of different styles and genres of music.
When: 19, 20, 26, 27 Aug 2016, 6pm – 1am
Where: SMU Campus Green & University Square
Invasion by Close-Act
Witness a mythical world come alive with large animals roaming amongst you – everything from prehistoric birds to dragon-like creatures that look nothing short of spellbinding. These talented performers from the Netherlands will then proceed to battle with robots, with your help of course. In this magical interactive spectacle, will you stay or will you run?
When: 26 & 27 Aug 2016, 9.45pm – 10.15pm, 11.30pm – 12am
Where: National Museum of Singapore Front Lawn
Singapore Art Museum Art Market by The Local People
The good folks at The Local People will make sure you don’t go home with empty stomachs and with empty hands. Shop at the art market on the ground level of Singapore Art Museums, with specially curated merchandise by local artists and designers, all while chilling out to the tunes of local musicians such as Amanda Tee, Hannah Grey, Khai, and Jean Goh Seizure.
When: Saturday, 27 August 2016, 7pm to 1am
Where: Glass Hall, Singapore Art Museum
Of course, these are no even close to all of the activities and performances available.For more details and the full programme lineup, please click here.
Singapore Night Festival is happening from 19 to 27 August 2016 at Bras Basah. Bugis precinct.
