The UrbanWire      

All laptops come with USB ports these days, and a portable flash drive is considered essential for students. And so it is, that many companies have caught on, igniting an explosion of USB gadgets. Here are five of the wackier ideas in recent memory. (Read more)

The House Bunny is a comedy that explores identity, friendship and love. Set to release on Oct 1, it revolves around playboy bunny Shelly Derrington (Anna Faris from the Scary Movie series) who gets kicked out from the Playboy Mansion. She has nowhere to go and ends up as a babysitter to socially awkward teenage girls. There she teaches them how to be popular and she even learns a few things from them too – like other heart-warming pseudo-comedies that become far too predictable. While the lame name and lacklustre trailer provide little reason to watch it, this movie is worth a go if you’re into click-flicks.

Movie Details

Release Date: 1st October 2008
Language: English
Rating: G
Genre: Comedy
Starring: Kat Dennings, Colin Hanks, Emma Stone, Katharine McPhee, Anna Faris
Directed by: Fred Wolf

– Text by Mohsen Oliver Michael

Images courtesy of Sony Pictures

History never looked so juicy before. The untold tale of the 50’s Cabaret Queen, Betty Yong, unravels multitudes of unscrupulous men, misfortunes and her struggle to survive. Ogled at by many; she loved the attention. Yet when sincerely loved by few, can she answer a simple question “Do you love me too?”

UrbanWire reviews I am Queen’, a play part of the OCBC Singapore Theatre Festival 2008.

(Read more)

Channel 5 launched its new programme entitled Calefare on Aug 9, right after the “live” telecast of the National Day Parade 2008.

Calefare had an extensive pre-show campaign that asked “Do you Calefare?” and “How do you spell Calefare?” With all the hype and an auspicious premiere date, UrbanWire marked our calendars and caught the premiere of Calefare.

The first few minutes were excruciating to watch – Gurmit Singh walking in zig-zags around a set and hitting himself with random things around him. We were as shocked as he is in his picture on Calefare’s blogsite. (Read more)

It’s not easy getting dolled up for the Red Carpet. Sure, you could make a few calls to round up your “army” of make-up artists, hair stylists and yoga masters to whip you into shape – but that’s not enough. It takes more than just proving that you’re not anorexic. It’s knowing enough about about yourself and what’s in this season to avoid the fiery darts of the critics and fashion police wannabes out there.

Unfortunately, some celebs seemed to have not been paying attention in Fashion 101 at the MTV Asia Awards. UrbanWire rates how they fared on the Red Carpet.

With the big day tomorrow, UrbanWire weighs how will MTV Asia Awards 2008 co-hosts Jared Leto and Karen Mok fare. (Read more)

The female lead from the anime AppleSeed is who Animax creative director Tracy Wong wants to be.

“Deunan is a lean, mean machine. She’s smart and wears amazing Prada shoes. Laughing, she adds softly, “who kicks guys’ ass, only when needed of course.”

With sharp features, long flowing curls tucked neatly behind her eyes and a warm smile, Tracy almost looks as if she’s like dainty Princess Arwen right out of the pages of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

Though never in front of the camera before, Tracy takes up a lot of behind-the-camera responsibilities at Animax, almost akin to Peter Jackson’s directing and producing role in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. (Read more)

If only he existed, top British spy James Bond could well be sitting at a local nightspot and enjoying his all-time favourite drink, shaken, not stirred. After all, every variation imaginable from an A-tini to Z-tini is being made available at the Martini Innercity Festival 2008 (MIC). (Read more)

Make sure you arrive at Jon Chan’s concert on Jul 25 with all your senses switched on to the max. Trust us, you’ll need them.

This isn’t your typical “sit back, relax, and keep your ears open” type of concert. Be prepared for music so intimate and illustrations so intriguing; Ears and Eyes with Jon Chan promises to be a sensory treat for all.

Did you say there’ll be illustrations?

Surprise surprise! The concert at Esplanade’s Recital Hall will also feature a gallery of Jon Chan’s illustrations. He shares with UrbanWire that the works that will be on display is “a collection of whimsical drawings, which is more to reflect certain aspects of the music – more of the eclectic side.”

Curtains drawn aside and reservations melted away, Jon steps out of the limelight from bigger stages to deliver a more personal feel to this late Friday night concert. Through his drawings, you’ll meet what he describes as “certain parts of [his] personality – insecurities, defensiveness and sense of injustice at times”.

The gallery aims to provide a multi-sensory experience for the audience. “Most people either react [to] visual or audio [in] their surroundings. I found out that I can’t have one without the other,” adds Jon.

Will we get to hear songs from his EP?

Definitely! The lead singer of Plainsunset marked out his own path with a reflective folk-rock solo album, Pencil Tracings featuring the acoustic versions of Water Line and Security. Jon Chan’s trademark calm, soothing voice shines through with Water Line, a song he finds describes him best.

Want a preview? Pencil Tracings, the free digital EP is available for download at Jon’s webpage.

Going solo, is it scary being onstage alone?

Without Plainsunset behind him, it sure is scary, even for our local music hero. Despite his encounters with punk rock, Jon shares with UrbanWire, “to jump up onto a platform is not the most comfortable thing in the world to me, still.”

”It’s even worse when I turn around halfway and realize I’m all alone on the stage. Solo sets are internal battles every single time I have to get up. [I] can’t think of one where it hasn’t been, really.”

With Jon baring his soul to show the more intimate side of himself at the concert, UrbanWire can’t help but wish for comfy beanbags, cushions and soft lighting to add to the cosy atmosphere.

Think “Simon and Garfunkel on one hand, MewithoutYou on the other [and] Bruce Springsteen on one end of the pitch. I’m playing a lot with arrangement and dynamics too, so hopefully it’ll not be too predictable, I suppose. Hopefully, it’ll be all good!”

Oh, we know it will be.

Ears and Eyes by Jon Chan will be staged at the Esplanade Recital Hall on Friday, Jul 25, 9.30pm. Tickets are sold at SISTIC for $25.

Do have the following symptoms – high fever, rough skin, heavy breathing or a hoarse voice? For soon you might discover a small bump above your nose, your skin will turn into a nasty shade of green and your pyjamas will itch. Beware! You’re in danger of turning into a rhinoceros!

In writer-director Zizi Azah’s adaptation of Rhinoceros, Berenger the male protagonist wrestles the reality of being the last human being in the town when the townspeople turn into rhinoceroses one by one.

Opposing opinions and conflicting values take the stage, making a ruckus and leaving the townspeople wondering “Asiatic or African rhino? African or Asiatic rhino?” they echo. Realist Berenger finds himself raging against the rationalist’s argument that theirs is an “infallible system of interpretations”.

Watch out for the exciting transformation of Jean, Berenger’s best friend. 

 

No, this Jean does not turn into a phoenix (like Jean Grey in X-Men II), but the equally explosive metamorphosis sparks Berenger’s realisation that his worst fears are coming true. Word of caution: Stay well out of Jean’s way as she chants “trample you down” and “demolish the lot”. Do we need to move with the times? Return back to nature? Who are the real people – Berenger or the Rhinos? Morbid love fades against the energy emanating from the Rhinos, causing Berenger to suffer yet another loss.

Details
12 – 13 June, 8pm
Esplanade Theatre Studio
S$28
95 mins (no intermission)

Cast List
Berenger – Rodney Oliveiro
Jean – Karen Tan
Logician & Dudard– Tan Shou Chen
Daisy – Anjana Srinivasan
Botard & Old Gentleman – Melvinder Kanth
Pappillon & Waitress – Serene Chan
Mrs Boeuf & Housewife – Kalai Grace

Images courtesy of the National Arts Council.

This article is part of UrbanWire’s 9-week Singapore Arts Festival 2008 special. Get all the latest Arts Fest updates and reviews on UrbanWire.

A shadow travels down the dark alley, slowly and steadily. He yields a long weapon, its shiny metal finishing glinting under the dim streetlights. Creeping up to a polished Nissan Presea, he climbs onto the roof of the red beauty, raises the sledgehammer high into the air and brings it down with a loud thud. No, you’re not witnessing a vandal in action. It’s musician and creator of Auto Auto, Christian von Richthofen.

UrbanWire reviews Auto Auto in excerpts of a fictional court-case.

Disclaimer:

Witness 1 was conceptualised from quotes of concert-goer Chris Prenner, a music teacher. Witness 2 was conceptualised from the UrbanWire interview with Christian von Richthofen at his meeting with some youths prior to the concert. Witness 3 was conceptualised from UrbanWire’s observations at the concert and quotes of concert-goers Michelle Lee, section leader in her secondary school’s band, Tasha Chia, tertiary student and Jonathan Wee, aspiring musician. Christian von Richthofen’s quotes were from UrbanWire’s interview with Christian. Prosecution and Defence scripts are entirely fictional.

The Prosecutor

Full Name: Dan Lee
Occupation: Full-time Car-Lover
Hobbies: Polishing the car, cleaning the car, vacuuming the car, naming the car.
Famous Quote: “Don’t you dare put your greasy fingers onto my precious car!”
Represented by: Tock Wah Song, on behalf of the Car Lovers Association (CLA)

The Defendant

Full Name: Christian von Richthofen
Occupation: Musician, Full-time Dad and Creator of Auto Auto
Hobbies: Helping youths to use their energy for music, visiting scrap yards, tapping on anything and everything to make music.
Famous Quote: “Music is always in my mind.”
Represented by: Trish van Ruud, on behalf of the Auto Auto fans (AA)

It Begins

Case No. 123728A. Prosecutor, Dan Lee is pressing charges against defendant, Christian von Richthofen for disfiguring a red Nissan Presea on June 8, 2008 at 8pm at the Esplanade.

Opening

Judge UW: Opening statements please.
Prosecution: Your Honour, we should not let vandals escape through our fingers! *punches fist in the air* Let one go free and all the cars in Singapore will be in grave danger… Our streets will no longer be safe. *stands on the chair* Where will we hide our cars? How can we afford car invisibility cloaks? We are in grave danger unless the defendant is found guilty. We are doomed! *squats on the chair with hands covering his head*

Judge UW: Be warned that any more exaggerations from you and you will be sent out!
Defence: *throws a quizzical look at the crouching lawyer* Your Honour, with all due respect, I cannot allow his exaggerations to cloud Your Honour’s impression of my client. My client, Christian von Richthofen, is no vandal. He is the world-acclaimed musician who makes music out of anything and everything. I shall prove my case that my client is simply challenging the conventional notions we have about what music is. Thank you.

The Witnesses

Judge UW: Bring in your 1st witness to the stand.
Witness #1: Simon Horsell, Dean of the Maxwell Music College

Defence: Where were you on the evening of June 8, 2008?
Witness 1: I was at Esplanade, watching Auto Auto with my wife and 2 children.
Defence: Tell us what you recall from the concert.
Witness 1: Christian started singing Toccata & Fugue in D Minor by Bach! Bach’s masterpiece! As Dean of Music, I give you my word that the man is 100% musician. What a splendid way to play Bach! I never dreamed of Bach being played on such an unconventional instrument.
Defence: Can you describe how he was playing on the car? And how was it musical to you?
Witness 1: The beats were so rhythmical, they followed the 4 beats per bar as in the scores for Bach. He had the car windows as bass drums, the car doors as tom-toms while the high-hat could be found on the sides of the car. He wasn’t creating a ruckus; he was making music out of long-neglected unconventional instruments.
Defence: So it was music?
Witness 1: Yes, I would go so far to call him the best drummer in the world!
Defence: Thank you. No further questions, Your Honour.

Prosecution: The axe and electric saw were introduced to the audience later. Were you scared?
Witness 1: Well, I was for a minute or so until I realised it was Bach.
Prosecution: And music is subjective to personal opinion right?
Witness1: Yes of course, but audiences are slowly accepting unconventional instruments like the recycled materials used by STOMP.

Judge UW: Thank you. Bring in your 2nd witness.
Witness #2: Claire Dupont, college student

Defence: Tell us your relation to Christian.
Witness 2: I help out after school at the music workshops Christian holds once a week for youths. I’ve been helping out for a year now.
Defence: Okay, so you were aware of his interest in unconventional music?
Witness 2: Definitely, I remember he used to tell us that he would like to put a voice to anything and everything. Give him just a pair of chopsticks now and he’ll probably be able to play around the whole court room.

Prosecution: You say that he plays on anything? Isn’t that dangerous?
Witness 2: No, it is not dangerous at all! Christian always ensures that it is safe.
Prosecution: But he’s dealing with hammers and axes! How can you consider that safe?
Witness 2: I’ve seen him in concert and at youth workshops. With the youth, he is very careful. He only uses instruments like chopsticks or peas in tin cans. He once said that instead of playing on stage, he could just play around the theatre!

Judge UW: The 3rd witness, please.
Witness #3: Kel Dunkirk, aspiring musician

Defence: You were at Christian’s concert in Singapore at the Esplanade Theatre on June 8, 2008?
Witness 3: Yes, I was.
Defence: Please describe how the performance went and tell us how you reacted to what was happening onstage.
Witness 3: I was seated at the Circle seats. A red Nissan lay onstage under spotlights, as if it was on exhibition at a car showroom. Almost half the audience were youths between the ages of 13 to 22. As described by Christian, the car needed tuning so he started sand-papering the sides of the saloon while his sidekick, Frank Vanet, used the windshield wipers in a musical collaboration that was quite pleasing to the ear. He often used jokes about cars to allay the audience’s concern over the disfiguring car.
Defence: What was your reaction?
Witness 3: At first I was concerned too but Christian had perfectly crafted the performance in a way that the car was not hacked immediately, but in a gradual slow process. He started with playing Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmuzik on the car like a piano, using only his hands. Later the percussionist moved around the car to accompany Vanet’s two-way song that was useful in interacting with the audience. He sang out a phrase that the audience later echoed after him. Nearly everyone sang along, sweeping aside our worries for the car. In their next theatrical act, Vanet described the car as “his precious”, using the famous line from the Lord of the Rings. A gleaming hammer on stage brought the audience back to reality after a rather comedic act. The first slash the car took seemed maniacal at first, but Christian, sensing the audience’s initial shock, quickly tossed another joke “not to worry because this car will be a Jaguar in its next life.” It did calm the audience down as curiosity took over, heavy with desire to see and hear what else these musicians could do with the car.

Defence: So do you consider the performance as “musical”?
Witness 3: Yes definitely, it was well co-ordinated – in the finale where Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake was used, even the sparks emitted from the electrical saw were well co-ordinated almost like fireworks! There was split-second precision.
Defence: The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines music as “the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity” or as “vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony.” What is your definition of music? Has watching Christian’s performance challenged your perception of conventional music?
Witness 3: Merriam-Webster’s definition covers Christian’s music entirely. Tones in succession? Check. In temporal relationships to produce a composition that has unity and continuity? Double Check. Prior to watching Auto Auto, I have never seen performances by other unconventional percussionists like STOMP. However, after catching Auto Auto, I’m in awe of how musically-talented he is. After all, it is not an easy job to make music out of anything and everything. It must be difficult to sing and play at the same time!

Judge UW: Let’s hear from Christian himself.

Christian: There’s always music in my mind. I have the beats inside and I want to bring it out so that I can put a voice to anything and everything. Take a keyboard, tap on it then combine it with something else! Music is a kind of language. Do you believe that everything has a sound? I could go around and play around the exterior of the whole theatre! I started the music programme for youths because street-fighting is a worldwide problem. These youths have a lot of energy, so take this energy and transform it into music. Inconsistent beats are noisy, but if we play together and communicate well, our beats become very musical.
Prosecution: Why do you use cars? It is far too dangerous?
Christian: I do think that the car is the most beautiful and underrated instrument in the world. It’s good for concerts under my strict supervision only. I decided not to use normal drum sets, because with so much high energy on the loose, the drum’s skin is in danger of tearing, so I use unbreakable things – like plastic canisters for tom-toms, any piece of metal for a high hat, 33cm long sticks, cardboard boxes…
Prosecution: So now you use any car you can find?
Christian: All the cars used are from the scrap yard. I go there, practice on some cars to find the best car. These are cars that people have thrown away already. So we give them ‘a last concert’ before they go.

Closing

Judge UW: Closing statements, please.

Prosecution: Your Honour, the witnesses have expressed evidences of fear, concern for the car and the instruments used in this ‘performance’ by the defendant. The prosecution strongly feels that these concerns should be taken into consideration in Your Honour’s final deliberation.
Defence: Your Honour, it is noted with regret that the prosecution has not accepted that music can come in many forms – in the conventional grand pianos or unconventional instruments like old tin cans, used boxes and cars. My client is very stringent with adhering to stipulated safety levels for his performances. The witnesses have shown my client’s charitable acts to help the youth, his passion for music and his excellence as a percussionist who merely seeks to challenge people’s perception of music. Thank you.

The Verdict

Judge UW: After much deliberation, Christian von Richthofen is found not guilty. All charges against him are dropped as he has shown musical talent. However, it is of the court’s concern that you deliver this phrase with a serious face at the end of every performance – “Do not try this at home or in the car park.” Case dismissed.

As Christian leaves, he stops to pull a stern face, “Do not try this at home,” before winking and adding, “or the police will catch me at the airport when I fly home!” Auto Auto, the best mix of a mechanical performance and the theatrical Christian von Richthofen, left the audience with a newly found desire to tap their fingers rhythmically on the wooden counter and escalator sides as they made their way out of the theatre.

Auto Auto is scheduled for the Henley Festival in England on July 12.

Images of the Auto Auto concert courtesy of Esplanade Co. Ltd.
Images of Christian von Richthofen courtesy of Jeremy Boo and Valerie Oliveiro.

Rock the Sub is probably the second biggest highlight of this year for indie music lovers in Singapore, only next to Baybeats. Its second run took place on June 7 at Timbre @ The Substation after a very successful round in 2007.

2 stages, 12 bands and a lot more to offer

Similar to the Baybeats‘ concept of having 2 stages so that performances can be held consecutively, Rock the Sub had two stages named the Gibson Stage and Timbre Stage giving audiences the freedom to choose which performances they wanted to catch.

The two stages housed a good mix of 12 bands from 6pm all the way to 2am.

Given such an array of performances to choose from, audiences were often seen “drifting” between the Timbre Stage, located within Timbre’s premises and the Gibson Stage which was in The Substation’s black box theatre.

Timbre Stage

First up was You and Who’s Army, an upcoming band named after a Radiohead song. Therefore it was not surprising to see that they kicked off Rock the Sub to a good start with a Radiohead cover. Their female drummer, Benita, was the one to watch as she served well on the drums as well as on the keyboard.

The crowd are people in their 20’s to 40’s who mostly opted to dine first before enjoying the performances later in the night.

Among the newer bands in the line-up was Heritage – who is well in their 30 years of eclectic music in the local scene. Respected by all, Heritage also featured their flautist frontman.

Other bands that took the Timbre Stage were melodic Kevin Matthews and The Groovy People , rockers Lunarin and the crowd favourite Giants Must Fall, with a grand finish from homegrown band West Grand Boulevard.

Gibson Stage

The Timbre Stage was tame compared to the Gibson Stage. Filled with a younger audience, the black-box theatre was home to a head-and-fist-banging crowd who stood just inches away from their favourite bands. Sitting down was hardly possible, unless you want to risk being stepped on by the surging crowd.
The Armchair Critics gave an intense start at the Gibson Stage but things lightened up when their lead-singer RG went wireless and got offstage during his guitar solo. Other bands included Allura, who sold their new EP entitled ‘Wake Up and Smell the Seaweed’, ska band Fishtank, Tiramisu who threw a unique performance, rockers Zero Sequence and closing act, Vertical Rush. Allura was not the only ones with a new EP as Vertical Rush sold their limited edition ‘Angels’ EP featuring the acoustic versions of their songs.

The Highlight

The bands were at their best but it was the crowd who kept the party going strong. Pumped up by hosts FreakyZ and Zaki, the crowd bobbed their heads and some were even game enough to dance along. The crowd kept their energies up throughout the night. The highlight however, was when people in the crowd lit their lighters and waved it along to the music. It summed up the night with a warm fuzzy feeling.

“My child, nothing happens the same way twice,” Aslan, the mighty lion, (ironically) tells young Lucy Pesenvie twice in the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Disney’s second attempt at creating a box office out of Narnia has fallen short yet again.

Summary
Lesson #1: Mediterranean accents do not always work on British actors.
Lesson #2: War scenes: How much bloodshed is considered too gory?
Lesson #3: Musings of the Purists
Lesson #4: Dear Little Friend.
Lesson #5: That’s enough of Shrek already, thanks.
Lesson #6: Are those Ents from LOTR? Is the train from Harry Potter?
Lesson #7: It’s a movie, not a flipchart calendar.
Lesson #8: Who threw the characters out of the window?
Lesson #9: Heart-breaker
Lesson #10: A cheesy ending to the Narnian adventure
UrbanWire’s Verdict (Read more)

Daunting silence. The silent pitch-dark theatre would make an achluophobic shiver in his seat. Yet the Singapore Festival Orchestra waited for the audience to embrace the silence and remain still.

Pockets of people coughing, discreet whispers of “What’s going on?” and the annoying zipping and unzipping of bags (for what absurd reason, UrbanWire) faded eventually.

Full of Anticipation
Minutes of Silence
The Chorus
The Allegory of Fish
Altering Space
The Struggle
Chaos Continues
The Swan Song
Acclaims from UrbanWire
Reactions from the Audience (Read more)

Keep a lookout this June for some rather queer performing artists! Running from May 24 to June 22, the Singapore Arts Festival 2008 hits the streets again with a band of international and local buskers at locations near you. Roving artists will turn up whenever you least expect them to brighten your day with their antics. The Arts on the Move segment of the SIngapore Arts Festival aims to make the arts more accessible.

Arts Where We Eat
Arts in Tampines
Arts in Trains
Other Roving Artists

Arts where We Eat

High-end restaurants may have violinists to play for their guests, but for the next 3 weeks, Arts on the Move in collaboration with the National Environment Agency brings artists like Macadam Piano (France), Erwin Adam (Singapore) and
La Guardia Flamenca (Belgium) to play instruments or even dance for you while you’re having breakfast or dinner at the nearest food centre.

Eating hotspots, such as the famous Newton Food Centre, Tiong Bahru Market and East Coast Lagoon Food Village, will enjoy the full eating experience with these roving artists on the weekends of May 31 to June 1, June 7 to 8 and June 14 to 15.

Arts in Tampines

The residents of Tampines Street 11 were the first to be treated to Arts on the Move performances by guzheng master Neo Sek Koon, young guitarist Erwin Adam, balloon sculpturer Mdm Twister, and the all-time favourite Macadam Piano by Pomme D’or. 


UrbanWire spoke to those who encountered the artists at the Tampines Round Market & Food Centre over the weekend (May 24 – 25).

“Bringing these artists to public areas allow us to experience the Arts Festival even though we cannot afford to buy tickets to other plays or concerts,” shared Toh Yi Guan, 55, who stayed to watch the performances even after he had finished his breakfast.

Sally Liu, 37, thought it was a good experience for her toddler. “We were caught by surprise when we came down for breakfast. My daughter, Selene, was amazed by the moving piano.”

The highlight of the weekend was definitely Macadam Piano, a quirky pianist on a moving piano. Dressed smartly in a coat with tails and a top hat, the roving French pianist charmed the crowd easily with his simple nods and facial expressions while his fingers flew elegantly on the keyboard. This crowd-pleaser stopped the shoppers in their activities at the Tampines Food Centre as he played the pieces of Mozart and Schubert for them.

Along his route, the artist played to an elderly woman seated against a side wall. It was magical how his music brought a smile to her face even though there were no words exchanged between the artist and the elderly woman.

Arts in Trains

Busy areas are the best areas for mingling with the crowd. The Three Tai Tais (Mandarin for non-working woman with a very rich husband) take the busiest train stations by storm to tease you and brighten up your day with their hairdos, colourful costumes and cheerful personalities.

Meet Daisy from the 70’s, Helen from the 80’s and Shirley from the 90’s as the Tai Tai trio drop by the Orchard MRT, Dhoby Ghaut MRT and City Hall MRT.

In an interview with UrbanWire, the Three Tai Tais share their excitement of interacting with people at the train stations. “We have our characters, but we still improvise. It is more fun that way”, beams Tai Tai Daisy, complete with long straight hair and a colourful loose shirt from the 70’s.

“We want to show people that although we’re from different eras, we are still actually quite the same,” explains Tai Tai Helen from the 80’s, in a golden shimmering dress and Tai Tai Shirley from 90’s, in white-framed glasses and a pink chequered dress.

The trio kept their act going throughout the interview with UrbanWire, as if we were really speaking to three real Tai Tais! These veteran actresses are the real deal. Don’t forget to say ‘Hi’ to the Three Tai Tais when you see them over the weekends of June 7/8 and June 14/15.

Other Roving Artists

Giraffes by Xirriquiteula Teatre (Spain)

Three life-size giraffes will stroll along the streets of Singapore to interact and play with the young and old alike. Accompanied by musicians who bring the savannah experience to the bustling city, these Giraffes can be spotted at Raffles City and VivoCity during this Singapore Arts Festival period.

La Guardia Flamenca (Belgium)

Join the marching parade of flamenco-majorettes as the girls make their way down to Clarke Quay from June 6 to 8.

Complete with pink skirts, dark red boots and flowers in their hair, the La Guardia Flamenca is bound to charm you with their exuberant laughter and dance moves.

For the full schedule of Arts on the Move, please visit the Singapore Arts Festival 2008 website.

This article is part of UrbanWire’s 9-week Singapore Arts Festival 2008 special. Get all the latest Arts Fest updates and reviews on UrbanWire.