[Sponsored] Book readings, literary panel discussions and meet-the-author sessions form the core of the Singapore Writers Festival program, but there are many other events taking place from Nov 4-13 that offer something a little different. Here are eight things you can do at the festival that you might not have known about.
Get the inside story on Sing Lit in 90 minutes
Remember Borders at Wheelock Place? If you’re a literature student, a budding Singaporean writer or simply someone who’s always wondered about what makes things tick in the English-language literature scene here, get the inside story in this verbatim theatrical piece. A spinoff of Rant and Rave, a production staged by The Finger Players in 2012 and 2014, Between The Lines: Rant and Rave II will take you on an odyssey through Singapore’s literary history from the post-colonial era to the present day. Nov 4-5, 8pm; Nov 6, 3pm, School of the Arts, $35
Catch a unique collaboration between writers and musicians
enec.e – Photo by Dennis Andri
A cross-disciplinary performance featuring writers and musicians, Cache explores themes of memory and nostalgia. Poet Jennifer Anne Champion will team up with dream pop band enec.e while Chinese-language poet Tan Chee Lay and Malay-language sci-fi writer Hassan Hasaa’Ree Ali will collaborate with exploratory music outfit SA (仨) for the show. Nov 12, 8pm, Esplanade Recital Studio, $25
Shop and eat at a craft market
This year’s SWF POPshop is going to be bigger and better than ever. You can look forward to two weekends of browsing the array of stalls for crafts, lifestyle merchandise and more, accompanied by coffee and food. Nov 5-6 and Nov 12-13, 1pm, The Arts House, Free
Get a hearty dose of comedy
Norsiah Hamid
Produced in partnership with Berita Harian, Malam Lawak Sastera is a two-hour Malay-language variety show with a focus on comedy. Expect to see top talents from the Malay literary scene with highlights like a pantun “battle”. Nov 5, 8pm, Victoria Theatre, $30
Join a culinary conversation
If you’re a dedicated foodie who wants to delve deeper into Singapore’s culinary scene, then you won’t want to miss Michelin in Singapore: The Aftermath a panel discussion led by The Straits Times’ veteran restaurant critic Wong Ah Yoke. Chef Kirk Westaway of Jaan and Chef Manjunath Mural of The Song of India will be in attendance—their restaurants both received one star in the first edition of Michelin Guide Singapore. Nov 12, 10am, The Arts House, $20 (Festival Pass Event)
Visit a photography exhibition
The theme of this year’s Singapore Writers Festival is “Sayang”, a Malay word with many meanings. The exhibition Shades of Sayang showcases images made by photographer Wong May-E inspired by 20 works of Singaporean writing. As part of the exhibition Secret Sayang sessions will give you the opportunity to meet some of the authors whose work features in the exhibition. Nov 4-13, 6pm, The Arts House, Free
Watch thought-provoking films
Singapore’s entry for the 2015 Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film category, Sayang Disayang (My Beloved Dearest) is celebrated as the first Singapore-made Malay-language film to be released in more than four decades. It explores the relationship between a foreign domestic worker and her aging, cantakerous employer. Director Sanif Olek and actress Aidli Mosbit will attend the screening. Film buffs can also check out the Utter 2016 film One Hour to Daylight (Nov 4), based on four Singaporean short stories; the winner of the 2015 Palme d’Or, Dheepan (Nov 6); an open-air screening of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to mark Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday (Nov 10); and the latest instalment of the Detective Conan film series, The Darkest Nightmare (Nov 13). Nov 7, 7pm, The Arts House, $20 (Festival Pass Event)
Go for a walk on the wild side
Did you know that Singapore is a key hub and consumer market when it comes to trading in illegal wildlife? CEO of WWF Singapore Elaine Tan will provide an inside look at this shady industry with the Classroom Series event The Truth Behind the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Singapore. Nov 6, 5:30pm, Asian Civilisations Museum, $20 (Festival Pass Event)
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