Twelve years ago, Prospero, the Duke of Milan had his position usurped by his brother, Antonio. He was cast away to sea, and found himself on a desert island with his daughter Miranda. They share the island with the spirit Ariel and the native Caliban. Both are enslaved to Prospero, and wish for their freedom. One day, Prospero asks Ariel to create a storm. The storm wrecks the ship carrying Prospero’s enemies, and washes them onto his shore. What will happen on Prospero’s island in the hours after the shipwreck? Will Prospero bring his enemies to justice? Will Miranda fi nd a husband? Will Ariel achieve his freedom? Will Caliban get his revenge?

Following The Outcast General and the award-winning Tears of Barren Hill, Danny Yung’s closing sequel in his Experimental Traditional Opera Trilogy is a revamp of the kunqu solo act Flee by Night. The classic act is one of two surviving acts from the play, The Legend of the Precious Sword written by Mid-Ming playwright Li Kaixian, as an allegorical rebuke of the corrupt leadership. The hero Lin Chong, a character from the Chinese classic novel, Water Margin, was an honourable and loyal instructor of the imperial guard, who was tricked by malicious officials into violating the law. He had no alternative but to join the band of Liangshan outlaws. In a perilous flight, he found himself alone in the dark of night. Overwhelmed with anger and frustration, the hero wept over his fate.

In this venture, Danny Yung brings us back to the past and the origins of Chinese opera. He asks: How has Chinese opera evolved into a way for artists and audiences to show resilience in tumultuous times in the face of their social and political discontent? How do the intelligentsia express dissent through the performing arts? How do artists question the ideologies behind the establishment? How does the small theatre stage influence society at large? By interpreting and re-interpreting Lin Chong against the backdrop of different historical periods – from the mid-Ming dynasty when kunqu became popular to the lingering death of the Southern Ming empire; from the Literary Inquisition of the Manchuruan regime to the fast descending semi-colonial state of China in the late 19th century; and from the Maoist revolutionary frenzy to the state- censored “hexie”(harmonious) society – Lin Chong’s flight will make us painfully aware, not only of the present, but also of ourselves.

One of the couples meet at a live performance club in Roppongi and end up going straight from there to a love hotel in Shibuya, where they spend fi ve days. Going out to eat from time to time, the couple Minobe and Yukki, suddenly fi nd that they are seeing Shibuya with fresh new eyes. Then there is Minobe’s friend, the slightly wired girl Miffy and the boy Azuma whom she meets at a movie theatre. There are also the two young men Yasui and Ishihara who are taking part, somewhat half-heartedly, in an antiwar march in Shibuya.

Emily starts a new job at a legal fi rm specialising in divorce. She walks into the offi ce and
straight into the marriage of her bosses…

In 1950s New York, the dock workers’ unions are in the stranglehold of the Mob. If you’re on the inside then life is sweet — kickbacks, bribes and easy shifts are your rewards. Go against them and your life isn’t worth living. Unwittingly implicated in Joey Doyle’s murder, Terry Malloy starts to question where his loyalties lie. When he falls for the dead man’s beautiful sister, he has to make some diffi cult choices — “snitch” and risk the consequences, or live with his nagging conscience and stick to the Waterfront code — remaining “Deaf and Dumb”. The classic story of the guy who “coulda been a contender”.

Liu’s Compound
An account of an ill-fortuned young woman’s road to suicide under the bullying of her husband, his mother and sister. Suffering in this world is not only inflicted by people from one social class on another, but can also be caused by cruelty within the same social class. This story reflects Lao She’s observations of infighting within society’s underclass. The tragic drama within a poor family unfolds before silent bystanders. Even those who are to be pitied can have a hateful side

Ménage à Trois
The psychological struggles between two war buddies married to the same woman. This is one of the most intriguing short stories by Lao She in which the characters are subtly unveiled amidst ambivalence and conflict. From agreeing to share a wife, to alienation, to betrayal, then back to the realities of their morally binding oath, this story explores the complexities of the human desire to control and to share. Though rich in black humour, the story is narrated with placid inevitability. Using magical realism, the narration unfolds freely between soliloquy and dialogue, fantasy and reality

The Death Dealing Spear
With the introduction of fi rearms, Sha Zilong, a master of the spear and an erstwhile armed escort of repute, is reduced to plying his trade as a street performer. Lamenting his decline and yearning for the glory days of old, Sha decides to fade away and take his art with him to the grave.

Assuming Office
Soon after tax inspector You, a low grade official, assumes office, he finds it hard to perform his duties under pressure from the mob. Tiptoeing cautiously, he knows that any misstep will give him a double whammy. A political satire, the story boldly reveals the grey areas and the tension that exists between the authorities and criminals.

Fruit
The love affair between an aspiring amateur actor eager to turn professional and the patron who helps him. Chen finds that the price of turning professional is to give in to the powers that be. He sells his sister to the local warlord, and yields to the criminal elements that control the world of theatre. Diverted by his desire to “make the grade”, the once idealistic Chen eventually spirals towards destruction.

Animal Farm is George Orwell’s most celebrated work. An allegory of betrayed idealism. It explores the inevitable perversion of political ideals when they are put into practice by imperfect human beings, and the corruption of the moral human individual when given absolute power. The animals of Manor Farm overthrow Farmer Jones, and with the pigs as leaders, create a new state for themselves, Animal Farm. A set of commandments is written as a guide for animal life. However, cunning propaganda hides the true agenda of the pigs and the ideals of the revolution are gradually subverted. Combining physical theatre, innovative design and live and original music, this proudly “Made in Singapore” production is conveyed with integrity, clarity and blinding relevance, proving Animal Farm to be as relevant today as it was nearly 65 years ago.

A group of contemporary men and women have just fi nished watching the Cantonese opera The Legend of the Purple Hairpin by Tong Tik-sang. They give their interpretations of the scene The Hairpin Lost and Found where the heroine Fok Siu-yuk fi rst meets her lover Lee Yik. The story then extrapolates to the romance between Jade and Kelvin, who are the modern versions of the lovers in the opera. Kelvin is an advertising whizz, and has won the trust of rich businessman Mr Lo. In fact, Kelvin is also romantically involved with Mr Lo’s daughter Sophie. On one social occasion, Kelvin meets Jade, Sophie’s capable assistant. Kelvin and Jade develop mutual admiration and affection for each other, and initiate a game of love involving probing and courtship. Kelvin cannot resist the temptation of power and money however, and is unable to leave Sophie. He rejects Jade who is overcome by grief. This resembles the plot of the opera scene where Fok Siu-yuk meets the Yellow Robe Man who tries to ease her pain and comfort her. Jade is broken-hearted, and by chance she meets Ian Wong, a love insurance broker. Together they interview men and women whose fortunes are constantly changing because they are smitten by love. With this experience, Jade refl ects on the way she looks at love. Once more, we return to the opera in the scene The Reunion of the Lovers where the unwavering love of Fok Siu-yuk and Lee Yik stirs our hearts. Jade discloses her love for Kelvin in front of Sophie and all her colleagues, and makes some surprising demands. Unexpectedly, this impresses Kelvin who starts to confess his love for Jade. In the end, the men and women in the modern world continue their search for answers in The Legend of the Purple Hairpin, and form their own interpretations of the love between this couple in modern times.

Adapted from the award-winning graphic novel by Shaun Tan, The Arrival is a universal migrant tale set in a fantastical time and place. A man fl ees his homeland leaving his wife and child, and journeys across vast seas to arrive in a strange, wondrous new world where giant ships fl y through the air and curious creatures abound. There he negotiates dazzling architecture, bizarre foods, strange customs and foreign tongues in his attempt to build a new life. On his travels, the man meets fellow migrants each with their own tale to tell. Like Shaun Tan’s book, this production is a tribute to migrants, refugees and displaced people worldwide. It is ultimately a story of overcoming hardship, of humanity and of hope.

Don Quixote is ballet at its most spectacular, as accessible to the general public as it is satisfying
for afi cionados. Set to an irresistible score by Ludwig Minkus and fi lled with the sunshine of an
idealised Spain, its lively characters and universal humour have been entertaining audiences for 140 years.