Festival Commission
Bangsawan Gemala Malam
Teater Ekamatra (Singapore)
In a merry night of theatre, Singapore ethnic minority theatre company Teater Ekamatra remakes Shakespeare's classic A Midsummer Night's Dream, inspired by the splendour of Bangsawan opera and Nusantara.
In its heyday in Singapore in the 1930s and 40s, Bangsawan, a form of Malay operatic theatre, would regale audiences with its fantastical characters, and its mix of drama, music, and dance.
Now, Singapore ethnic minority theatre company Teater Ekamatra presents a lush, contemporary take on Bangsawan, in its highly-original adaptation of one of Shakespeare's beloved plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Promising to be the most whimsical of love stories, this comic tale follows four lovers as they escape to the forest, only to be bewitched by fairies in a deceptive game of love and fantasy.
Now set against the exuberance of Nusantara, Bangsawan Gemala Malam revisits Shakespeare's magic-infused world with music, set and costumes celebrating the region's cultural vibrancy.
Conceived by Artistic Director Mohd Fared Jainal and directed by Aidli Alin Mosbit, Bangsawan Gemala Malam stars Aisyah Aziz, Rizman Putra, Munah Bagharib, Fir Rahman, and Vanda Miss Joaquim, amongst many other brilliant talents, along with costumes by local fashion designer, Max Tan.
Don't miss this delightful evening of theatre, as Bangsawan Gemala Malam invites you to revel in the world's perennial obsessions: love, jealousy and magic.
Learn more about Bangsawan Gemala Malam:
Life Profusion: +READ: Bangsawan’s Past, Present and Future.
Senior Programmes Manager at National Heritage Board’s Malay Heritage Centre Jamal Mohamad delves into Bangsawan Gemala Malam as he discusses the history and what lies ahead for Bangsawan.
Education Kit Available for Bangsawan Gemala Malam
Click here to view and download resource
This education kit will help to facilitate students' understanding of the performance, the artists and the unique elements that make up this performance. It is designed for deeper engagement and discussion with the SIFA programme. Divided into four sections, it comes with guiding questions, suggested activities and links for further exploration on the subject and themes presented in the show.
2h, no intermission
* Limited concessions available for students, NSFs and seniors
No admission for infants-in-arms.
Performed in Malay with English subtitles.
About the artists