What's playing at the ACE! Festival

Hakim and the Giant Turtle

18-27 May
This play is as rich with local flavour as chwee kueh: directed and performed by Malay and Chinese Singaporeans, it retells the myth of how Singapore’s little Kusu Island was originally a giant turtle. But this version has also been modified to carry locally relevant morals about modernisation, and how our society is quick to abandon the past.

Lovely young directrix Isabella Chiam, 28, who makes her directorial debut with Hakim while also performing in Just So? for this festival (see right), explains the heartwarming plot: ‘This boy from a fishing village meets and befriends a magical turtle, and together they help to overcome the greed and desire for urbanisation of the other villagers, and save the village.’ In addition to the actors, the play will also make use of puppets, lights and shadows as part of the performance.

Goodman Arts Centre, Black Box Theatre. Tue-Fri 9.30am, 11.30am & 2.30pm; Sat & Sun 11am, 2.30pm & 5pm. $28.

The Little Mermaid

18-27 May
Youngsters mostly know only whitewashed Disney versions of fairytales, but director Candice de Rozario thinks they’ll be able to stomach her production of the more bittersweet original version of The Little Mermaid, which ends with the lovelorn heroine becoming sea-foam. ‘It’s written as a play, but I’m making it a play with dance,’ explains de Rozario. ‘It’ll be visually spectacular, influenced by various Asian dances and performed by two very strong actordancers. Also, it’s fun to watch just two performers play all the characters in the show: the male actor plays the Sea Witch, and several characters will be played by puppets. As for the tragic ending – I can’t say too much, but the actors will handle it in a way that I don’t think anyone will cry.’

Alliance Française Theatre. Various times. $28.

Just So?

18-31 May
How did the camel get his hump? How on earth did the rhinoceros happen? The Just So Stories are a children’s classic where Rudyard Kipling creatively answers these frequently asked questions of the animal kingdom. Now kids can watch the answers unfold in front of their eyes with Just So?, a selection of the spunkiest and silliest stories from Kipling’s collection, with an original script and songs devised by a supercharged cast of just four playing all the weird and wonderful animals using costumes and puppets.

‘With the number of creatures we play here, you might as well call us “anymals,”’ says cast member Dwayne Lau, 30. ‘Look forward to obscure, bizarre stories, like how the whale got its throat!’

Goodman Arts Centre, Multi-Purpose Hall. Tue-Fri 10am & 2.30pm; Sat & Sun 11am & 2.30pm. $28.

Dreamer in the Deep

30 May-3 Jun
A boy finds his bed transformed into an ocean-going yacht, and that’s merely the start of his adventures rescuing a captive leafy sea-dragon in the Great Barrier Reef – a golden seahorse, an accordion-playing crab and an opera-singing cleaning shrimp all play parts in his quest. As if that wasn’t magical enough, ACE! Festival producer Brian Seward enthuses: ‘The wonderful story is told through black-light theatre, with no need for words.’ In other words, this production by Australia’s celebrated company Dream Puppets will see the darkened stage populated by fluorescent, luminescent puppets, intricately carved to resemble a variety of sea creatures. Says Seward: ‘The magic of black light will make you really forget the darkness and transport you under the sea!’ Goodman Arts Centre, Black Box Theatre. Various times. S $28.

Our Island

2-10 Jun
Expect the energy to go through the roof for this comedy about differences, which cast member Erwin Shah, 25, proudly proclaims to be ‘physical theatre and comedy that’s fun, loud and sweaty’. The story: three kooky strangers from completely different cultures find themselves stranded on a lonely island, and the only thing for certain is that they have to get along and work together. The insightful script is devised by three cast members and a director who actually represent three different races and two countries: specifically, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Catch this madcap romp now; your next chance to see it will be at the Edinburgh Festival in August.

Goodman Arts Centre, Multi-Purpose Hall. Tue-Fri 10am & 2.30pm; Sat & Sun 11am & 2.30pm. $28.