September is here and along with it, a whole new month of things to do now that safety measures have lifted somewhat, along with our spirits and the collective mood of our nation.
Plays and live performances are back with a bang – and we’re all here for it! To help you plan your upcoming weekends and even the school term holiday, AVENUE ONE has gathered a list of activities – including family-friendly ones – that you can check out this September.
Do note that pre-event testing for unvaccinated adults and children over the age of 12 is required for all live performances, with additional safe management measures in place. You can find out more here if you need more details.
Psst… Dining-in is back for those of us who are vaccinated, and that probably feels like an event by itself. If you’re looking for a new place to try, check out our guide to some of the hottest new cafes and bakeries!
Let’s get started!
1. Make your child’s weekend with a perfect rainy day date with Peppa
If you’ve got a little one at home, chances are that she or he may love the adorable British piggy, Peppa. Fans of Peppa can look forward to seeing her and her friends on the big stage here in Singapore in Peppa Pig Live – Perfect Rainy Day, in a rollicking musical adventure full of muddy fun!
So, Peppa wants to know: What do you do when you’re bored at home on a rainy day? Join our favourite little piggy as she spends a rainy day bored at home, only – it’s not so boring after all! With the help of her grandparents, her pet parrot Polly Parrot and her friends Rebecca Rabbit and Suzy Sheep, Peppa ends up putting out a fabulous rainy day play that’s full of music, laughter and fun.
This play runs for 75 minutes with no interval, from Tuesday 7 September to Sunday 12 September 2021, at the Esplanade. Tickets are priced from S$78 to S$118 and can be purchased from SISTIC. Suitable for children between two and six, and all fans of Peppa Pig.
2. Be dazzled by genre-bending extravaganza, La Clique
After touring the world, dazzling audiences in Edinburgh, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brighton, Montreal, and New York, the best-selling theatrical performance, La Clique, has finally made its way to Singapore. And here’s the thing: we really cannot wait to catch it, to see if it’s worth the hype and accolades.
We’d be hard-pressed to describe this performance in one line, but what it is is a truly unique genre-bending show featuring a blend of the world’s best circus, cabaret, comedy, and live music performances.
With an international cast of nine outstanding artists and the widely acclaimed four-piece La Clique Palais Orkestra, you’ll be in for a multi-sensory bonanza as you take in the drama literally right before your eyes, from an intimate stage no larger than three metres wide.
This performance runs for 90 minutes with no interval, from 18 September to 7 November 2021, at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands. Tickets are priced from S$98 to S$188, and can be purchased from SISTIC.
3. Catch up with Kumar, Singapore’s favourite comedian
You may be familiar with legendary funnyman Kumar, who sometimes lends his irreverent wit and wicked sense of humour to discuss heavier topics. This September, you’ll have the chance to fill up your belly with some laughs and catch Kumar at not one but two events!
Kumar Unmasked
Living in the midst of a pandemic may not be the easiest thing for us, with so many disruptions and changes to the smallest things in life. In his newest show, Kumar Unmasked, Kumar takes a look at the new normal with his trademark brand of irreverent and slapstick humour, showing us that life as we know it can be made a tad better with laughter. We’re definitely loving his take on this!
This performance runs for 90 minutes with no interval, from 10 to 19 September 2021, at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands. Tickets are priced from S$78 to S$108, and can be purchased from Marina Bay Sands’ website or SISTIC.
Let’s Tango! Kumar Talks Heart to Heart with Interracial Couples
We shouldn’t take racial harmony in Singapore for granted, so the ongoing conversations about race that have been taking place lately are certainly very welcomed. Local theatre company LAMC Productions has hopped on the train, with its online show, Let’s Tango! Kumar Talks Heart to Heart with Interracial Couples, featuring Kumar and a panel of interracial couples.
Along with Kumar, these interracial couples will share honestly through the softened lens of comedy: misunderstood perceptions they face, tired stereotypes they have to grapple with, and how we can do better as a society to embrace diversity wholeheartedly.
This ticketed online event runs for 75 minutes, from 4 to 10 September 2021. Tickets are priced at S$30 and can be purchased from SISTIC.
4. Watch song-drama, Forever Young, and think about ageing
Calling all fans of Erik Gedeon’s jukebox musical Forever Young! You’ll want to catch this local, 50-years-later version of this classic Broadway musical. This version by homegrown theatre company Sing’theatre is adapted by Benjamin Lee aka Mr Miyagi, and was a huge hit when it first hit stages in Singapore in 2017.
If you haven’t caught it, now’s your chance to soak up this madcap song-drama in all its giddy song-and-dance glory. Set in the year 2071, it follows the imaginary silver years of former arts stalwarts in Singapore who’ve somehow coincidentally settled into the same nursing home. These aged thespians still want to prove that they’ve still got it, and they go all out to bust a move and belt out songs with great gusto.
With an all-star ensemble cast featuring the solid acting chops of beloved actors like Hossan Leong, Julian Wong, Tan Kheng Hua, Ebi Shankara and Suhaimi Yusof, you’ll definitely be laughing along with them as they sing and dance (albeit somewhat arthritically) through their days in the nursing home. And at the end of it all, you’ll probably find yourself wondering poignantly: how does one really want to grow old?
This performance runs for 90 minutes with no interval, from 22 September to 3 October 2021, at the Drama Centre Theatre. Tickets are priced from S50 to S$75, and can be purchased from SISTIC.
5. Sail into the sunrise and have some breakfast on board a luxury ship
The early bird catches the worm, or in this case, a wonderful morning on-board the statuesque 22-sail, four-mast, and traditionally rigged luxury ship, The Royal Albatross.
Book your family a breakfast experience like no other, at the ReDiscovery Breakfast Cruise which sets sail at 9.30am. The highlight of this entire experience has to be taking in the unblocked views of the Sentosa coastline with the family, eating a leisurely breakfast on the open and breezy deck as the ship sails on the open waters.
After a glorious breakfast, settle down for activities galore with the family and crew of the Royal Albatross. Experience a traditional sailing showcase firsthand and be regaled with roiling tales of adventure of the ship’s journey in the waters of Singapore, and partake in nautical themed craft and quizzes. Pun fully intended but we have to say that buoy does this sound fun.
There’re also lunch and dinner cruises, as well as a dog cruise you can take your fur buddies on. Sea you there!
Tickets are priced from S$95 (child below 12 years old) to S$195 (children 13 years old and over, and adults) can be purchased here.
6. Buddy up for a luxury ‘mancation’ at Fairmont Singapore
For our gents that are looking to bond with your male pals, this next activity is for you.
Featuring exclusive partnerships and a curated experience, Fairmont Singapore presents to us ‘Mancation’ — a tailored and thoughtful staycation package that will get any man recharged in luxe hotel comfort.
Enjoy a wide host of activities with your buddy including a pampering spa treatment with luxury skincare brand Hommage; an exclusive Glenmorangie whisky tasting experience at Fairmont’s acclaimed cocktail bar Anti:dote; a shave or haircut at London’s finest traditional gentlemen’s barber and perfumer Truefitt & Hill; a four-course dinner set paired with four distinctive local craft beers at SKAI restaurant; and a hearty morning-after Italian breakfast at Prego.
The ‘Mancation’ package is priced at S$549 ++ for one guest and S$908 ++ for two, and is available for direct bookings from now till 30 November via Fairmont Singapore’s website.
7. Spend a quiet afternoon at the Singapore Art Museum taking in its latest exhibition, The Gift
Ever wandered down the philosophical rabbit hole and wondered about the nature of human relationships? If your answer is a “yes”, the Singapore Art Museum’s (SAM) latest exhibition, The Gift, is one you should take some time to visit, one quiet and introspective afternoon.
It features work from multiple collections, including SAM and partner institutions Galerie Nasional Indonesia, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, and Nationalgalerie – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, showcasing the works by local artists Tang Da Wu, Ho Tzu Nyen, and Donna Ong; as well as well-known international artists including the likes of Joseph Beuys, Bruce Nauman, and Holly Zausner.
Find yourself chewing on the nature of gift-giving, relationships, affinities, and influences, as you take in these contemporary works: from a never-ending book, to a cubicle of drawers showcasing photographs of antique dolls, to sculptures that make you take a second and third look.
This exhibition is one of four related exhibitions in an ongoing transnational project entitled Collecting Entanglements and Embodied Histories, which was initiated by the Goethe-Institut.
Visit the exhibition at National Gallery Singapore, Ngee Ann Kongsi Concourse Gallery from now to 7 November 2021. Admission is free for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, while tickets are priced at S$15 for non-local students and seniors, and S$20 for adults. You can purchase tickets here.
8. Pamper yourself with a staycation at Capella Singapore, in an eco-conscious collaboration with Net-A-Porter
Global luxury e-platform Net-A-Porter has teamed up with luxury resort Capella Singapore to encourage its customers to live more sustainably, in a thought-provoking project entitled A Considered Life. Be a part of this meaningful initiative by embarking on a one-of-a-kind staycation experience at the lush Capella resort, during which you will be encouraged to make more eco-friendly choices through craft, cooking and gardening workshops that you can participate in.
Another highlight of the Considered Life experience is the Augmented Reality (AR) art exhibition titled Please Insert Women. Presenting nine AR artworks by four local female and non-binary artists, guests are invited to take a pause from their busy schedules, partake in and experiment with the immersive effects of the art pieces.
To round it all off, guests of the hotel will receive a curated beauty kit from Net-A-Porter’s eco-friendly edit, Net Sustain, and a luxe grooming set from Mr Porter. Pampering yourself has never felt more sustainable.
Book a reservation for the A Considered Life staycation experience here.
9. Attend the SSO National Day from the comforts of your home
If you’re still in a celebratory mood from the National Day celebrations, you’ll be thrilled to know that you can continue the celebrations with this online concert by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO)!
Enjoyed from the comforts of your home, you can sip on a nice cuppa teh peng while munching on kachang puteh or savouring chilli crabs – quintessential Singapore foods that taste even better when eaten against the backdrop of patriotic National Day songs that ooze a huge love for our tiny red dot.
We say there’s nothing that evokes that national pride quite like a rousing medley of beloved National Day songs, and the SSO certainly presents a wonderfully put-together mix of well-loved classics including all-time favourite Home, and new works by talented composers.
Go on and wave your red-and-white flags with pride, because we’ll be doing just that too!
This ticketed online event runs for 95 minutes, on SISTIC Live Stream from 29 August to 28 September. Tickets are pay-as-you-wish (S$5, $20, $30 or $50) and can be purchased here.
10. Learn more about pioneer artist Lim Tze Peng and his works on the Gotong Royong audio tour
You’ve probably seen and delighted in 99-year-old artist’s Lim Tze Peng’s iconic artworks of Singapore’s changing cityscape, including his nostalgic river and Chinatown scenes. Now get to know more about the man behind the works in the words of the artist himself, in a never-experienced-before audio-guided tour.
This audio-guided tour at the Gotong Royong exhibition makes for a unique experience, as you tune in to Lim Tze Peng himself guiding you on what feels like a personal tour through his exhibition at The Art Passage by Ode to Art. You’ll find your own love for art ignited as you listen to him share candidly about his evolution as an artist, and catch uninhibited glimpses into his love for Singapore that is evident in his artworks.
Gotong Royong at The Art Passage by Ode to Art is currently ongoing until 30 September 2021. Admission is free but registration is required here.
11. Take a stroll around town and engage in an artistic dialogue with SAM
We’re so pleased that the arts scene is totally buzzing here in Singapore these days, with exhibitions popping up around town to encourage artistic dialogue between artists and us regular folk. The latest effort by SAM brings art to hoarding boards across our city, featuring the works of local artists Kray Chen and Sam Lo.
If you catch sight of familiar mahjong tiles as you amble around town this month, that’ll be Chen’s work you’re seeing. It calls for inclusivity and accessibility against a backdrop of something so well-loved by all generations of Singaporeans, encouraging open dialogue among people young and old.
Another dynamic sight you might spy on hoarding boards would be Lo’s work, OUR FUTURE IS IN(CON)CLUSIVE. This installation encourages members of the public to participate in the process of creating the work, by sticking used SAM stickers over the letters “C”, “O” and “N” on the hoarding board. The result? An ongoing multi-coloured visual dialogue that’s the embodiment of hope and inclusivity.
12. Go on a multi-sensorial food tour by Singapore Food Festival
The 28th edition of the Singapore Food Festival (SFF) is back to excite your taste buds with over 50 experiences until 12 September this year, and a particular one that’s not to be missed? The virtual and physical food tours.
As part of safety management measures, most of the food tours this year are reconfigured into virtual tours but some are still available in physical formats as part of Partner Events held across the island.
Foodies who are craving an adventure can rediscover the rich culinary heritage ingrained in our land and immerse in idyllic foodie experiences through curated walking tours, like the Heritage Tour of Little India where you get to learn more about the colourful spices that go into Indian dishes while learning little nuggets about the cultural landmark.
There are also tours for coffee lovers as well as vegan food tours that you can consider! Get the full scoop on SFF 2021 and all its highlights here.
13. Work up a sweat in the sky with Virgin Active
Very rarely do you get to work out with a gorgeous view of the Singapore cityscape and Gardens by the Bay, so don’t miss out on Virgin Active’s SkyPark Yoga atop the 57th level of the iconic Marina Bay Sands.
There’s a total of 6 45-minute classes with varying intensities held weekly at both sunrise and sunset. Led by Virgin Active yoga teachers, the morning sunrise yoga sessions are available at 7am from Thursdays to Sundays while the evening sunset sessions are available at 6.30pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays only.
For an added post-yoga treat, all participants will be entitled to 15% off at Marina Bay Sands’ signature patisserie Origin + Bloom located at Hotel Tower 3 – all you have to do is show your yoga session confirmation email over the counter to enjoy the discount off the patisserie’s daily selection of fresh bakes, sandwiches, salads, desserts, and coffee. This discount is only applicable on the day of the yoga session.
Each yoga session is priced at S$30 for the general public, S$20 for Sands Rewards LifeStyle members, and S$15 for all existing Virgin Active members. Virgin Active members can book and purchase classes via Virgin Active Singapore’s member portal, mylocker, while members of the public and Sands Rewards LifeStyle members can get their tickets via Marina Bay Sands’ website.
14. Treat yourself to a Picnic in the Clouds by CÉ LA VI
Iconic rooftop destination CÉ LA VI is partnering with Grey Goose Vodka to bring another edition of Picnic in the Clouds, an elegant adults-only soiree at the coveted Sky Lounge set against the stunning Singapore skyline.
Here, you can indulge in an evening of picnic-style dining and three hours of bottomless cocktails, spirits, and bubbles featuring Grey Goose Vodka, Martini Prosecco, Bombay Sapphire Gin and Bacardi 8 Year Old Rum, as well as Asahi Super Dry and an array of soft drinks. Two exclusively handcrafted cocktails, Blossom and Sunset Sling, will also be on offer.
To keep your bellies happy, you can munch on a variety of delicious picnic items in savoury and sweet formats. What’s more, there’ll also be a candy floss cart for you to enjoy as you spend the evening walking in the clouds.
The second edition of Picnic in the Clouds is set to take place on 18 September (Saturday) from 5pm to 8pm with a blue and white dress code. It’s priced at S$168++ per adult; reservations are required and can be made by visiting CÉ LA VI’s website. Alternatively, you can also make your reservation by calling 6508 2188 or emailing [email protected].
Additional reporting by Sarah Tan and Lynnett Yip.
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