March On children’s festival at the Esplanade returns for fifth year
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Recommended for those aged eight and up, Goldfish explores humanity’s role in times of crisis, transforming simple objects like tarpaulins into oceans and rice sacks into sandbags.
PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY
SINGAPORE – Esplanade’s annual festival for young audiences, March On, will run for an extended three weeks from March 7 to 29, with five ticketed shows, some specially curated for adults, and a variety of free programmes to enjoy.
Ms Rachel Lim, 38, senior producer at the Esplanade, who has been leading the festival since its inception in 2021, says the event no longer targets just children.
“As they grow older, watching a show from a young age, the families continue to come. So, we are slowly starting to see more families grow up together with the festival and Esplanade because it’s not just a children’s programme.”
Of the five ticketed shows, three are international productions. Ms Lim says these support the festival’s artistic goals by showcasing the best that is available for young audiences from around the world.
The Lost Lending Library
The Lost Lending Library offers sessions just for adults.
PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY
The Lost Lending Library, presented by English theatre company Punchdrunk Enrichment, makes its debut in Singapore and Asia.
Led by founding member Peter Higgin, each show lasts 55 minutes and is performed for a limited audience size of 23. This immersive theatre experience takes its audience on a journey into a magical world of stories, where the library has a habit of playing tricks on both the new library apprentice and the audience.
The performance will offer separate adults-only sessions. “We’re allowing adults without children to get tickets to special timings and invite them to come with a childlike wonder to experience the show,” says Ms Lim.
Pram People
Stories by local families will be worked into Pram People by Australia’s Polyglot Theatre.
PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY
Returning to the festival after its run in 2024 is Pram People by Australia’s Polyglot Theatre. The programme invites parents with their children in prams to reclaim public spaces and promotes bonding within the community.
The Australian show will also be curated for a local audience. “We do have a Singapore twist to it. The team comes to Singapore two weeks before the festival and will be conducting community workshops with local families to collect stories from them that will be worked into the show,” says Ms Lim.
Parents and caregivers will don headphones to listen to a specially crafted narrative as part of the programme, creating an immersive and shared experience.
“As part of the festival for young audiences, we do not discount the fact that children grow up in an environment with adults around. That engagement with adults is also really important,” adds Ms Lim.
Goldfish
Goldfish makes its Singapore debut with March On.
PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY
Debuting at the festival is Goldfish, a collaboration between Australia’s puppet theatre group Terrapin and Japan’s Aichi Prefectural Art Theater, presented as part of an Esplanade co-commission.
Recommended for those aged eight and up, the performance examines humanity’s role in times of crisis, transforming simple objects like tarpaulins into oceans and rice sacks into sandbags.
The show, which premiered in Japan in February, will be staged in Melbourne before making its debut in Singapore as part of March On.
A Drop In The Ocean
Ian Loy’s production about the ocean is specially designed for pre-walking babies, crawlers and early walkers.
PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY
A Drop In The Ocean, performed by actors including Ian Loy and Ellison Tan, is a co-production between the Esplanade and The Artground, a multidisciplinary children’s arts centre. The show has developed from Loy’s tenure as Esplanade’s associate artist in 2019 into a full-scale staging.
The performance will be presented during the festival after its work-in-progress showcase at the Sydney Opera House in December 2024. It is specially designed for pre-walking babies, crawlers and early walkers aged three to 15 months.
Biru And The Deep Blue Sea
Biru And The Deep Blue Sea is an hour-long musical production featuring the Singapore National Youth Sinfonia.
PHOTO: ESPLANADE – THEATRES ON THE BAY
Biru And The Deep Blue Sea is a family musical directed by Adib Kosnan and music-directed by Jonathan Shin.
The hour-long production commissioned by the Esplanade is recommended for ages five and above. It will feature the 60-member Singapore National Youth Sinfonia, made up of musicians aged 10 to 16 housed within the Singapore National Youth Orchestra.
Book it/March On
Where: Various locations at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, 1 Esplanade Drive
When: March 7 to 29, various timings
Admission: Free and ticketed from $30
Info: www.esplanade.com/marchon
