Written by
Lisa Kron (Book & Lyrics)
Jeanine Tesori (Music)

Directed by
Tracie Pang

Starring
Adrian Pang
Monique Wilson
Nikki Muller
Elena Wang
Benjamin Kheng
Gail Belmonte
Chloe Choo
Elly Gaskell
Aria Zhang
Damien Weber
Bjorn Haakenson

This show is a runaway hit, to which ever-intuitive director Tracie Pang and her assured cast and crew nailed the fuzzy pains and joys of being a family...As the curtains came down on pages and pages of Bechdel's drawings fluttering down like falling autumn leaves, the cast's frank yet tender portrayals made many in the audience want to hug their fathers for dear life - and perhaps see and accept themselves for the truly unique beings they are.

Pangdemonium’s production of Fun Home is a brilliant adaptation of the show…Elena Wang’s incredibly endearing ingenue...Nikki Muller’s dazzling, heart wrenching performance...Adrian Pang’s brilliant take on an estranged father figure with his own tumultuous, intricate history…Fun Home shows Pangdemonium at the height of their status as one of Singapore’s premiere theatre companies, once again pushing boundaries with their bold choice of play and slick production quality.

Fun Home is a musical that will stun you with its portrayal of a dysfunctional family and growing up different that surprises with countless familiar moments, reaching fever pitch when it hits you hard with its many emotional high points. Undoubtedly one of our top picks of 2017, Fun Home is a must watch for anyone who’s ever felt alone in being different or has gone through a loss, and as always, brims with a big heart and a vital social message that comes perfectly packaged in this relatable and spectacular musical to end off Pangdemonium’s 2017 season.

Fun Home is the hardest musical this review has ever had to watch. Not that it’s bad - on the contrary, it is very, very good. But it’s also tough, raw, intimate, and profoundly sad…so unrelentingly sad sometimes you want to look away - but you don’t because the story is too compact to miss a moment…Pangdemonium's Fun Home, directed by Tracie Pang succeeds in delivering the complex psychological underpinnings of family.

Cast performances are strong and production design is very good…certain small gesture are surprisingly luminous in their humanity...Philip Engleheart deserves special mention for his set design - who’d have thought that a set whose separate platforms can be pushed out and pulled in like drawers of a cabinet, can, at one crucial point, make the audience cry.

You should pay the Bechdel's a visit. It might make it easier to forgive the flaws of your family, and your own.

Brought to us by the proudly Singaporean theatre company, Pangdemonium, the outstanding cast and orchestra has perfectly captured and conveyed the raw emotions felt by the characters. From the purity of father-daughter moments to a poignant closing of regret, the play brought the audience on a journey of self-empowerment and transformative revelations...

Pangdemonium has indeed lived up to their motto and kicked-ass in this theatrical production.

Pangdemonium’s production of the musical delivers joy and despair in a relatable, heart-wrenching story...Medium Alison, played by a brilliantly frenetic Elena Wang...Adrian Pang exercises a controlled precision in his portrayal of Bruce Bechdel...the inimitable Nikki Muller...The word ‘bittersweet’ somehow seems inadequate to describe the truly unique emotion that lingers long after the show.

Fun Home seems to propose the idea that pure humanity lies between happiness and sadness. It succeeds.

Pangdemonium's version of this musical is both tough and tender, a fitting end to a terrific 2017 season...Director Tracie Pang brings together the various narrative threads beautifully and is sensitive to the intimate, deeply personal message that lies at the heart of this musical...There are strong performances all round. Adrian Pang wrenches the soul with a powerful, understated performance. His final, desperate speech has one wiping away tears. Nikki Muller is all strident passion as the narrator…

The real standout is Elena Wang, whose thoroughly engaging solo 'Changing My Major’ is the highlight of the evening...set designer Philip Engleheart delivers once again, with a gorgeous realised version of the home, oozing with period detail...This engaging and deeply affecting production cements Pangdemonium's reputation as a stellar theatrical powerhouse keen on unraveling the mysteries of the human heart, no matter how difficult they may be.

This is an absolute gem of a show. Please don't miss it, it's incredible. Elena Wang and Adrian Pang kill it, as does every single member of this phenomenal cast.

Fun Home, a musical about growing up, coming out, family bonds, finding balance through chaos and finding freedom through self-acceptance...Amazing acting, adorable dance moves, thought-curated lyrics, stunning stage sets. And big shoutout to the talented cast from @pangdemoniumtheatre for such a memorable performance.

So stoked ❣️highly recommended to catch it!!

This is a pitch perfect performance. Hilarious, tragic and profound. Fantastic staging, brilliantly conceived and acted.

My favourite Pangdemonium production so far. Bravo!

Do you ever just look at something for two hours and scream internally the whole time because of how beautiful it is? Because that was Fun Home for me. I’d urge anyone to watch it because it’s an amazing production with a pure and beautiful message.

The wonderful cast of Fun Home did a brilliant job in the staging of this musical in Singapore. I’m so proud that this is locally produced and needless to say, I was moved to tears...just buy a ticket and buckle up for an emotional journey.

Pangdemonium has once again blown me off my feet with their performance of Fun Home. Of all the shows I've watched so far this year, this one really takes the cake. A deeply moving coming of age tale, the performance moved me to tears and had me rocking with laughter during the comedic moments.

Beautiful set, and the cast sang with emotions that was sorely missing from international productions. 10/10 would recommend getting Pangdemonium's 2018 season pass.

Fun Home was emotionally true and delivered wonderfully by a strong and talented cast. All the three Alison's were fantastic! The silences, echoing within the play, were so meaningful and heartbreaking. Adding on to all these, the moving set pieces and lighting were ingeniously conceived.

I am moved, and so blown away by the production. Go watch the play, people. It will expand your heart and your world.

Excellent staging and costumes and beautifully acted. However, the singing was the unexpected highlight- Broadway level confident and polished performances. Go see it.

Wow! And I mean WOW! I have always enjoyed Pangdemonium's work but Fun Home really blew me away. From the fantastic cast (including the amazing Nikki Muller) to the clever sets, and that story line. The fact that Tracie and Adrian Pang brought this to our shores, hats off...this is a must-see.

The message is particularly relevant at this point and time. 5 stars!

Moving and thought provoking, not only about coming out, but also about having the courage to leave your past behind for new beginnings. Pangdemonium, once again, delivers a powerhouse show with a stellar cast. This is not just a lesbian story; it is a tale of hidden tragedies, wasted lives and the courage to stand up for one's beliefs.

Please do yourself a favour and go see it.

Written by
Stephanie Street

Directed by
Tracie Pang

Starring
Adrian Pang
Tan Kheng Hua
Benjamin Chow
Frances Lee
Fanny Kee
Jamil Schulze
Elizabeth Morse
Matt Grey
Shona Benson

Street's writing is effectual in capturing the pain brewed by grief, as well as the resignation in a person from a marginalised community. Running for the second time, the script was even updated to include a jab at the Uber and Grab drama, much to the audience's glee. Another quote-worthy line surfaces when the play muses on how powerless a human feels when dealing with physical geography.

Watch Dragonflies to walk a mile in someone else's shoes, and leave the theatre considering our changing, mobile role as humans in this uncertain future.

The play offers a dynamic and fresh look on current affairs that aims to enrich, surprise and stimulate its audience.

But overall, the message of Dragonflies is simple: build bridges, not walls.

There are any number of plays that examine cultural and economic dislocation but Dragonflies embodies this from a truly international perspective, making it a play that would instantly speak to audiences anywhere in the world.

It's terrific to welcome such a fantastic script to our local canon and I would love to see PANGDEMONIUM take this to a theatre in London or New York, proudly waving the Singaporean banner abroad.

Watching Dragonflies is like a reading an issue of The Economist from cover to cover: it is chock-full of urgent issues from immigration to xenophobia to climate change.

Excellent script, evocative staging, brilliantly played!

Dragonflies is a compelling, feel good play that makes us believe that even in the face of unrelenting difficulty, there’s always a way out that will leave us not with despair but with hope.

With a successful second original script on their hands this year, we’re now hungrier than ever for more original productions from Pangdemonium, who undoubtedly cement themselves as one of Singapore’s best theatre companies.

Simply stunning. One of the most moving, meaningful, insightful, beautifully written and visually mesmerising productions I have seen lately, realised by a stellar cast. This will make you think twice about the environment we live in, the way we see “outsiders” and treat them, and what it means to be a part of this universe.

Do yourself and the world a favor by watching it.

Dragonflies is truly an amazing show with many powerful messages. It definitely made me question my own perspectives and be renewed in my hope for more compassion, empathy and kindness in society.

Once again, as always, Pangdemonium has hit home with this production!

This year we opted for Pangdemonium season tickets, meaning a second viewing of Dragonflies (we watched the play last year). I did not realise I’d be able to love it any more than I already did, and find the themes running through it even more relevant to today.

Thanks to the Pangdemonium team for another stellar performance.

Dragonflies is one of the best plays i’ve seen. Racial sensitivity, climate change, national identity. So many important-but-overlooked messages packed into two hours.

Dragonflies was one of the hardest and definitely one of the most amazingly powerful pieces of theatre I’ve ever watched. Well done. Well done.

Pangdemonium’s play on the backlash to immigration and the perceived ‘other’ in the UK, Singapore and other places around the world was painfully uncomfortable to watch in parts - which makes it so prescient and compelling in today’s world.

This made me really hopeful about the arts scene in Singapore as they’re really a wonderful theatre company!

Pangdemonium never disappoints. Another extraordinary show that was both hopeful and heart wrenching. Each and every actress and actor was fabulous as was the set and lighting. I found myself getting sucked into the emotions, as if I were there, only to have to reel myself back out.

If you haven’t seen Dragonflies, check it out!

Had my heart, mind and soul stretched watching Dragonflies by Pangdemonium.

How good is Dragonflies by Pangdemonium? I forgot to go to the loo at the start of show and was a bit urgent. 2 hours and 10 minutes later, I had forgotten I needed to go at all. It's a show that holds up a mirror to some of our innermost thoughts and biases.

It certainly made me confront some things about myself. Such a vital piece of work.

A clever and entertaining social commentary on current hot topics of protectionism, climate change, dumb ass regulations etc etc, and how there can still be little pods of kindness for a little bit of hope...

Written by
Florian Zeller
Translated by Christopher Hampton

Directed by
Tracie Pang

Starring
Lim Kay Siu
Tan Kheng Hua
Janice Koh
Emil Marwa
Frances Lee
Keagan Kang

Status
Singapore Premiere

This Father is hard to forget...Tracie Pang’s truly heartrending adaptation...Lim is stellar as the mercurial Andre...He is evenly matched by Tan as his long-suffering daughter...The success of the play lies in how it employs theatrical devices to make the confusing, non-linear world of a dementia sufferer relatable to a person of sound mind…THE FATHER is terrifying.

It shows how horribly easy it is to lose someone to dementia or to slip into it yourself. It is a memento mori to memory - to never take for granted your mind while it remains with you.

The Father by Pangdemonium is a slow but superb burn - wrapping you completely into that mass of contradictions that is dementia.

Elegantly performed and sensitively directed, it reminds us of the very real pain of being a victim of one’s mind.

Subjects the viewer to a visceral and immediate first-person experience of symptoms alluding to dementia...the lighthearted effervescence of Lim Kay Siu’s André drives the play and makes the protagonist memorable and lovable...Pangdemonium has carved out a niche for itself, staging thoughtful and intense dramas that shine a light on marginalised or overlooked communities.

With The Father Pangdemonium continues to stay committed to this tradition - a heartrending story, in a “show, not tell” style, about alienation, loss and the joy and strain of family love.

Deceptively simple but devastatingly executed...Lim Kay Siu is perfectly cast - his performance transforms Andre into a completely sympathetic character...also anchored by Tan Kheng Hua, who brings a sharp emotional edge as Andre’s daughter...What makes The Father so terrifying is that everything is set up to make even the audience feel as if they’re caught up in Andre’s dementia, with swift set changes that leave audiences paranoid and questioning which version of Eucien Chia’s claustrophobic set is the real one.

Each blackout becomes a memory hole in Andre’s mind, and James Tan’s lighting design makes us feel as if we’ve been momentarily dazed, while Jing Ng’s disturbing electronic music breaks the naturalism, almost sinister in the way it creeps into every scene. In being able to bend audience perceptions, The Father is a prime example of how theatre has the power to recreate and represent some of the most difficult aspects of the human psyche.

What is impressive is the truthfulness in portraying the infuriating affliction of dementia from the point of view of a sufferer. The performers poured their heart into sincerely portraying the raw emotions of dementia sufferers and their caregivers, bringing to life anguish, turmoil, fear, and the occasional mirth that we feel, just as much as the characters do.

The delightfully understated and tender depiction in THE FATHER is one that toys with us through our multi-sensory faculties. Watch out for the subtle but incredibly effective use of the stage to metaphorise Andre’s decaying, confused state of mind.

Thanks for the outstanding performance. Gave me an insight into the intricacies of the world of a dementia patient. The play is so well woven in how it puts together the tension between someone suffering from dementia and his loved ones. The fears, insecurities, love as well as how the use of humour can both be beautifully light-hearted and yet painful when we put ourselves in their shoes forces the audience to think on a deeper level.

Truly provocative and a masterpiece! Bravo! It made me wish I had the chance to know more about dementia earlier when I was in my teens and living with my Grandpa who had dementia. I would had been more understanding had I known the world he was struggling in.

OMG - that was an amazing night of theatre - I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the evening - you really kept me on my toes - i just thought it was brilliant at every level. I am so pleased I got to see the show. To make an audience experience what it might be like to have dementia, i just thought was brilliant.

I was thinking about the show all night - in fact am still. Congrats and thanks to everyone - what a night!

Absolutely riveting! Packs an emotional punch deep in the gut! Easily one of the best plays I've ever seen. Congratulations, you and your troupe have outdone yourselves!

Thank you Pangdemonium for staging THE FATHER, and allowing me to understand on a very intimate level what my loved one experienced during her final moments. This dementia-focused play innovates, entertains, psycho educates, and may cause some heart breaks. 

A big thank you to Pangdemonium, the actors and the crew for putting up such a riveting and heartfelt show. Thank you for using your art to tell important and timely stories.

It reminds us why Theatre and art is important and the stories it shares.

I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed "The Father". It helped me understand better how dementia affects not only the person, but the family around him. I happen to be studying occupational therapy, and could be working with clients with dementia in the future. The play has really inspired me to be more empathetic towards my future clients, and it motivated me to work harder and do my best in my studies so that I can be a pillar of support a family needs in these vulnerable and tough times.

I would like to thank the cast and the crew for the splendid production, and for giving me the much needed boost in my occupational pursuits! Thank you again!

To date this is my favourite Pangdemonium production. Hands down. I was floored. This has touched me more than words can say. A thought provoking, insightful and raw look into the difficult, painful and confusing journey of Alzheimer’s. This was beautifully and tastefully executed on all levels.

Riveting performances, stunning set, lighting and sound. Bravo to the cast, crew and insanely talented director Tracie Pang. Lots of love to these amazing humans!

Riveting from the get go. This was an ensemble piece with stellar performances by all, deft direction, great sound and lighting designs, and a solid production team working their magic backstage. All of which added to the overall effect of making you feel the same sense of bewilderment that someone with dementia goes through in their daily lives. Frightening and heart wrenching.This play hits you in the guts but it also had so many humourous moments.

As I watch people around me age, myself included, nothing is more frightening than wondering what if I have dementia one day and what it will mean for my family and loved ones? My teenage son who doesn’t have much to say these days told his Dad in the car without prompting that it was a very good play, so that says a lot and I certainly hope it has given him some food for thought!

Thoroughly enjoyed The Father. Very strong cast, impressive seamless stage production, well researched subject. It is courageous and far sighted of Pangdemonium to tackle such an emotional, sensitive subject, very close to home for many people.

Really admire and applaud you for this. Thanks for a wonderful evening.

As someone who's seen the effects of Alzheimer's first hand, I loved it. Every bit of it. My only regret is I didn't get to watch it five years ago and understand the confusion that went on in my mother's mind a little better.

Thank you! Everything was on point and amazing, I'll be coming to all your plays from now on.