StoryFest is proud to commission six dynamic storytellers from varied backgrounds, working with the narrative in unique ways. Showcase alumni Verena Tay, Stephanie Dogfoot, Hafiz Rashid, and Melizarani Selva are joined by newcomers Daryl Qilin Yam and Wesley Leon Aroozoo in weaving tales of love, loss, legend and lore.
Contemplate the modern-day implications of ancient and contemporary folklore as you listen to stories about things seen and unseen. Uncover the virtue of patience with Hafiz and Verena, navigate familial bonds with Daryl and Melizarani, and reexamine the birth of urban legends with Stephanie and Wesley. The Singapore Showcase delves into how we find our way through complex relationships with the world, whether tangible or otherwise.
Filmmaker Wesley Leon Aroozoo revisits the urban legend of the kepala anjing (dog head) and unearths superstitions that have chilled us to the bone. In the hands of storyteller Verena Tay, the Chinese creation myth of Nu Wa takes shape as a tale of selflessness, patience and nurturing. Unravel the heartbreaking Javanese legend of the truntum motif through Hafiz Rashid’s interpretation of batik. Spoken word artist Melizarani Selva imagines the goddess of shadows, Chaya Devi, talking to her infant son and his destiny as Shani Deva, god of karma. The symbolism of the visiting butterfly is traced through personal memory and ancient lore by writer Daryl Qilin Yam. Wordsmith Stephanie Dogfoot shapeshifts alongside a canine family’s journey during the rabies outbreak of the late 1800s.
The Singapore Showcase is a tapestry of six distinct tales performed by captivating word-weavers.
Get caught in the web of tales!