November 3, 2016 TnH Global 0

SINGAPORE ADDING JOLLY TO THE SEASON

‘Tis the season to be jolly? Well, almost. And by now we all know that that means that as you are reading this, dates are being worked out, destinations are being shortlisted and winter holidays are being planned. And as always, topping that list is none other than the island country of Singapore!

Not without reason though. The flights are short and relatively cheaper (relatively being the operative word here), weather is good and as always, Singapore upholds its reputation of being a mecca for family-friendly holidays.

Besides the usual suspects like its famous zoo, night safari and bird park, be ready for mayhem overload at Legoland Malaysia (worry not for it’s only a 50-minute drive from Singapore’s city centre) featuring a spanking new 4D ride and a waterpark that is the largest amongst all Legolands. Add to this mix the city’s many parks, indoor playgrounds child-centric museums and Southeast Asia’s first Universal Studios and it should come as no surprise that the kids never want to leave! The parents, on the other hand, never had it better with not one but two casinos, Michelin-starred restaurants and shopping galore.

But the area where the city has really upped its ante is the performing arts scene, which is bursting at the seams, to say the very least. And not just for the par- ents; the wee ones never had it better too. Tinies heading into the country a little early will still be able to catch SRT’s Charlotte’s Web (28th October – 11th December), named by The Children’s Literature Association as the “best American children’s book of the past 200 years”. Full of pigs, spiders and other farmhouse animals, magical adventures promise to be the order of the day.

With the kids tucked safely in bed, parents can make their way to the Singapore premier of the Pulitzer Prize winning play Disgraced. Following its Tony-nominated Broadway run in New York, Disgraced proudly stakes claim to being the most staged play in the United States in 2016. Disgraced forces you to delve into culture, be- liefs and faith from 16th November – 4th December.

BASE Entertainment, one of Asia Pacific’s leading presenters of live entertainment, rings in festive cheer with the ultimate Christmas concert featuring a 51-piece or- chestra presented by renowned UK conductor John Rigby. Jingle Bell Rocks will delight for two nights only (9th and 10th December).

After travelling to the US, UK, South Africa, Australia, Hong Kong and beyond, Cirque Adrenaline ushers in a new genre of circus performance in Singapore, smack in the middle of the festive season (15th December – 25th December).Expect nothing less than nail biting action with a spate of death-defying acts, including the Wheel of Death and the Sphere of Fear. The troupe consists of over 30 performers including stuntmen, trapeze artists, aerial performers, fire-breathers, jugglers and more, each a master in their own field. Dare to be there!

Spilling over into 2017, Singapore’s much awaited KidsFest, an annual presentation by ABA Productions, will run for an entire month (11th January – 12th Febru- ary). With nine productions adapted from best-selling children’s books, the piece de resistance will be award winning author Julia Donaldson’s production Gruffalos, Ladybirds and Other Beasts featuring none other than – wait for it – Julia Donaldson! What’s more, a little more Julia after the show in a book signing session by none other than Julia herself. Your not-so-little ones might can catch a performance (or two!) of something a tad more mature like Horrible Histories Awful Egyptians or Romeo & Juliet Untold.

Do note that tickets for all the above-mentioned performances and many other attractions in Singapore can be purchased online at http://www.sistic.com

Singapore-dreaming yet? Well then, see you over at the little red dot, for Santa is most definitely coming into this town!

More on luxury family-friendly holidays from our columnist Mandira Rai on www.withmandy.com TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY |NOVEMBER