Review: The Race Around The Moon

We are really quite getting into the groove of theatre works. Fun fact, I actually considered a career in that direction which probably explains why we are using our influence to share a little more. We caught the last show of The Race Around the Moon by Gateway Theatre. 

Just to share a little more about Gateway Theatre, it is a space that supports Singapore's artises in the arts and entertainment. The genre can range pretty widely. The Gateway Kids Club is one of the more interesting programme that is geared towards storytelling and craft making activities. And it is all free, the only con would probably be its location, since it is a bit of a walk away from the nearest train station. 

The show itself happened at the Sky Garden. There has been some changes since the last time I was there. A canopy was added. Compared to the formal theatre, the atmosphere here was more relaxed and the children could laze around with their parents on the mats laid on the fake grass lawn. Apart from it being a little warm, I do like the whole area. 

The show itself had a lot of dialogue and did not have any song-dance segments which the younger children would have preferred more. The play is self-written which I would describe as a modern take and twist to the original tales of Chang-Er, Jade Rabbit and Wu Gang. Costume-wise, I guess it would have been more impressive if they could dress in period wear. The show ended with a lantern making session which my toddler really enjoyed. It was good bonding as we pasted and decorated the lantern with him. 

Acoustic-wise, the sound vibrates within the whole arena. When my toddler had a mini melt-down, it was very daunting because his screams could easily drown the whole cast and everyone stared my way. Oops. Fortunately, we were quickly directed to the the calm room. (away from the judgmental eyes of other parents, thank god). The corner was very inviting and a place we could practice positive parenting. 

Also, it happened to have a really pretty feature wall which we use to take a bit of photos for both the little ones. As you can see, the handmade craft is pretty well-loved, appearing in a good 50% of our photos someway or another :P

The Smeds and The Smoos Review

About half a year later, we finally made another trip to the theatre. And this time we didn't stand outside throughout. I guess I would call that a success. Our kid quietly sat through the show, peering intently. So far, we observed he doesn't interact much with the stage actor's prompts. Very occasionally, he will point and clap along. It was a good start. 

Some differences was that we went with a bigger group this time round. My parents tagged along. This meant I had extra pairs of helping hands. Do remember to get the booster seats for the kids because it will elevate their height and not be blocked by the adults sitting in front. 

For parents who are keen to introduce their children to the theatre early, we would strongly suggest ABA Productions. We have went to their children shows twice - one sitting outside and I have to say they put a lot of thought into their productions. Both shows were on engaging stories and incorporated catchy songs. Our first show - Stick Man (read our experience here) had a tiny live band at the side to introduce different instruments and the sounds to the kids. 

The lighting and the costumes were very on point for The Smeds and The Smoos. Although it is a children's productions, my parents and myself enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Also, we really like that they used proper English, following the story, throughout the show!

If you come early, there will always be colouring stations set up for the kids. Do remember to check out the booth selling children's books. It has a nice curation of the popular books and I always enjoy flipping through some of them to have a sense of the content and moral values it conveys. Personally, I like stories that have a good flow. :)

Till the next show, I will be documenting the siblings' introductions to the arts so that fellow parents can have a sense and take a page. :) Hopefully, we can soon proudly declare ourselves as the friends of the arts. :D

Wireless Earbuds Review: Evo Z1

Oddly, I have been really slow in jumping on the wireless gadget wagon. Shocking but true, I use a lot of wired gadgets. My greatest fear has been the earbuds dropping, me losing a side or just being uncomfortable in them. After trying the Evoxz, I have safely conclude that it is my insecurities talking. 

What I am using here is the Evo Z1 ($49.90). It is sleek looking and reasonably priced. I have been using this piece everywhere - on the roads, on official calls/meetings and doing sports. It is highly comfortable and the sound quality is pretty dope for music lovers. 

Evo Z1 has a few noise control settings with one being the sound cancellation effect. Funny story, I was walking past a construction one day and the loud sounds were giving me a bad headache. I whipped out my handy dandy earbuds and gave the cancellation effect a try and it was so effective. Although that's not the intended use of a earbuds, I am now using this device to block out unwanted noise, chatters to help me focus better at work/ during revision or working out. 

Evo is a local brand and they do have other models with Evo Z1 being the most recent release. Personally, when it comes to gadget. I would say go for the latest because it has the best technology. And honestly, the difference in price isn't that much. Unless you prefer the "Samsung look" then the other models may suit you better. :) Hope you guys appreciate this review because when it comes to newer brands, I am always hesitant and wish someone has given it a try first hehe. So here's me giving it the first go at all your benefits!