A story demystifying the legend of Hang Tuah. Tales about surveillance and confinement. An examination of power dynamics at the workplace. These are the stories to expect at this year’s edition of Esplanade’s The Studios. The annual theatre season returns with the theme Precarious Bodies to offer five thought-provoking and daring performances that unpack power, identity and the fragile systems that shape our lives.
This year’s programme opens with Mark Teh and Five Arts Centre’s Fragments of Tuah, before moving through a diverse lineup which includes Iran’s Blind Runner, Australia’s Multiple Bad Things and our very own Monstress, starring homegrown performers Claire Teo and Oon Shu An. The season closes out with Handle with Care, an experimental stage where the audience becomes the main character. No actors, no stagehands – just a box, you and your fellow seatmates will make the show.
There are also masterclasses and workshops conducted alongside the shows to give audiences a deeper understanding of theatre and the narratives played on stage. Learn from playwrights and experts about collaborative theatre-making, creative research and how to turn everyday objects into storytelling tools. The 2026 edition also marks the first chapter in a new three-year trilogy for The Studios.
