Three times the party

In a climate of cross-cultural "big-ism" - where German-named giant robots and Japanese-inspired monsters rule in summer blockbuster Pacific Rim - the latest theatre event to hit Singapore is similarly gargantuan.

3 Titans of Theatre is a series of three plays by three world-renowned theatre directors, smartly packaged together by the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT) and the durian-spiked Esplanade performing arts venue. Shun-Kin, a sadomasochistic love story involving a blind shamisen player, by English writer-actor-director Simon McBurney, already took the stage at the Esplanade's 2,000-seat theatre. Japanese director Yukio Ninagawa's Musashi, a Zen comedy-drama about two duelling samurai, plays at the same theatre on November 8 and 9; while Peter Brook's The Suit, about a husband's bizarre reaction to his wife's adultery, is on at SRT's home theatre, the DBS Arts Centre in Robertson Quay.

"These three plays not only demonstrate each director's craft, but are also compelling stories in their own right," Esplanade chief executive officer Benson Puah says when he was asked why they put the plays from these three directors together.

Besides, he adds, these were "strong narratives that will engage any audience".

If the Esplanade and SRT had been dating before, you could say the 3 Titans project marks - well, nothing as official as a marriage - a commitment that involves sharing the responsibilities equally. Both the arts centre and the theatre company are celebrating milestone years: the Esplanade turns 10 in October, and SRT marks its 20th anniversary this year. When the Esplanade opened in 2003, it commissioned SRT to stage the Empress Dowager Cixi musical, Forbidden City, starring Singaporean pop singer Kit Chan. A hit, it was revived twice, and has been seen by almost 100,000 people.

Since then, the arts venue and company have partnered to present the Singapore runs of a few marquee Shakespeare productions from the West, featuring international stars such as Ethan Hawke ( The Winter's Tale), Sir Ian McKellen ( King Lear) and Oscar winner Kevin Spacey ( Richard III). The response to these productions presented with the Esplanade, says SRT, was "very encouraging, with good houses".

The 3 Titans is their first joint production. "For SRT's 20th anniversary," says artistic director Gaurav Kripalani, "we wanted to do something that would top us bringing Kevin Spacey here to perform in Richard III. When we found out that we could bring the work of three of the best theatre directors in the world to Singapore in one season, it was the perfect way to celebrate our birthday with Singapore."