Form of Performance : Playwright｜ZHOU Yu-xuan,Director｜WU Shan-shan
Form of Performance: Newly-designed stage; new production.
Running Time : 70 mins.
Suitable Venue : Both indoor .
Synopsis :
This play is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s tragedy,”“Othello”. It depicts the story of Marine General Othello from the Ming dynasty, who was wrongly convinced bybelieves the false testimony of his subordinate Ya-ko Yin that his wife Shih-ti Tai was cheating on him. The play is scripted individed into five acts: “Greed,” , “Anger,” , “Ignorance,” , “Delusion,” , and “Arrogance,” starting frombeginning with Othello’s despair after his murder of his wifethe uxoricide and ending within the killing of his inner self, which freesd himself from the state of ignorancethe dejection.The play was inspired by the performing essence of traditional theatre actors and glove puppetry. The juxtaposition of human actors and puppets utilizes the characteristics of these two traditional arts and connects with the scenes and the script. The story begins in medias res, right whenafterthe uxoricide happenedShih-ti Tai’s murder. The audience then follows Othello all the way fromthrough his memories, remembrance, awakening, contemplationpondering, regret, to his suicideself-murder – but was it for love or atonement?
Form of Performance : Director｜WU Shan-shan
Form of Performance: Newly-designed stage; new production.
Running Time : 70 mins.
Suitable Venue : Both indoor and outdoor.
Synopsis :
Quan can’t remember why he died in Lu Ku Gou. He remembers the aroma of sugarcane, the heavy work in the sugar factory, and the gentle smile of Qingzi, the escort lady in the restaurant. He also remembers that he and Qingzi had an appointment to meet by the stage. However, Quan is now inexplicably a water ghost. Was he captured by a water ghost to serve as their replacement? The water ghosts in Lu Ku Gou decide to work together to find out the cause of Quan’s death. The reason turns out to be the show that Quan did not have the chance to see. They try everything to set up a stage under the tree in Lintou. A puppet troupe is invited to perform Escorting Lady Jing on A Thousand Mile Journey. Gongs and drums ring throughout Lu Ku Gou that night. The water ghosts see their own stories in the show and find answers to their obsessions and infatuations. However, the show is about to end and Quan is still waiting. He wants to know why he died, and whether Qingzi will come before the impending sunrise...
The Daring Lying Lantern Monkey (白賊燈猴天借膽)
Form of Performance : Newly-designed stage, integrating lights and shadows effects.
Running Time : 80 mins.
Suitable Venue : Both indoor and outdoor.
Synopsis :
Every winter, the people of Penglai Island hold an end-of-winter festival to send gratitude and rewards to the gods. They clean the worship tables and put on new clothes for the gods. But they always forget Lantern Monkey, who holds the candelabras for the deities. Lantern Monkey was disgruntled. Mocked and ridiculed by the Stone God and Tree God, he turned into an evil monkey.
The evil Lantern Monkey lied to the Jade Emperor that the people of Penglai Island were not diligent and were extremely wasteful. The Jade Emperor was furious. He ordered the Dragon King of the East Sea to flood Penglai Island on the twenty-ninth night of the last month to sink the island. Earth God was reluctant to see that happen. He went into people's dreams, telling them to prepare in advance. He also went to Bodhisattva Guan-Yin for help. As Penglai Island was about to sink, the people had no choice but to gather for the last supper. On the twenty-ninth night, the sky and earth started shaking as Dragon King poured flood onto Penglai Island. Fortunately, Bodhisattva Guan-Yin descended in time and brought a decree from the Jade Emperor, ordering Dragon King to bring back the flood and to execute Lantern Monkey at the scene.
Show of the Year :
Treetop Friends (樹上的朋友)
Form of Performance : Newly-designed stage.
Running Time : 50 mins.
Suitable Venue : Indoor, small theatre (~150 people).
Synopsis :
Little Li, a naive and romantic girl, often plays alone in the yard because her parents are busy working. As she observes very carefully, Li learns about the sounds of animals. The birds in the big tree in the yard become her "treetop friends". A child's love is nurtured by pure observations of nature. When faced with the fragility of life, we naturally turn into guardian angels. Every encounter in life is worth appreciating and cherishing with all our hearts.
2018 Show of the Year :
Guarding A-Tou (雙龍護斗)
Info : A traditional copy using Pei-Kuan New Tune (新路), Changpanpo (長坂坡), by Chiu Huo-Jung (邱火榮) / Directed by Liu Hsin-Cheng (劉信成)
Running Time : 90 mins.
Suitable Venue : Indoor, small theatre (~150 people).
Synopsis :
When Tsao Tsao led his troops to attack Jing Province, Liu Pei was defeated at Changpanpo and fled southwards to Chiangling. Tsao Tsao sent his best troops to chase after him. Entrusted his two wives and his son to Chao Yun, Liu Pei fled with his people of the Han Dynasty to the south. On the way, they were scattered by the Tsao army. Chao Yun fought alone against millions of Tsao's soldiers to save Liu Pei's wives and son. Seeing what a tough and great warrior Chao Yun was, Tsao Tsao wanted him to be one of his generals. Hsu Shu then came up with a good plan to capture Chao Yun alive and subdue him. Chao Yun killed countless enemies and rescued one of the wives, Lady Kan, and the prince. Lady Mi was seriously wounded. Being worried that she would be a burden to Chao Yun, Lady Mi threw herself down a well. Chao Yun saved Lady Kan and the prince. Chang Fei came to his aid. Seeing the enemy approaching, he thought of a plan.
Show Name:
The Pei-Kuan Puppet Show — Splitting the Mountain (劈山救母)
Info : Traditional Play by Li Tien-Lu (李天祿) / Adapted and directed by Liu Hsin-Cheng (劉信成).
Running Time : 90 mins.
Form of Performance: Golden Light (金光) setting.
Suitable Venue : Both indoor and outdoor.
Synopsis :
A scholar named Liu Hsi went to the capital for the imperial exam. On the way, he passed by the foot of Hua Mountain and saw the beautiful image of the Goddess San-Sheng-Mu. He inscribed a poem on the wall to express his feelings for her. Goddess San-Sheng-Mu was moved and secretly fell in love with this mortal man. God Erh-Lang, Goddess San-Sheng-Mu's brother, was furious when he found out. He imprisoned her in the Fengleishuihuo Cave under Hua Mountain. Soon after, the Goddess gave birth to a baby in the cave and named him Chen Hsiang. One day, Chen Hsiang and his brother were in school. They saw the Grand Chancellor's son bullying others, so they went to confront him but accidentally took his life. The two brothers, terrified, desperately ran back home, both turning themselves in to their father. Liu Hsi decided to let his son escape. He told Chen Hsiang about his mother and asked him to go to Hua Mountain to save her. Enduring great hardship, Chen Hsiang finally managed to split open Hua Mountain and save his mother.
2017 The Classic Shows by Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center — The Prequel of "Legend of White Horse, the Hero" — Legend of Chashan (白馬風雲前傳—茶山風雲)
Info : Original work by Liao Kun-Chang (廖昆章) / Adapted and directed by Li Yun (李勻).
Running Time : 100 mins.
Form of Performance: Set theatre.
Synopsis :
As both the good and the evil sects were fighting for the "Book of Heaven's Mistery" to dominate the martial world, the Master of Wan sect invited the prophetic Mr Hermit, the Shadowless Wind Yen-Tao-Jen, and others to come and discuss together. Under the table, they all had their own agendas, setting off a bloody war of killing. A kind-hearted boy named Pen happened to come to Chashan. He was tested by Mr Hermit, who realised that Pen was the one bounded, by fate, with the "Book of Heaven's Mistery". To teach Pen about the greed and ignorance of human nature, Mr Hermit deliberately put Pen in a struggle between the two parties. He started a series of plans to train and strengthen Pen's mind.
Show Name: The Nan-Kuan Puppet Show — Lu Chun-I (南管布袋戲 盧俊義)
Info : Traditional plot. / Adapted and instructed by Lin Wen-Jung (林文榮), Hsu Jui-Lien (徐瑞簾), and Chen Kuang-Huang (陳光煌).
Running Time : 60~90 mins.
Form of Performance: Traditional, colourful and finely carved stage.
Suitable Venue: Indoor theatre.
Synopsis :
Lu Chun-I, nicknamed "Jade Chi-Lin", was originally a landed gentry. He was an incredibly tall man with bright eyes. With his generous and kind nature, he always fought for justice. When Sung Chiang heard of this man, he wanted him to join his team. Wu Yung then planned to go with Li Kui to persuade Lu Chun-I to leave his hometown and escape from disaster. Lu Chun-I was caught by the outlaws of Liangshan when he passed by the Liangshan Lake. Instead of forcing him to join the gang, Sung Chiang let him go. When Lu Chun-I returned to Beijing, he got betrayed by his butler, Li Ku, and the butler's wife, Mrs Jia. They accused him of colluding with bandits and put him in prison. Lu Chun-I was exiled to Shamen Island and was fortunate to be rescued by his foster son, Yen Ching. However, he was soon arrested again. The Liangshan Lake outlaw heroes attacked Taming, Beijing, to save Lu Chun-I. Sung Chiang and his men captured Kuan Sheng and So Chao, then broke through Beijing to rescue Lu Chun-I.
2015 Hakka Puppet Show of the Year: Oh! Why is There a Hole on the Sky? (咦！天頂哪會破一個空？)
Info : Thematic ideas: Wu Sheng-Chieh (吳聲杰) / Director: Hsu Chia-Fen (許嘉芬).
Running Time : 60 mins.
Form of Performance: Newly-designed stage.
Synopsis :
A thousand-year-old tortoise heard about this, so he told the Water God, Kung-Kung. He said that water and fire were both necessary for human life, but why was the Fire God worshipped but not the Water God? Kung-Kung led the aqua army to extinguish the eternal sacred fire around the Palace of Light; the earth became dark. He also crashed into the Tachou Mountain that held up heaven and earth. When the mountain was shattered, a hole appeared in the sky; a flood of water poured down, scattering the people. Goddess Nu-Wa learned of this and was distressed by the suffering of people. She used the five-cloured stones to mend the sky so that the people could return to their lives.
Show Name: Havoc in Crystal Palace (大鬧水晶宮)
Info : Traditional Play by Li Tien-Lu (李天祿) / Adapted and instructed by Chen Hsi-Huang (陳錫煌) and Li Chuan-Tsan (李傳燦).
Running Time : 60 mins.
Form of Performance:Traditional, colourful and finely carved stage / Golden Light (金光) setting.
Suitable Venue: Indoor theatre.
Synopsis :
The play is based on the story of Sun Wu-Kung wreaking havoc in Crystal Palace. Sun Wu-Kung was the Monkey King in Shuilien Cave, Huakuo Mountain. One day, the Bull Demon King saw the beautiful scenery and ordered his demons to occupy the place. A battle broke out between them and the little monkeys. Sun Wu-Kung had no weapon, and the fight between him and the Bull Demon King was fierce. With the help of the little monkeys, he went to the Crystal Palace in the East Sea to borrow weapons. However, he ended up wreaking havoc in the Crystal Palace...
2018 The Blooming Branches — Restaging the Classics: Journey to the South (南遊記)
Info : Written and directed by Cheng An-Cheng (鄭安成).
Running Time : 90 mins.
Form of Performance:Traditional, colourful and finely carved stage / Golden Light (金光) setting.
Suitable Venue: Indoor theatre.
Synopsis :
The play is based on Journey to the South (南遊記), a novel of the Ming Dynasty. It tells a story of a filial son, Hua Kuang, saving his mother, the Sage Mother Chi-Chih-To. The fairy Wonderfully Auspicious Child has been reincarnated three times. This play is about the third reincarnation, telling the story of Hsiao Yung-Fu and his wife, Mrs Fan, from Hsiao Village, Huichou. The couple had no children, so they went to pray for an heir at the Bodhisattva Guan-Yin Temple. They later had a son and a daughter, Hsiao I-Lang and Hsiao Chiung-Ninang.
In fact, the mother was the Sage Mother Chi-Chih-To. She incarnated as Mrs Fan to repay the father's kindness. After knowing the truth, Monk Lung-Jui turned into a little monk, went to the Hsiao's to beg, and took the opportunity to capture Chi-Chih-To and take her to Fengtu. To find his mother, Hsiao Chi-Hsiang (I-Lang) went to Pujing Temple and set out on his journey.