- Date 2002-07-05
- Venue National Theater
Meeting with Vajrasattva
U-Theatre
Jury on Semifinalists
Enacted in a pseudo-ritualized form, Meeting with Vajrasattva shows the persistent character of Buddhist practitioners in severity.
Its theatricality increases abundantly with its combination of drumming and Indian Sacred dancing and its narrative surrounded with allusions and vocabulary of Tibetan Buddhism.
It transforms martial arts to a spectacular form of dance successfully.
In comparison to Akaonidaiko of Japan, U theater excels in its powerful and beautiful embodiment of life with simple rhythm and extreme concentration. More than satisfaction to the ears, drumming with long sticks brings astonishing impact in its physical practice of religious allusion beyond sensual pleasure.
Along with its penetrating vibration, Meeting with Vajrasattva reveals solid physical capability of performers and successful synthesis of choreography, music, lighting, and stage design.
Artwork Introduction
“Meeting With Vajrasattva” is a creation combining with drama, drum beating, martial art and dance. As body, words and mind work together harmonically, there would be a metamorphosis innermost being, as well as a resolute power — which becomes the original strength of “Meeting With Vajrasattva”. This drama appears that one have conquered external conflicts and doubts, and then found the real-ego and the truth of “Tao”. In this performance, U’s performers use their bodies to the ultimate attainment, match with music and time precisely. It is the martial art of drums as well as the dance of drums.
About the Artist
The pronunciation of the letter “U” is similar to the word meaning “excellence” in the Chinese language. In ancient China, the same word also meant “performers”.
The Zen masters in China over a thousand years ago had said that a true artist must combine “Tao” (self-improvement) with “skill” (the learning and maturity of art). Established in 1988 in Taipei, Taiwan, U Theatre has continued to give performances and to search for the self in life ever since its inception.
The U-people believe that the combination of Tao and skill is the goal of their life and artistic creation.
Production Team
Production Company： U-Theatre
Director : Ching-Ming Liu
Composer : Chee-Mun Wong
Stage/Light Designer : Ken-Hua Lin
Costume Design : Tim Yip
Mask Design : Wang Chang
Drumming Coach : Hsiao-Yin Wang
Actors : Chi-Chao Tu, Shiu-Chin Lin, Wai-Yuan Chang,
Chin-Lin Huang, Kun-Ming Huang, etc.
