Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture

Comments on the Finalist

Zodiac succeeds in subverting the narrative stereotype of detective drama in its lighthearted treatment of the subject matter about an autistic murderer with elaborately multiplied interpretations and reconstructions.

The real world outside theatrical space is drawn in via synchronic presentation of images and their interaction with characters, and the audio-visual vocabulary of theater is thus renewed with the unique treatment of dialogues and monologues in addition.

Simple sounds are used on the empty stage to associate the audience with the causal relationships of the ambiguous plot, where theatrical imagination is amusingly reinforced.

With its full potential, this essay reveals the vigorous creativity of a young talent and his naughty sense of humor.

Artwork Introduction

Zodiac is the name that a sequel killer called himself during the 60s in USA. His real identity, motivation of homicide, code letters, and provocative actions towards the press and judiciary powers have again and again aroused the public’s curiosity. And the world of incredulous anti-morality and logic-manipulating that was constructed by this multi-layer event becomes a crucial study case for the scholars. This performance does not mean to present the true event, but to create/play different aesthetic space and vision through two actors’ exchanging roles in the cross time and space of theatre and images, so as to explore the magnificent vanity of self-identification in the society of messy information and sense of value, and in this mysterious universe.

About the Artist

Founded in the summer of 1995, the Shakespeare's Wild Sisters Group owes its name to the fictional character in Virginia Woolfs’s novel A Room of One’s Own, meaning to liberate women’s talents from the oppression of patriarchy. Limiting itself to no specific issues or conventional aesthetics, the SWSG takes everything inspiring to create its original theatrical works, which have been performed in many theater festivals in Taiwan as well as overseas for years. With vigorous productivity, the Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group has staged two or more new productions every year since its genesis.

For instance, in 1997, the Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group was invited to stage A Room of One’s Own in March in Hong Kong Art Center, followed by another well-received new production 666─Limbo, staged in August in the Tiny Alice Theater in Tokyo. As the artistic reputation of Director, Wei Ying-chuan and the other members of the Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group was recognized, invitations from theater festivals in Taiwan and overseas have begun to multiply yearly since. On the other hand, Wang Jia-ming, a veteran member of the S. Group, directed Ebola: A Pure Rational Critique of the Ethics of Virus in December, 1997 in Taipei, enriching the Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group’s creative energy with a new perspective.

Besides staging theatrical productions in domestic and international festivals, the Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group is planning to make its further step toward making tour performances around the country, developing educational theater activities.

Production Team

Production Company： Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group

Director :  Jia-ming Wang

Playwright : Jia-ming Wang

Stage designer :  I-ru Huang

Light designer :  Tian-hong Wang

Dress designer :  Da-chi Lee

Image designers :  Jun-nan Guo, Ting-jia Wang

Performers :  Yen-ling Xu, Fa