Taishin Bank Foundation for Arts and Culture

Comments on the Finalist

Ciao Ci-Chao stands bravely and gracefully among Taiwan's 2005 performing arts community.  Playwright-director Liu Liang-yen presents a snapshot of the ups and downs contained within a single day of Ciao Ci-Chao's life.  Through the heroine's complaints, Liu reveals the rights and wrongs of human beings in the secular world.  The artist indicates that "Ciao Ci-Chao is not intended as an interpretation of Eileen Chang's Ciao Ci-Chao."  Whether by text or music, Liu endeavors to juxtapose various times, spaces, values, and even aesthetics, in efforts to displace assumptions of feminine characteristics and contrasts between sadness and joy through decadent flamboyance.  Liu's intentions are sincere, and his skills unparalleled.  Costume and visual design convey the playwright-director's intention to fuse multiple artistic realms.  (By Hua-rong YEN)