- Date 2023.09.16
- Venue Taiwan Traditional Theatre Center
Dream of Becoming (2023 Keep on Dreaming)
Taipei Puppet Theater
Comments on the Finalist
In the form of a time-travel story, the script and directing of this production unveil a non-typical historical dialectic and focus on the complex colonial and cultural relations embodied by the “Japanized glove puppetry,” constructing a mesmerizing space-time that allows us to revisit the artistic depth and diverse expression of puppet theater. The piece revolves around how the clever strategy regarding puppet theater proposed by the literatus HUANG Te-Shih, as well as the negotiation of aesthetic techniques involved in the process of the Taiwanese-Japanese cultural struggle, successfully subverted the ban on the performance of puppet theater. The production not only integrates the fluent deployment of performance and the structural tension, allowing the form and spirit of puppet theater to permeate each other, but also highlights the energy and meaning of the backstage music. The moral ideas are effortlessly conveyed without their heaviness between moments of repartee and singing, easily connecting the long-established tradition and contemporary creativity. (Commentator: SUN Ping)
Artwork Introduction
The occurrence of Kouminka Puppetry (Japanized puppetry) originated from the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, during which the Office of the Taiwan Governor-General launched a campaign of Japanization on the island. Various policies were implemented, such as the abolition of Chinese newspapers, the prohibition of worshipping Chinese deities, the promotion of changing Taiwanese people’s surnames to Japanese, and the control over outdoor folk performances. Political interference caused drastic changes to the development of local art. Performance content was forcefully altered due to the change of political power. Dream of Becoming is inspired by the initiative launched by scholar HUANG De-Shi at the time, who petitioned to restore traditional puppetry. The production not only echoes Huang’s initiative but also hints at how traditional glove puppetry can adapt to the times—a dream of art that conforms to the zeitgeist!
About the Artist
In 2010, motivated by the rapidly waning interest in traditional arts and the difficulty of passing it down to future generations, a group of young puppeteers and musicians, with an average age of around thirty and over fifteen years of experience, founded the Taipei Puppet Theater. With the theatre named after the capital city, they aimed to cultivate and continue the ancient and exquisite culture of glove puppetry so that when the world sees Taiwan, it sees puppetry.
The members of the Taipei Puppet Theater believe that tradition itself is inherently beautiful. It simply needs to be told well so that more people can catch a glimpse and savor it deeply. For 11 years straight, the Taipei Puppet Theater has been honored as the “Taiwan Top” Performing Arts Group. Yet the true measure of the company’s success is not in such recognition but in its tireless efforts, like piling up single grains of sand to build a wall, to weather the turbulent tides of our era and anchor the traditional art of glove puppetry firmly in the memories of every generation, never to be lost.
Production Team
Playwright｜Lin Nai-Wun
Director｜Wu Shan-Shan
Puppeteer｜Wu Sheng-Chieh、Chen Ssu-Ting、Liao Chun-Wei、Lin Jui-Teng
Musician｜
Lin Yung-Chih、Hsieh Chiung-Chi、Lin Ching-Cheng 、Liu Shih-Wen、Lin Chen-Hung、Wang Hsiang-Liang、Chou Yu-Jen
Drama Consultant｜Syu Ya-Siang
Classical Han Language Consultant｜Hong Ze-Nan
Producer｜Lin Yung-Chih
Administration Manager｜Hsieh Chiung-Chi
Production Manager｜Huang Sin-Yu
Stage Supervisor｜Guan Jia-Ru
Music Designer｜Syu Jia-Ming
Lighting Designer｜Chen Wei-An
Stage Designer｜Lin Jhao-An
Costume Designer｜Lin Yu-Yuan
Art Director｜Lin Yan-Jhih
Puppet Head Designer｜Wu Sheng-Chieh
Production Still Photographer｜Lin Yu-Cyuan
Technical Coordinator｜To Be Design Studio
Video Recording｜Hsienying Co., Ltd.
