From dance and theater drama to circus acts and puppetry, the expansive repertoire of seven Taiwanese troupes will help showcase Taiwan's beautiful culture and performance arts on the world stage through this year's Off Festival d'Avignon in July and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.
2018 Off Festival d’Avignon
The Jin Kwei Lo Puppetry Company combines Beiguan music, Taiwanese glove puppetry, and lavish lighting and stage design to produce "The Potion of Reincarnation." It tells the tale of Old Lady Meng, whose herbal brew is required consumption for all souls, as memories of their past lives must be wiped clean before departing for a new reincarnation cycle.
Circus P.S. seeks to measure the physical, mental, and emotional space among people. Their acrobatic performance "Distance" integrates circus props with wushu performances by former Asian Games athlete and taichi practitioner Wen Qing-ni (溫青倪).
Inspired by a poem titled "A Blossoming Tree" by Taiwanese-Mongolian poet Xi Mu-rong, contemporary dance troupe TTC Dance created experimental dance theater "Déjà vu" to explore the passing of love. Audience members will be given 3D glasses to view this spectacular production.
Indigenous Paiwan troupe Tjimur Dance Theatre delves into thoughts hidden deep inside people with "Varhung ~ Heart to Heart." Varhung, which is an expression used by the Paiwan people to describe an emotional and personal connection, is aptly used as the central theme of this moving performance.
2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Sun Son Theatre makes full use of physical theater, hand-drawn illustrations, and fantasy elements to portray how contemporary urban dwellers use imagination and faith in love to combat stifling reality. "Once Upon a Daydream" will be the troupe's second appearance at Edinburgh Fringe.
Our Theatre draws upon Taiwanese funeral rites to produce a Taoist rendition of Shakespearean tragedy "King Lear." "The Delusion of Home" is among many of the Taiwanese-language adaption of classic Western plays produced by this Taiwanese modern theater company.
Choreographed for Chang Dance Theater by Israeli choreographer Eyal Dadon, the physical vocabulary of "BON 4 BON" weaves together unbreakable bonds, intimate ties, trust, and collective memories for the four brothers that make up this unique family troupe.
Indigenous Paiwan troupe Tjimur Dance Theatre is slated to bring "Varhung ~ Heart to Heart" to Edinburgh Fringe as well.
Tickets & Schedules
The Avignon performances will take place from July 6 through 29; ticketing and more information can be found here.
The Edinburgh performances will take place from Aug. 3 through 27; ticketing and more information can be found here.