The Yellow Crane Tower (黃鶴樓) of Wuhan, in China's Hubei Province, is the stuff of legend. First built during the Three Kingdoms (三國) period, over the centuries poets have waxed philosophical about it, architects have pondered its various styles, and historians have used it as a point of departure to discuss China's many dynasties.
Under the witty pen of Taiwanese comedian Wu Jau-nan (吳兆南), however, the Tower serves as part of a joke that a teacher is trying to convey to two dim-witted pupils. The dialogue is one of six taking place between a teacher and his students in Spring Sun Performing Arts Troupe's (春禾劇團) latest cross-talk performance called Wujiandao (吳間道), beginning tonight at Novel Hall.
Cross talk (相聲) is a style of Chinese comedy that employs complex wordplay in monologues or dialogues to mock a particular person or the preoccupations of society.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SUMMIT BRAIN NEW PRODUCTION AGENCY
With Wujiandao, Spring Sun takes aim at Taiwan's obsession with fame, money and the Chinese classics.
In one dialogue, the teacher uses the popular television series One Million Star (星光大道) as an example to teach students how to become famous. Another discusses how classical Chinese forms are used in modern writing.
Wujiandao will be performed at Novel Hall (新舞臺), 3-1 Songshou S Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號), today and tomorrow at 7:30pm and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm. NT$400 to NT$1,200 tickets are available through NTCH ticketing.
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