Theater
Fable To Be or Not To Be (漢字寓言:未來系青年觀點報告) brings together five young performers who each chose a Chinese character to symbolize events in Taiwan over the past year. This week’s performances feature three monologues and music performances.
▲Guling Street Theater (牯嶺街小劇場), 2, Ln 5, Guling St, Taipei City (台北市牯嶺街5巷2號)
▲Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm; tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$450, available through NTCH ticketing
The Legends of Daai (客家大戲 — 大隘風雲) by Rom Shing Hakka Opera Troupe (榮興客家採茶劇團) is a Hakka theater performance that explores the trials and tribulations of life under Japanese colonial rule.
▲Novel Hall (新舞台), 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City (台北市松壽路3-1號)
▲Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm; tomorrow at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing
The Puppet and Its Double Theater (無獨有偶工作室劇團) revises its The Happy Prince (快樂王子), a puppet performance based on Oscar Wilde’s fairy tale of the same name.
▲Yuanlin Performance Hall, Changhua County (員林演藝廳), 99, Ln 2, Chungcheng Rd, Yuanlin Township, Changhua County (彰化縣員林鎮中正路二巷99號)
▲Tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$300, available through NTCH ticketing
Taiwan’s expulsion from the UN in 1971 serves as the background for Ping-Fong Acting Troupe’s (屏風表演班) latest work Stand by Me (六義幫). Written and directed by Hugh Lee (李國修), the story follows six youths who use an air raid shelter as a meeting place to discuss their roles in history.
▲Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中市中山堂), 98 Hsuehshi Rd, Taichung City (台中市學士路98號)
▲Tomorrow at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing
Two love stories intersect in Off Performance Workshop’s (外表坊時驗團) latest work We’ll Return Home This Morning to the End of the World (今天早上我們回家•直到世界盡頭).
▲Huashan Cultural and Creative Industry Center (華山創意文化園區), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
▲Today, tomorrow, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm; tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing
Classical
Leif Ove Andsnes Piano Recital (名家系列 — 安斯涅鋼琴獨奏會) features Norwegian-born pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, who has been acclaimed as “the most accomplished pianist of the new generation” by the New York Times. The pianist, who is visiting Taipei as part of his 2008 Asian tour, will perform works by Schubert, Janacek, Beethoven and Debussy.
▲Today at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,000, available through NTCH ticketing
France’s King of the Piano — The Music Night of Tharaud (來自法國的鋼琴王子 — 亞歷山大．薩洛鋼琴之夜) sees French pianist Alexander Tharaud perform a program of Couperin, Ravel and Chopin.
▲Tomorrow at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,600, available through NTCH ticketing
2008 Toyota Concert Series — Vienna Operetta Orchestra (2008豐田古典音樂會-維也納輕歌劇管弦樂團) is an occasion for the lighter side of classical music with the Vienna Operetta orchestra and singers performing a program of Strauss, Mozart and Lehar, among others.
▲Sunday at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,500, available through ERA ticketing
Lee Chin-I Bassoon Recital (李勤一低音管獨奏會), brings Lee Chin-I (李勤一), a bassoonist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, to the stage with piano accompaniment from Lin Hui-chun (林慧君).
▲Tomorrow at 7:30pm
▲NSO Recital Hall in Taichung (國立台灣交響樂團演奏廳), 738-2 Chungcheng Rd, Wufeng Township, Taichung County (台中縣霧峰鄉中正路738-2號)
▲Tickets are NT$300 to NT$500, available through NTCH ticketing
Contemporary
It’s a dance party weekend at VU Live House. Tonight features a night of music from DJs Jonah, Arred, D.V.G., Fireg, presented by Tranquility Bass. Tomorrow evening, it’s The Soul, Sweat and Swank Show with an all-you-can-drink special.
▲B1, 77 Wuchang St Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市武昌街二段77號B1). Call (02) 2314-1868
▲Shows begin at 10pm
▲NT$250 tonight, includes one drink; tomorrow night is all-you-can-drink at NT$500 for men, and NT$400 for women
Tonight Underworld (地下社會) hosts Abay (鄭焙隆), who sings ballads accompanied by acoustic guitar, harmonica and flute and post-rock band The Peppermints (薄荷葉). Tomorrow features the whispery, high-pitched voice of Ban Ban (斑斑), who plays solo acoustic music; also appearing is psychedelic alt-rock band Flat Club (假文藝青年俱樂部). Wednesday is a headbanger’s night with metal bands Vulcan and Demise (薨).
▲B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Call (02) 2369-0103 or visit www.upsaid.com/underworld for more information
▲Shows run from 9:30pm to 11:30pm tonight and tomorrow, and from 9pm to 11pm on Wednesday
▲Entrance is NT$300 for all performances
At The Wall (這牆) tonight, pop-punk band Punkhoo (胖虎) and metal core/emo band 831 (八三夭) hit the stage as part of their fall tour of Taiwan. Tomorrow night is a tribute to Chang Yu-sheng (張雨生), the pop singer, composer and producer best known for discovering A-mei (張惠妹). Performers include Taiwanese folk songstress Jasmine (庭竹) and rock band Cousin James (詹姆士表哥). On Wednesday The Chairman (董事長樂團) hosts a memorial tribute concert to their former lead singer, Guan Yu (冠宇), who died of leukemia in 2000.
▲B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Call (02) 2930-0162 or go to www.thewall.com.tw for more information
▲Starts at 7:30pm tonight, 8pm tomorrow and 8:30pm on Wednesday
▲Admission is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow; NT$300 on Wednesday
Indie-musician and producer Wang Chun-chieh (王俊傑) performs a solo piano and vocal show tonight at Witch House (女巫店). Tomorrow night also features a solo piano and vocal performance, this time by Chou Yi-wen (周意紋), followed by punk-garage band White Eyes (白目), which won the battle of the bands at this year’s Ho-Hai-Yan Rock Festival.
▲7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). For more information, call (02) 2362-5494 or visit www.witchhouse.org
▲Performances start at 9:30pm. Restaurant/bar with queer/feminist bookstore and large collection of board games open 11am to midnight Sundays through Wednesdays; 11am to 1am Thursdays through Saturdays
▲Entrance fee for music shows is NT$300, includes one drink
Appearing tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) is the big-band jazz ensemble Dizzy Jazz Band (底細爵士樂團). Tomorrow evening features a pair of indie-rock bands: all-female four-piece Nekojamband (妮可醬) and Red Flower (紅花樂團).
▲B1, 2, Ln 244, Roosevelt Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路三段244巷2號B1), next to Taipower Building (台電大樓). Call (02) 2368-7310 or visit www.riverside.com.tw for more information
▲Shows start at 9:30pm tonight; 9pm tomorrow
▲Entry is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow
The owners of Riverside Cafe recently opened Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館), a new venue located in Ximending’s historic Red House Theater (西門紅樓). Tonight features indie-rockers Jacuzzi (賈庫西) and pop-jazz combo Sunny 4, which won first prize at this year’s Mercedes Benz Amateur Jazz Competition. Tomorrow night, the spotlight shines on pop-rock group Rock Oriental Express (搖滾東方).
▲177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西寧南路177號). Call (02) 2370-8805 or visit www.riverside.com.tw for more information
▲Show starts tonight and tomorrow at 8:30pm
▲Entrance is NT$450 tonight and tomorrow and includes one drink
Experimental musician Jen Shyu appears tonight at Sappho de Base. [See story on Page 13.] She will be followed by the Blues Vibrations, which plays funky blues and surf-rock. Tomorrow night, the Double J Band plays funk, disco and hard rock. On Tuesday night, the Sappho Jazz Band performs, with an open jam afterwards, while Michael Haack’s Phase-In Jazz Quartet takes to the stage on Wednesday. Thursday night, the venue welcomes for the first time T and T Jazz and Friends.
▲B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1). Call (02) 2700-5411 (after 9pm) or visit www.sappho102.biz for more information
▲Performances begin at 10:30pm on weekends; 10pm on weekdays
▲No admission fee
Tonight at Tone 56 Live Bar, a restaurant near the corner of Fuxing North and Minquan East roads, is the funk and R’n’B band Kenyatta Trio, led by New Orleans native Nbugu Kenyatta. Tomorrow pop-rock band Spider makes its first appearance at the venue, while on Sunday the Dafu Jazz Trio takes to the stage.
▲1F, 56, Minquan E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市民權東路三段56號1樓), near the corner of Fuxing North Road (復興北路) and Minquan East Road (民權東路). Call (02) 2517-3869 for more information
▲Music shows go from 9:30pm to 12:30am tonight and tomorrow, and 7:30pm to 9:30pm on Sundays
▲No admission fee
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill there’s a blues open mic, held by the Blues Society on Taiwan and hosted by Torch Pratt. All are welcome to bring their instruments and sit in on guitar, bass, or drums.
▲1F, 218 Changchun Rd, Taipei City (台北市長春路218號1樓). Call (02) 2508-0304 or visit www.cosmo.com.tw for more information
▲From 8pm to 11pm every Wednesday
▲No admission fee
Exhibition
Homelandscape II — His Death — Liu Ho-jang Solo Exhibition (家景計畫二 — 他的濃度—劉和讓個展). Beginning in 2005, the artist grew then sheared off his hair to make a wig for his father and documented the process, which examines intergenerational conflict.
▲Chi-Wen Gallery (其玟畫廊), 3F, 19, Ln 252, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段252巷19號3樓). Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11am to 7pm. Tel: (02) 8771-3372
▲From tomorrow through Dec. 27
The Mythology of Japanese Contemporary Art (日本當代神話) features works by three leading figures of Japanese contemporary art: Takashi Murakami is best-known for embracing fashion and pop culture; Yayoi Kusama’s art is influenced by minimalism, surrealism, Art Brut, pop art and abstract expressionism; and Yoshitomo Nara’s legendary pop art exudes a childlike purity.
▲Metaphysical Art Gallery (形而上畫廊), 7F, 219, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段219號7樓). Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11am to 6:30pm. Tel: (02) 2771-3236
▲ Until Nov. 23
Resonance — Tseng Wei-hao’s Solo Exhibition (身音雜記 — 曾偉豪個展). Continuing Tseng’s exploration of the relation between human body, space and sound, the artist’s new interactive installation invites visitors to sense and feel sounds with their bodies.
▲ Galerie Grand Siecle (新苑藝術), 17, Alley 51, Ln 12, Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市八德路三段12巷51弄17號). Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 1pm to 6pm. Tel: (02) 2578-5630
▲Until Nov. 23
Women’s Writing Equation: Yiyi Wan’s Solo Show (陰性書寫方程式:萬一一個展) features a series of digital records and printouts of Wan’s performance art piece titled Mr Toilet-Cover Respects Women. Together with art professors Kao Jung-his (高榮禧) and Glydas Chiang (江足滿), the artist will hold a panel discussion tomorrow from 3pm to 5pm.
▲Shin Leh Yuan Art Space (新樂園藝術空間), 15-2, Ln 11, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市中山北路二段11巷15-2號). Open Wednesdays through Sundays from 1pm to 8pm. ▲Tel: (02) 2561-1548
▲Until Nov. 23
Retrospective Exhibition of Yuyu Yang (霄漢之端 — 楊英風回顧展). The exhibition features more than 40 pieces of Yang’s sculpture that illuminate the late artist’s worldview and aesthetics.
▲Capital Art Center (首都藝術中心), 2F, 343, Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段343號2樓). Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10am to 7pm.
Tel: (02) 2775-5268
▲Until Nov. 30
In 1990, Amy Chen (陳怡美) was beginning third grade in Calhoun County, Texas, as the youngest of six and the only one in her family of Taiwanese immigrants to be born in the US. She recalls, “my father gave me a stack of typed manuscript pages and a pen and asked me to find typos, missing punctuation, and extra spaces.” The manuscript was for an English-learning book to be sold in Taiwan. “I was copy editing as a child,” she says. Now a 42-year-old freelance writer in Santa Barbara, California, Amy Chen has only recently realized that her father, Chen Po-jung (陳伯榕), who
Famed Chinese demographer Yi Fuxian (易富賢) recently wrote for The Diplomat on the effects of a cross-strait war on demography. He contended that one way to deter the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is by putting the demographic issue front and center — last year total births in the PRC, he said, receded to levels not seen since 1762. Yi observes that Taiwan’s current fertility rate is already lower than Ukraine’s — a nation at war that is refusing to send its young into battle — and that its “demographic crisis suggests that Taiwan’s technological importance will rapidly decline, and
For anyone on board the train looking out the window, it must have been a strange sight. The same foreigner stood outside waving at them four different times within ten minutes, three times on the left and once on the right, his face getting redder and sweatier each time. At this unique location, it’s actually possible to beat the train up the mountain on foot, though only with extreme effort. For the average hiker, the Dulishan Trail is still a great place to get some exercise and see the train — at least once — as it makes its way
When nature calls, Masana Izawa has followed the same routine for more than 50 years: heading out to the woods in Japan, dropping his pants and doing as bears do. “We survive by eating other living things. But you can give faeces back to nature so that organisms in the soil can decompose them,” the 74-year-old said. “This means you are giving life back. What could be a more sublime act?” “Fundo-shi” (“poop-soil master”) Izawa is something of a celebrity in Japan, publishing books, delivering lectures and appearing in a documentary. People flock to his “Poopland” and centuries-old wooden “Fundo-an” (“poop-soil house”) in
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