Theater
The latest musical by Tafen Musical Theater (大風劇團), It’s a Wonderful Life (美好的人生), is a light-hearted comedy about four young thespians pursuing their dreams while struggling to make ends meet in Taipei. The 21-member cast includes theater veterans Wang Bosen (王柏森) and Huang Shih-wei (黃士偉).
▲National Theater, Taipei City
▲Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$900 to NT$3,000, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Founded by graduates of National Taiwan University’s theater department, Dreamscape Theater is staging an adaptation of English playwright and novelist Anthony Shaffer’s 1970 play Sleuth, a suspenseful tale about a role-playing game between a husband and his wife’s paramour that turns fatal.
▲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)
▲Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$350, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Based on Tennessee Williams’ play of the same title, The Glass Menagerie by Godot Theater Company (果陀劇場) stars veteran actress Tan Ai-chen (譚艾珍), seasoned stage actress Yan Chia-le (顏嘉樂) and television actor Shih I-nan (施易男).
▲Kaohsiung Chih-Teh Hall (高雄至德堂), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
▲Tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre’s (雲門舞集) second company, Cloud Gate 2, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with Spring Riot (春鬥), a tour that continues today in Taichung before moving to Kaohsiung next week. The program includes Island of Silence (緘默之島) by Gu Ming-sheng (古名伸) and Lin Hwai-ming’s (林懷民) Waiting for Spring Wind (望春風).
▲Chungshan Hall (台中市文化局中山堂), 98 Syuesi Rd, Taichung City (台中市學士路98號)
▲Tonight at 7:30pm and tomorrow
at 2:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$300 to NT$1,200, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
As part of an ongoing series of performances celebrating the 30th anniversary of Lanling Theatre Workshop (蘭陵劇坊), Ping Fong Acting Troupe’s (屏風劇團) Shamlet (莎姆雷特) tells the story of a theater troupe struggling to put on a production of Hamlet amid disputes within the group that lead to chaos and comedy.
▲National Theater, Taipei City
▲Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30pm
▲Tickets are NT$600 to NT$3,600, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Classical
NSO Young Maestro Series — The Love Suite (NSO發現未來大師系列—時間與空間的愛情遊戲) sees the National Symphony Orchestra’s (國家交響樂團) former artistic director Chien Wen-pin (簡文彬) return to conduct the world premiere of the The Dream of Red Chamber Symphony (紅樓夢交響曲) by Lai Te-ho (賴德和). The program will also include Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloe.
▲Sunday at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
TSO 40th Anniversary Concert — Bashkirova and the TSO (北市交40週年團慶音樂會—巴許基洛娃與北市交) features the Taipei Symphony Orchestra (臺北市立交響樂團) led by guest conductor Michael Sanderling with soloist Elena Bashkirova on piano. The program includes Shostakovitch’s Festival Overture, Op. 9 and Symphony No. 15 in A Major, Op. 141, and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, KV. 467.
▲Wednesday at 7:30pm
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City
▲Tickets are NT$200 to NT$1,000, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Yundi Li Piano Recital (李雲迪鋼琴獨奏會) brings the renowned Chinese pianist and respected interpreter of Chopin to Taipei for a concert that includes Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58 and an arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition for solo piano. Li will also perform the Mussorgsky piece in a concert in Kaohsiung, paired with Tsiolkovsky’s Concerto for Piano No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op. 23.
▲Today at 7:30pm (Taipei) and on Sunday at 7:30pm (Kaohsiung)
▲National Concert Hall, Taipei City; Kaohsiung Cultural Center (高雄市立文化中心), 67 Wufu 1st Rd, Kaohsiung City (高雄市五福一路67號)
▲Tickets are NT$800 to NT$4,800, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Tonight The Wall (這牆) hosts an evening of metal with Norwegian group Goddamn, Infernal Chaos, Bazooka and Horsemen. Popular indie-pop singer Deserts Chang (張懸) and Algae split the bill tomorrow (the show is already sold out). Late night tomorrow it’s Bounce Girlz!, featuring sets from electro duo The Lowbrows, F Dragon and Spykee. [See Vinyl Word.] As of press time tickets were still available for Sunday’s encore Deserts Chang (張懸) and Algae show.
▲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 visit www.thewall.com.tw for more information
▲Shows start at 7:30pm tonight, 8pm tomorrow for Deserts Chang and 11:30pm tomorrow for Bounce Girlz!, and Sunday at 8pm
▲Entrance fee for music shows is NT$600 tonight at the door or NT$500 in advance, NT$500 tomorrow for Deserts Chang and Algae and NT$700 at the door for Bounce Girlz! tomorrow and NT$500 on Sunday
Witch House (女巫店) hosts Ride to Where (騎去哪) and Toy Camera (玩具相機) tonight. Tomorrow it’s Finn and Com’ on Baby! (來吧!焙焙!).
▲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
▲Admission for music shows is NT$300
Making an appearance at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言) tonight is saxophonist Dong Shun-wen (董舜文) and friends. Liu No-no (劉娜娜) performs tomorrow. And on Sunday it’s Skyline Jazz Band, whose repertoire includes bossa nova, soul, funk, fusion and R ’n’ B.
▲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 starts at 9:30pm tonight, 9pm tomorrow and Sunday
▲Admission: NT$400 tonight, NT$500 tomorrow, NT$350 on Sunday
Tonight at Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館), it’s Shadya (藍又時の歌). Veteran power chord duo Power Station (動力火車), who recently released a new album that sees them moving decisively toward soft rock, perform tomorrow, Denise Juan (阮丹青), a former pop singer turned piano teacher, television presenter and traveler, plays Thursday, along with Sunshine Costa.
▲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
▲Shows start at 8:30pm
▲Entrance fee is NT$450 tonight and Thursday, NT$550 tomorrow
Tomorrow Bliss hosts a “post” Urban Nomad Film Festival party (遊牧影展活動後派對) (the festival continues until May 9) with bands Collider, New Hong Kong Hair City and Spacefunk, with Mr Blends spinning hip-hop, reggae, R ’n’ B, soul and funk.
▲148, Xinyi Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市信義路四段148號), one block east of Dunhua South Road (敦化南路). Call Bliss at (02) 2702-1855 or log on at www.bliss-taipei.com. For more information on live performances at Bliss, visit
www.myspace.com/blisslivehouse
▲Tomorrow from 10pm. Bar/kitchen open from 7pm daily. Ladies night on Fridays; women get one free cocktail of their choice
▲Entry fee is NT$200 tomorrow
Tonight at Sappho de Base it’s the Metamorphosis Jazztet. Performing tomorrow is rock band Double J Rock. On Tuesday there’s the Rick Taira Quartet and Sukhena playing Indian and European fusion music. The Jason Hayashi Jazz Trio plays Thursday.
▲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
EZ5 Live House hosts Mando-pop singers backed by a live band every night. Julia Peng (彭佳慧) graces the stage every Tuesday and is always a major draw. Other highlights this week include Phoebe Huang (黃嘉千), who performs today, Huang Chung-yuan (黃中原) appearing tomorrow, and Liu Wei-zen (劉偉仁), on Wednesday.
▲211, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市安和路二段211號). Call (02) 2738-3995 for more information or go to www.ez-5.com to check out the latest monthly lineup
▲Music shows run from 9:45pm to 12:30am
▲Entrance fee ranges from NT$600 to NT$800, depending on the performer
Every Wednesday night at the Cosmopolitan Grill there’s a blues open mic, held by the Blues Society on Taiwan. 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
▲8pm to 11pm every Wednesday
▲No admission fee
Exhibition
Cloud Gate — Confronting the Ocean Exhibition (雲門特展—面對大海的進行式) is an exhibit that looks at the dance troupe’s history. Taking last year’s fire that devastated its rehearsal studio as a starting point, the display looks at how Cloud Gate has grown and evolved from a small dance company in 1973 to the world-class dance group that it is today.
▲Taipei Story House (台北故事館), 181-1, Zhongshan N Rd, Sec 3 Taipei City (台北市中山北路三段181-1號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 6pm. Tel: (02) 2587-5565
▲Until June 28
The Duet of Life: The Hou Ching-lang Memorial Exhibition (生命二重奏—旅法畫家侯錦郎紀念展) features Hou’s numerous paintings in the cubist and fauvist styles. Hou also worked in ceramics and sculpture, some of which are on display. Although his earlier works show a clear influence from modern art traditions, as he grew older Hou became increasingly fascinated with Buddhism and Taoism, elements of which can be seen in his later paintings.
▲National Museum of History (國立歷史博物館), 49 Nanhai Rd, Taipei City (台北市南海路49號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 6pm. Tel: (02) 2361-0270. On the Net: www.nmh.gov.tw
▲Until May 17
MOCA, Taipei is currently running an installation for the 14 performance art companies and visual artists who were nominated for the Seventh Taishin Art Awards (台新藝術獎). Winners in each category will be announced by an international jury at a ceremony tonight.
▲Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei (MOCA, Taipei), 39 Changan W Rd, Taipei City (台北市長安西路39號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 6pm. Tel: (02) 2552-3721. On the Net: www.mocataipei.org.tw
▲Until May 24
The Deep seeks to reveal the mysteries found in the deepest parts of the world’s oceans, including some of the bizarre creatures that live there.
▲National Taiwan Museum (台灣博物館), 2 Xiangyang Rd, Taipei City (台北市襄陽路2號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Tel (02) 2382-2566. On the Net: www.ntm.gov.tw
▲Until July 12
Arcadie features 83 original works by 42 masters, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Joan Miro. The exhibition is co-organized by TFAM and France’s Centre Pompidou.
▲Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM), galleries 1A and 1B, 181, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市中山北路三段181號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9:30am to 5:30pm, closes at 8:30pm on Saturdays. Tel: (02) 2595-7656. On the Net: www.tfam.museum
▲Until July 12
Life, Illusion of Bodies (空身幻影) is a solo exhibition by Taiwanese artist Lee Kuang-yu (李光裕). Lee’s abstract sculptures investigate themes such as the shifting line between the real and unreal, movement and stillness and the visible and the invisible.
▲Taipei National University of Arts — Guandu Museum of Arts (台北藝術大學關渡美術館), 1 Xueyuan Rd, Beitou Dist, Taipei City (台北市北投區學園路1號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Tel: (02) 2896-1000 X2432. On the Net: kdmofa.tnua.edu.tw
▲Until June 14
Chang Dai-chien: Memorial Painting and Calligraphy Exhibition (張大千110—書畫紀念特展) displays 96 works by one of the 20th century’s most revered painters working in Chinese art. From his early output, which was firmly rooted in tradition, to his later paintings, which were influenced by modernism, this exhibit provides insight into the painter’s evolution as an artist and the different schools of thought that influenced him.
▲National Museum of History (國立歷史博物館), 49 Nanhai Rd, Taipei City (台北市南海路49號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 6pm. Tel: (02) 2361-0270. On the Net: www.nmh.gov.tw
▲Until June 14
Cuba: The Island Garden is an exhibit by US photographer Keith Brown that sympathetically documents the people and architecture of the last bastion of communism in Latin America.
▲Pethany Larsen Gallery (Pethany Larsen藝坊), 30, Ln 45 Liaoning St, Taipei City (台北市遼寧街45巷30號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11am to 8pm. Tel: (02) 8772-5005. On the Net: www.pethanylarsen.com
▲Until May 17
Collision Between Taboo and Desire: Hou Chun-ming Works of Print, 1992-2008 (六腳侯氏—衝撞在慾望與禁忌之間的版畫創作1992-2008) displays 13 sets of the artist’s printmaking. Bearing titles such as Erotic Paradise and Paradise Lost for the Heterosexuals, the prints unflinchingly explore religion, sexual desire and the artist’s own life experiences.
▲National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in Taichung (國立台灣美術館), 2, Wucyuan W Rd Sec 1, Taichung City (台中市五權西路一段2號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9am to 5pm. Tel: (04) 2372-3552
▲Until May 24
The God of Earth in Taiwan (台灣土地公特展) explains the origins of the Earth God (土地公) and why it continues to play an important role in folk worship throughout the country.
▲National Museum of Natural Science (國立自然科學博物館), 1, Guancian Rd, Taichung City (台中市館前路1號). Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9am to 5pm. On the Net: www.nmns.edu.tw
▲Until May 31
Dec. 16 to Dec. 22 Growing up in the 1930s, Huang Lin Yu-feng (黃林玉鳳) often used the “fragrance machine” at Ximen Market (西門市場) so that she could go shopping while smelling nice. The contraption, about the size of a photo booth, sprayed perfume for a coin or two and was one of the trendy bazaar’s cutting-edge features. Known today as the Red House (西門紅樓), the market also boasted the coldest fridges, and offered delivery service late into the night during peak summer hours. The most fashionable goods from Japan, Europe and the US were found here, and it buzzed with activity
During the Japanese colonial era, remote mountain villages were almost exclusively populated by indigenous residents. Deep in the mountains of Chiayi County, however, was a settlement of Hakka families who braved the harsh living conditions and relative isolation to eke out a living processing camphor. As the industry declined, the village’s homes and offices were abandoned one by one, leaving us with a glimpse of a lifestyle that no longer exists. Even today, it takes between four and six hours to walk in to Baisyue Village (白雪村), and the village is so far up in the Chiayi mountains that it’s actually
These days, CJ Chen (陳崇仁) can be found driving a taxi in and around Hualien. As a way to earn a living, it’s not his first choice. He’d rather be taking tourists to the region’s attractions, but after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the region on April 3, demand for driver-guides collapsed. In the eight months since the quake, the number of overseas tourists visiting Hualien has declined by “at least 90 percent, because most of them come for Taroko Gorge, not for the east coast or the East Longitudinal Valley,” he says. Chen estimates the drop in domestic sightseers after the
It’s a discombobulating experience, after a Lord of the Rings trilogy that was built, down to every frame and hobbit hair, for the big screen, to see something so comparatively minor, small-scaled and TV-sized as The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. The film, set 183 years before the events of The Hobbit, is a return to Middle-earth that, despite some very earnest storytelling, never supplies much of an answer as to why, exactly, it exists. Rohirrim, which sounds a little like the sound an orc might make sneezing, is perhaps best understood as a placeholder for further cinematic
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