Theater
Godot Theatre Company’s (果陀劇場) The 39 Steps (步步驚笑) is a comedic espionage thriller adapted in Mandarin from the novel of the same title by John Buchan. The star-studded cast includes veteran thespians Chin Shih-chieh (金士傑) and Tien Hsin (天心) and television and theater actors Pu Hsueh-liang (卜學亮) and Renzo Liu (劉亮佐). The four play a total of 48 characters. This is the first major Broadway production licensed in Chinese while the original runs concurrently in New York and London.
■ National Theater, Taipei City
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
For Just Play It (彈琴說愛), Ismene Ting (丁乃箏) of the Performance Workshop Theatre (表演工作坊) teams up with Taiwanese musician Hsu Che-cheng (許哲誠) and American pianist John Vaughan to fuse Chinese stand-up comedy with classical, blues and pop music.
■ Eslite Xinyi Bookstore (誠品信義店), 6F, 11 Songgao Rd, Taipei City (台北市松高路11號6樓)
■ Tonight, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm, Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$980, available through NTCH ticketing or online at
www.artsticket.com.tw
Jump from South Korea is billed as a comic martial arts performance that has toured around the world since its inception in 2003. The story follows two luckless thieves who break into a household of marital artists. What ensues is a high-voltage performance of physical comedy, martial arts and acrobatics.
■ Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館), 505, Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段505號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 1pm and 4pm
■ Tickets are NT$500 to NT$2,600, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Pop musician Kevin Lin (林隆璇) and Jade & Artists Dance Troupe (肢體音符舞團) team up to produce An Untold Secret (藏心), a romantic musical. [See story on Page 13]
■ Taipei Zhongshan Hall (台北中山堂), 98 Yanping S Rd, Taipei City (台北市延平南路98號)
■ Tonight at 7:30pm, tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$800, available through NTCH ticketing or online at
www.artsticket.com.tw
Silence Dance by Taipei Dance Circle (光環舞集) is a nine-part dance piece that centers on the troupe’s artistic director Liou Shaw-lu’s (劉紹爐) reflections on the global ecological crisis.
■ Yilan Performance Hall (宜蘭演藝廳), 482, Chungshan Rd Sec 2, Yilan City (宜蘭市中山路二段482號); Tainan Municipal Cultural Center (台南市立文化中心演藝廳), 332, Jhonghua E Rd Sec 3, Tainan City (台南市中華東路三段332號) and Performing Arts Hall of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan County Government (桃園縣政府文化局演藝廳), 21 Sianfu Rd, Taoyuan County (桃園市縣府路21號)
■ Tonight (Yilan), tomorrow (Tainan) and Sunday (Taoyuan) at 7:30pm
■ Tickets are NT$150 and NT$250, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Have you ever tried having a conversation with another person one word at a time? How about asking questions only? Or speaking in tongues? Improv Comedy: International Night of Unpredictiliciousness is a show of verbal dexterity hosted by Taiching Improv and Seoul City Improv at the Londoner in Taichung City.
■ The Londoner (倫敦公園), 143, Huamei W St Sec 1, Taichung City (台中市西區華美西街一段143號). Tel: (04) 2314-6919
■ April 24 at 10pm
■ Tickets are NT$300 in advance and NT$350 at the door (both include one drink). On the Net www.seoulplayers.com, www.taichungimprov.com and www.londoner.com.tw. For more information contact Josh Myers at 0912-129-654
Classical music
As part of the International Chopin Festival 2010 (20X10蕭邦CHOPIN國際音樂節), French pianist Pascal Roge will be visiting Taiwan for two concerts in Taipei and Taichung. The program includes works by Chopin and composers that he influenced, including Faure, Debussy and Ravel.
■ Tomorrow at 7:30pm (Taipei) and Wednesday at 7:30pm (Taichung)
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City and Taichung Chungshan Hall (台中市中山堂), 98 Syueshih Rd, Taichung City (台中市學士路98號)
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$3,000 in Taipei and NT$400 to NT$2,400 in Taichung, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma (馬友友 — 絲路之旅在台灣) brings together superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma (馬友友) and a group of musicians who form the Silk Road Ensemble, a team of virtuoso musicians whose mission is to explore the music of Central Asia. The program includes many compositions that have been generated by the frisson of this unusual group of top artists. [See story on Page 14.]
■ Thursday at 7:30pm (Taipei). A second concert will be held in Kaohsiung on April 25
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$800 to NT$6,000, available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw
Symphony of Light (音光之交響) features the National Symphony Orchestra (國家交響樂團) performing under the baton of conductor Gunther Herbig in a program that include Ravel’s Ma Mere l’Oye Suite, Susan Botti’s Within Darkness and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93.
■ Sunday at 2:30pm
■ National Concert Hall, Taipei City
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing or online at www.artsticket.com.tw
Contemporary
Legacy Taipei, located in a former warehouse at Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), hosts top Taiwanese pop performers and international acts. Mando-pop songstress Tanya Chua’s (蔡健雅) show tonight is sold out. Tomorrow evening the venue hosts Golden Melody Award-winning producer/singer-songwriter Sandee Chan (陳珊妮) [see story on Page 13]. Taitung reggae rockers Matzka and Di Hot make their semi-regular appearance at the venue on Wednesday.
■ Huashan 1914 Creative Park (華山1914), Center Five Hall (中五館), 1, Bade Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市八德路一段1號)
■ Shows start at 8pm tonight and tomorrow, 8:30pm Wednesday
■ Tonight’s show is sold out, NT$800 at the door or NT$600 in advance tomorrow, and NT$400 on Wednesday. Tickets are available through ERA ticketing or online at www.ticket.com.tw or www.legacy.com.tw or at ibon electronics kiosks at 7-Eleven stores
Aspiring Mando-pop and R ‘n’ B group Magic Power (魔幻力量) appears tonight at The Wall (這牆). Later on Bassnoise presents Revive Drum and Bass, featuring DJs Lai, Legacy, Dino and Mykal. Tomorrow it’s a multi-artist lineup comprising pop-punk group The Fen-Fens (紛紛樂團), Mando-pop singer Olivia Yan (閻韋伶) and indie-rockers La Petite Nurse (小護士樂團). Later on the venue hosts a late-night dance party thrown by reggae promoters Islandjam, featuring dancehall MCs and selectors Unity Sound, which is based in the US and Japan [see Highlight].
■ B1, 200, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段200號B1). Tel: (02) 2930-0162. On the Net:
www.thewall.com.tw
■ Music shows start at 8:30pm and 11:30pm tonight, and 7:30pm and 11:30pm tomorrow
■ Entrance fee is NT$300 tonight, NT$500 for the dance party, NT$500 (NT$400 in advance) tomorrow, NT$400 (NT$300 in advance) for the reggae party. Tickets can be purchased online at www.thewall.com.tw or tickets.books.com.tw
Jazz singer Shih Ying-ying (史茵茵) appears tonight at Witch House (女巫店) with jazz combo Afternoon Tree (午後之樹). Singer and multi-instrument whiz Suming (姜聖明) and solo artist Ma Chang (馬場) take the stage tomorrow. Singer and guitarist Marine (馬林) and up-and-coming pop singer-songwriter Andrew Yeh (葉懷佩) play on Thursday.
■ 7, Ln 56, Xinsheng S Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市新生南路三段56巷7號). Tel: (02) 2362-5494. On the Net:
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
Veteran jazz combo JEG (這個爵士樂團) plays standards, Latin, funk, rock and fusion tonight at Riverside Cafe (河岸留言). Tomorrow the venue hosts pop singer Queen (魏如昀) and Smack. On Sunday it’s HE (有激人), a singer-songwriter duo on electric guitar and bass, and Mando-pop singer Chi Hsin-pei (季欣霈). Monday is the venue’s weekly open jam.
■ 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). Tel: (02) 2368-7310. On the Net:
www.riverside.com.tw
■ Shows start at 10pm tonight and 9pm all other nights. For a list of standard songs and ground rules for the open jam, visit the venue’s Web site.
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight and tomorrow, NT$350 Sunday and NT$150 on Monday
Electro-pop band The Girl and the Robots (女孩與機器人) appears tonight at Riverside Live House (西門紅樓展演館). They open for Go Chic, who have a new album out and recently appeared at the South By Southwest Festival in the US. Indie-pop singer-songwriter Peggy Hsu (�??erforms tomorrow. On Thursday David Hou (侯勇光), first violinist of the National Symphony Orchestra, performs a solo set mixing classical and electronica music. Also appearing is female pop duo Heiniu and Bainiu (黑妞與白妞).
■ 177 Xining S Rd, Taipei City (台北市西寧南路177號). Tel: (02) 2370-8805. On the Net: www.riverside.com.tw
■ Shows start at 8:30pm tonight, tomorrow and Thursday
■ Entrance fee is NT$400 tonight, NT$450 tomorrow and NT$400 Thursday. Tickets can be purchased online through www.riverside.com.tw/livehouse or tickets.books.com.tw.
Indie rockers The He He (竊笑) play tonight at Underworld (地下社會) with grunge rockers Adam’s Apple (喉結樂團). Tomorrow the venue hosts veteran underground rockers Celluloid (賽璐璐), who perform blues and garage rock. On Wednesday it’s hard-rock band The LoTuS (蓮樂團) and post-punk band SOD.
■ B1, 45 Shida Rd, Taipei City (台北市師大路45號B1). Tel: (02) 2369-0103. On the Net: www.upsaid.com/underworld
■ Music shows run from 9:30pm to 11:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 9pm to 11pm on Wednesdays. Underworld is open daily from 9pm, closed on Mondays. Happy hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays before midnight
■ Entrance is NT$300, which includes one drink, NT$100 on Wednesday. Free on other days and after music shows
Flaneur Daguerre, a jazz quartet that plays everything from Bach to Bjork and Ornette Coleman to the Ramones, performs tonight at Sappho de Base, a late-night lounge and jazz venue. Tomorrow the venue hosts Coromandel Express, which includes Japanese musicians Yo on the sitar and Waka on the tabla. The group performs a “musical masala” of jazz, classical and world music. On Tuesday it’s Gary Schnackenberg Sound Project. The Grace Jazz Trio appears on Wednesday.
■ B1, 1, Ln 102, Anhe Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市安和路一段102巷1號B1).
Tel: (02) 2700-5411. On the Net:
www.sappho102.biz
■ Music shows begin at 10pm. Closed on Sundays and Mondays
■ Entrance is NT$100 tonight, free on other nights
Tonight Roxy Roots hosts a Tears for Fears DJ party in anticipation of the British group’s concert in Taipei next month. Tomorrow night the venue hosts Down in Air (盪在空中) and electronica collective KbN [see the Vinyl Word]. Wednesday is the venue’s open jam. This week it’s hosted by South African expat David Vorster.
■ 90 Songren Rd, Taipei City (台北市松仁路90號). Tel: (02) 2725-3932. On the Net: www.roxy.com.tw
■ Shows start at 10pm
■ Entrance is NT$300 on Fridays and Saturdays (NT$200 credited toward food and drink)
Tomorrow VU Live House hosts an evening of electro and dubstep music spun by DJs Gill T. Azell, Naked, Bobby Bonestorm and Antihero.
■ B1, 77, Wuchang St Sec 2, Taipei City
(台北市武昌街二段77號B1). Tel: (02) 2314-1868
■ Show begins at 11pm
■ Entrance fee tomorrow is NT$600 for men, NT$400 for women, all-you-can-drink
When the weather is too cold to enjoy the white beaches and blue waters of Pingtung County’s Kenting (墾丁), it’s the perfect time to head up into the hills and enjoy a different part of the national park. In the highlands above the bustling beach resorts, a simple set of trails treats visitors to lush forest, rocky peaks, billowing grassland and a spectacular bird’s-eye view of the coast. The rolling hills beyond Hengchun Township (恆春) in Pingtung County offer a two-hour through-hike of sweeping views from the mighty peak of Dajianshih Mountain (大尖石山) to Eluanbi Lighthouse (鵝鑾鼻燈塔) on the coast, or
Her greatest fear, dormant for decades, came rushing back in an instant: had she adopted and raised a kidnapped child? Peg Reif’s daughter, adopted from South Korea in the 1980s, had sent her a link to a documentary detailing how the system that made their family was rife with fraud: documents falsified, babies switched, children snatched off the street and sent abroad. Reif wept. She was among more than 120 who contacted The Associated Press this fall, after a series of stories and a documentary made with Frontline exposed how Korea created a baby pipeline, designed to ship children abroad as quickly as
Jan. 6 to Jan. 12 Perhaps hoping to gain the blessing of the stone-age hunter-gatherers that dwelt along the east coast 30,000 years ago, visitors to the Baxian Caves (八仙洞) during the 1970s would grab a handful of soil to bring home. In January 1969, the nation was captivated by the excavation of pre-ceramic artifacts and other traces of human habitation in several caves atop a sea cliff in Taitung County. The majority of the unearthed objects were single-faced, unpolished flake tools fashioned from natural pebbles collected by the shore. While archaeologists had found plenty of neolithic (7,000 BC to 1,700
Charges have formally been brought in Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) bribery, corruption and embezzling of campaign funds cases. Ko was briefly released on bail by the Taipei District Court on Friday, but the High Court on Sunday reversed the decision. Then, the Taipei District Court on the same day granted him bail again. The ball is in dueling courts. While preparing for a “year ahead” column and reviewing a Formosa poll from last month, it’s clear that the TPP’s demographics are shifting, and there are some indications of where support for the party is heading. YOUNG, MALE
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