“Things are not always what they seem,” says Tanya, the blonde.
If so, then how much self-deception enters the imaginings of our everyday lives?
Butterfly Effect’s production of Robert Hewett’s The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, presents this question and we, the audience, can only rely on the Roshomon Effect monologue stories of the seven characters, male and female, ranging from four to over 60.
Photo courtesy of Michael Geier and LAB Space
There is a death but who, how and why? Kim Chen (程鈺婷) is the tour de force storyteller taking on all roles and if you weren’t a fan of hers before taking your seat, you will be by play’s end.
Kim deftly personalizes the gestures, language and intonation of each of the seven in a tale that begins after Rhonda’s husband Graham has cowardly ended their seventeen-year marriage over the phone.
However, what makes Hewett’s play a gem for the audience is that even while enjoying the performance, we are forced to examine the isolation of everyman’s limited perceptions.
Photo courtesy of Michael Geier and LAB Space
Different pieces of the puzzle will come from each character, but it is only “years later” at play’s end that the never seen but previously mentioned Ellen brings resolution.
Time sequences and Chinese translations of dialogue are found on stage right. Yang Chih-yi’s (楊之儀) set, Jenna Robinette’s costumes and Anton Botes’ sound design skillfully keep pace with each changing monologue.
This summer classic is not to be missed.
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at
Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the fairest Disney live-action remake of them all? Wait, mirror. Hold on a second. Maybe choosing from the likes of Alice in Wonderland (2010), Mulan (2020) and The Lion King (2019) isn’t such a good idea. Mirror, on second thought, what’s on Netflix? Even the most devoted fans would have to acknowledge that these have not been the most illustrious illustrations of Disney magic. At their best (Pete’s Dragon? Cinderella?) they breathe life into old classics that could use a little updating. At their worst, well, blue Will Smith. Given the rapacious rate of remakes in modern