Contemporary Legend Theater (Taipei, Taiwan)
Presented by the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and Asian-Canadian Special Events Association
February 1-2, 2013 8:00pm
The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts, 777 Homer Street
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As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; They kill us for their sport.
(King Lear Act 1, Scene 4, 36-37)
This is King Lear as you have never experienced it before: Wu Hsing-Kuo of Taiwan’s Contemporary Legend Theater has created a tour-de-force solo performance that fuses time-honored Peking Opera techniques with Shakespeare’s classic tale of great power and cruel deception. This fascinating adaptation has been praised around the world for its blend of Eastern and Western theatrical forms, as well as for its revealing insight into one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated tragedies.
After the aging king decides to split his kingdom among his daughters, he experiences disillusionment and decline when their true natures are revealed. Wu Hsing-Kuo transitions flawlessly between each character in this athletic and virtuosic telling of a tortured king’s descent into madness. Distilled into a series of vignettes, King Lear is backed by a nine-person instrumental ensemble that creates a soundscape echoing the styles of both traditional and contemporary Chinese music.
>>Remarkable… a probing psychological study of wavering identity<< The New York Times
Contemporary Legend Theater (CLT) was founded in Taiwan in 1986 to integrate traditional Chinese Opera, which at the time was on the decline, with modern theatre. Constantly subverting expectations and preconceptions about Peking Opera, CLT has become known worldwide for their bold, contemporary aesthetic that has been called “one of the best blends of eastern and western techniques” The Guardian (UK).
IN MANDARIN WITH ENGLISH SURTITLES
Section A = $59.00 | Section B = $49.00 | Section C = $34.00
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Adapted from William Shakespeare’s King Lear by Wu Hsing-Kuo
Director and Performer: Wu Hsing-Kuo
Producer: Lin Hsiu-Wei
Set Designer: Chang Wang
Lighting Designer: Tommy Wong/ Wong Choo Yean
Costume Designer: Tim Yip
Vocal Composer: Lee Men
Music Composer: Lee Yi-Chin
Music Arranger: Li Han-Chiang
Calligrapher: Chang Wang
Running Time 110 min (includes one 20 min intermission)
Supported by the Ministry of Culture, R.O.C. (Taiwan), the Taipei Cultural Center of TECO in New York and the National Taiwan College of Performing Arts.
This performance is part of Accessible PuSh: Click here for details!