According to the TPTC, the company's vision for Taiwanese puppet theatre emphasizes originality but with respect for a solid foundation of tradition. From story writing, directing methods, and music to the puppets, Taiyuan insisted on innovation in order to explore the different possibilities of traditional puppetry.
Led by Dutchman Robin Ruizendaal, with the assistance of actress Wu Shan-shan and Chen Xi-huang, TPTC has proved that its philosophy for revitalizing puppet theater is a successful one. Setting no boundaries in form and style, the company re-examines the delicate conventions of Taiwanese puppet theater, while absorbing new elements from Western theatrical concepts and methods. Collages of the East and the West, as well as the modern and the traditional, have become the essence of TPTC.
Its debut piece, "Marco Polo," was a successful experiment utilizing Taiyuan's philosophy. To present the story of the legendary Venetian's journey, the company blended Italian and Taiwanese puppetry traditions. String duet music composed by Mattia Peli meets Nanguan (a Fukien folk music genre); Italian dialogue crosses over with Holo (a Chinese dialect also known as Taiwanese); Italian fantoccini faced traditional Taiwanese style puppets, both of which are tailor-made for the show.
Another groundbreaking piece is "La Boite," a production that TPTC co-developed with Compagnie des Zonzons from Lyon, France. Created by Philip Auchere, Stephanie Lefort, Ruizendaal and Wu, the piece startled the audience with its creative usage of a box installed at the center of the stage, which served as multiple stages for the puppets and also the actors and actresses. Elements of French Guignol puppet theatre tradition and also the local version were given new light by the outstanding stage design. In addition, the piece showed that the traditional Chinese style musical instrument, the Pipa, could harmonize with the harps and accordions.
The company's attempt to link the legacy of puppetry with cutting-edge theatrical concepts is not only welcomed by local audiences, but has also won praise from international critics. Since 2003, Taiyuan has taken several of its classic productions, including "Marco Polo" and "The Wedding of the Mice" to Europe and Latin America. Among them, "La Boite" was praised as "a visual miracle" containing "incredible dynamic and energy," commented Elise Ternat in the April issue of Les Trois Coups, a French theater magazine.
The architects of TPTC's daring experiments are Ruizendaal, Wu and Chen. Sharing an identical devotion to puppet theater, they inspire each other in their search to find new and creative ways to further enhance the beauty if this traditional art.
Described as the company's "living treasure," Chen--a 77-year-old puppet master--provides the most solid support when it comes to expressing the beauty of traditional puppetry. As the eldest son of Li Tien-lu (1910-1998), Taiwan's legendary puppeteer, there is no doubt the art is in his blood. However, his father did not share all the tricks of the trade with Chen, who learned on his own by observing Li from the age of 13. "I watched and studied everything about puppet theatre," he said. "Carving, acting, directing, writing storylines, designing the costumes ... these were just some of the many things I picked up over the years."
While making great efforts to hand this legacy on to the next generation, Chen is still passionate about demonstrating his own mastery of the art. As TPTC's lead puppeteer, Chen still gives more than 200 performances a year and has performed in over 20 countries around the world.
Chen's mastery is invaluable in the eyes of Ruizendaal and Wu. "Chen's acting is so delicate," praised Wu, the company's director and playwright who has collaborated with Chen on numerous productions. "He preserves the beauty of the traditional puppet theatre, which is rarely seen nowadays."
Static puppets manipulated by the master come to life. Knights tussle and wrestle, sometimes flying into the air, and a young couple embraces, expressing a heart-felt reluctance to say goodbye. "Chen's performances contain such subtleties that are rarely even seen in real life," Wu pointed out.
Such convincing performances find their source in the master's full devotion to the characters. "When he impersonates a shy girl with a puppet, Chen's physical actions perfectly resemble the character if you could see him backstage at that time," Wu said. She explained that the puppeteer extraordinaire considers it necessary to give himself over completely to the acting process for realism is to be achieved. "Chen's mantra is that by committing fully to a performance, then a full range of emotions can be expressed and every production will be very special," Wu said.
The puppets that Chen uses are about 30 centimeters high and have more joints than those used in Taiwanese TV puppetry shows and European puppet theatre. "The additional joints enable puppeteers to present more subtle moves," Wu said. "Things that look difficult, such as making a puppet somersault, are actually easy to do, but things that look simple, such as expressing emotions, are not." Despite a dwindling audience base, the artist insisted on the etherealness of puppet theatre's authentic style and vowed to never let the tradition pass by the wayside.
However, adherence to convention does not mean imposing fixed boundaries for Chen. By keeping abreast of the latest developments in other media, such as animation, film and TV, the maestro's mind remains open to new ideas, which he utilizes for puppet theatre. "I always observe and improve myself," he said.
Wu vouched for Chen's willingness to reinvent his art by relating a story in which the artist gave his blessing to puppets being beheaded during a performance--an unimaginable occurrence in conventional puppet theater. "Once I asked him if we could chop the heads off the puppets on stage," she said. "Without missing a beat, he turned and asked 'Why not? That is just one of several ways to present the action.'"
If Chen knows best about Taiwanese puppet theatre, then Ruizendaal understands what is necessary to take a fresh perspective on this long-standing art. Born in the Netherlands, the Sinologist and puppetry aficionado graduated from the University of Leiden in his homeland. Ruizendaal visited mainland China in 1986, where he was amazed by puppet theatre. Later, he decided to settle in Taiwan because he believed the art was better preserved on the island than across the strait.
Ruizendaal's passion for the art was recognized by Paul Lin--founder of the Taiyuan Arts and Culture Foundation in 1997--who invited him to assist in collecting rare puppetry artifacts. In 2000, the two enthusiasts established the Lin Liu-hsin Puppet Theater Museum in the historic Taipei City neighborhood of Dadaocheng. In the same year, they also started the TPTC to keep the vigor of puppet theatre alive through performance rather than exhibitions. Now serving as the art director of the company, Ruizendaal is also a major playwright and visual designer.
Compared with Ruizendaal and Chen, Wu represents a connection between the Western and Eastern traditions of theater. Although she was born in Taiwan, the multifaceted artist gravitated toward Western theatre but knew little about local theatrical conventions.
But somehow, Wu felt lost while studying method acting and improvisation in Belgium and the United States. "After I came back to Taiwan in 2001, I realized how abundant our traditional art is," she said. Gradually learning how to appreciate various forms of Asian theater, such as Kung Opera, Wu discovered Chen's puppet show and instantly became a devotee.
In addition to the three major artists in Taiyuan, new blood is also stepping up and showing off its talent. TPTC's senior puppet designer, Lai Shi-an, has been Chen's pupil since high school and his efforts in creating original puppets has won the company critical acclaim. "Because of my training in wood-carving, the master suggested I focus on puppet design," Lai said, "Using Chen's and Wu's ideas, it is possible to create Taiwanese or Italian style puppets, and sometimes even a brand-new modern style."
In September and October this year, TPTC will follow up on their previous international successes by setting off on a tour to the Czech Republic, France, Germany and Hungary. For the Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company, one thing is for sure: Taiwan's rich tradition of puppet theatre will never die out as they strive to take the art beyond the public's imagination.
Write to Amber Wu at amber0207@mail.gio.gov.tw