One afternoon in June, a crowd of people lined up on a street in the ancient city of Prague despite the pouring rain that drenched their clothes. They were waiting to watch two Taiwanese performers present Eastern folk stories in the form of Peking Opera—a pillar of the theater arts in Taiwan.
“It blew us away to find so many people coming for the show in the downpour,” Chang Wei-wen, executive director of the International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT), told Taiwan Today July 1. “Luckily, it stopped raining just as the actor and actress arrived.”
This 20-minute street show was one of several activities featuring Taiwan’s rich dramatic arts at the 12th Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space June 16 to 26, the world’s largest scenographic event. OISTAT, co-sponsor of the quadrennial along with the Czech Republic Ministry of Culture, went to great lengths to promote Taiwan’s diverse and innovative achievements.
“Our purpose with these activities was to introduce the ongoing development of the country’s cultural industries, and raise the international profile of Taiwan’s exceptional theatrical talents,” Chang said.
“We also took the opportunity to thank the ROC government for its support since our headquarters moved to Taipei in 2006,” noted Chang, a native Taiwanese stage designer with nearly 20 years experience, adding that OISTAT is the first international nonprofit organization ever to be based in Taiwan.
This year’s 11-day fair drew some 5,000 theater professionals and 40,000 visitors from more than 60 countries to catch up on what is happening in theater design, architecture and performance, according to OISTAT.
Inside, out of the weather, a workshop was held to familiarize participants with elements of Peking Opera such as costumes, makeup, movement, singing and music.
“This served as a great opportunity to let the world see Taiwan’s successful preservation of operatic traditions, and its capacity to incorporate modern sound effects and scripts in opera,” said Chang Yu-chau, one of the three Taiwanese hosting the workshop.
In another practicum, choreographer Ho Hsiao-mei and costume designer Francis Shen led performers in making costumes out of an unusual material—bamboo—and then dancing in them.
Also on the event agenda was a seminar given by Taiwan’s Stan Lai, one of the leading playwrights and directors in Asia. Lai captured the imagination of the audience with his thesis that ad-libbing is the best form of performance, as a freer, more improvisational model permits more penetrating interpretation of a script and enhances interaction with the audience.
“Lai’s theory of theatrical creativity drew a very enthusiastic response from the capacity crowd,” Chang said.
At a cocktail party hosted by OISTAT, ROC Council for Cultural Affairs Minister Emile Chih-jen Sheng spoke to the 200 guests on Taiwan’s state-of-the-art performance facilities, set to be completed within the next five years, including the Taichung Metropolitan Opera House and Kaohsiung’s Wei-Wu-Ying Center for the Arts.
Sheng invited international theater professionals to visit these installations and explore opportunities for cooperative projects. One important attendee who answered his call was Tobias Biancone, secretary general of the International Theatre Institute, a global network for promoting a wide range of performing arts under UNESCO.
“Biancone expressed tremendous interest in visiting Taiwan to see its performance facilities firsthand, and he also intends to establish an ITI center here to further boost the country’s international exchanges in theater arts,” Chang said.
Established in 1968 with ITI’s backing, OISTAT has been working to increase international cooperation in professions supporting live performance. It is also under the auspices of UNESCO, Chang added.
Indeed, OISTAT’s efforts to connect Taiwan with the world have extended well beyond activities at large-scale events such as the Prague Quadrennial.
“Since we relocated to Taiwan under a 10-year contract with the CCA, we have been committed to directing international resources into local cultural circles,” Chang noted.
One of OISTAT’s programs has brought in theater heavyweights from other countries to expand the horizons of Taiwan’s professionals and students. The first such master was Jean Guy Lecat, a French designer known for staging performances in unusual settings such as docks, warehouses, churches and canyons.
During his 2007 visit, Lecat hosted a workshop and seminars on re-examining the relationship between script and performance space, exploring the possibilities of simplicity in stage design, OISTAT said.
“In addition, we have been taking full advantage of the biennial OISTAT members’ conference to increase international understanding of Taiwan’s theater arts,” Chang said.
The organization has also invited Taiwan government officials to its activities, helping enhance communications with other countries and opening up numerous avenues for bilateral cooperation in the cultural creative industries, she added.
Young adults from different countries put on Peking Opera makeup under the guidance of a Taiwanese artist (top left) at an OISTAT-arranged workshop on the sidelines of the Prague Quadrennial June 26.Chang credits OISTAT’s success in Taipei over the past five years to a combination of enthusiastic participation by theater workers and strong government support.
But she expects even more can be done in the next five years, and called on the government to increase efforts to make the cultural environment friendlier for dancers, playwrights, theater performers and other drama-related professionals to ensure that they stay in the country.
Meanwhile, with the new performance facilities scheduled to begin operations before long, many theater managers and artists will be needed to keep them up and running, Chang said.
“We’re eyeing further cooperation with the government to cultivate managers with real artistic vision, to make the best use of these centers.”
The government’s investment in arts infrastructure is laudable, but it must also map out follow-up measures to capitalize on the facilities to further promote Taiwan’s theater, Chang said.
“The construction of these new homes for performing arts is just a beginning—not the end.” (THN)
Write to Elaine Hou at elainehou@mail.gio.gov.tw