Chin Shih-jie (金士傑), who plays Salieri, is the person who holds the play together. As one of Taiwan's finest ensemble actors, he manages to avoid the trap of overplaying the villain and gives Salieri the humanity that is at the heart of the tragedy of Amadeus. Salieri, is not evil, but rather an ordinary man tormented by his lack of genius.
Godot's play, while it attempts to bring something of Broadway to Taipei, suffers from many of the same faults as Salieri -- it is full of good intentions, brings together considerable talent in all aspects of production and performance, but falls short of real dramatic power. All the same, it is this kind of theater, rather than comic romps such as Shaffer's Black Comedy, which Godot has just finished, that Taiwan theater needs. For all the criticism, it must be called a step in the right direction and is a fine production.
What: Amadeus Who: Godot Theater Company When & Where: Tonight to Sept. 10, 7:30pm; Sept. 8 and 9, 2:30pm at Dr Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. The show will tour Taichung, Tainan and Hsinchu through October and November. Tickets: NT$400 - NT$1,400
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