The Crown Art Festival, now in its eighth year, has long been the proving
ground for Taiwan's theatrical talent. This year it will be bringing
together some of Taiwan's most dynamic artists in a series of five
performances - two dramatic and three dance - at the Crown Theater
starting tonight with When We Were Talking About Love (當我們討論愛情) by
Shakespeare's Sister (莎士比亞的妹妹們的劇團). Other shows will be held each
weekend until June 23.
Small theater has received a boost in recent months, the 2002 International
Theater Festival having recently drawn to a close and the current exhibition
of dance, both organized by the CKS Cultural Center.
The Crown Theater goes back much further, and retains a strongly
experimental nature. The setting for When We Were Talking About Love sets
the tone. The audience sits in the center and the performance, which is
divided into three sections by different directors, takes place on the edge
of the performance space. There is a slight mood of a school skit about the
set-up, but the issues tackled are of finding a balance in a sexually
ambiguous world. One of the most appealing aspect of the shows is their
strong Taiwanese orientation - sections of dialogue are in Taiwanese -
distinguishing this performance from much of the more mainstream products
seen at larger venues.
When We Were Talking About Love plays at the Crown Theater at 7:30pm today
and tomorrow and at 2:30pm on tomorrow and Sunday. Tickets cost NT$300. A
set of five tickets is available for NT$1,200. Crown Theater is located at
50, Lane 120, Tunhua N. Rd., Taipei (北市敦化北路120巷50號).
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