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Playing the ass

Chang Cheng-tsung stars as the self-conscious king in a 2006 production of The King's Donkey Ears. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANG AHENG-TSUNG

There's a secret to Kiss Me Troupe's latest musical, The King's Donkey Ears (國王的驢耳朵). The drama unfolds in a kingdom called Felicity in which all the inhabitants are happy. But - as is often the case in lyric and legend - not quite all is felicitous for the Felicians.

For starters, no one has ever seen the king, and this eccentricity elicits the

Felicians' inquisitiveness. Furthermore Felicity, once home to countless coiffeurs, now harbors only a single barber. Neither hide nor hair has been seen of the other hapless haircutters since the realm's reclusive ruler summoned them to the castle.

Until, so the story goes, the last barber in town is called to the castle ...

The astute reader, having heard a similar tale or by careful consideration of the play's title, may have already formulated an idea about what the barber learns in the castle. This would put you cognitively in the upper half of the intended audience, which is children aged three to 12 according by the musical's director, Chang Cheng-tsung (張正宗).

Chang Cheng-tsung stars as the self-conscious king in a 2006 production of The King's Donkey Ears. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHANG AHENG-TSUNG

Having sworn secrecy, I won't reveal the play's premise. Suffice it to say Felicity's king - unlike Shahyar in 1,001 Arabian Nights - does not wed the barbers, take their maidenheads and execute them the morning after. (Only one of the three - guess which.)

Donkey Ears boasts colorful costumes, original music composed by Ho Guang-jie (何 ) and song and dance routines in which the audience is encouraged to participate.

The play, in which six actors, including Chang as the last barber, perform a dozen roles, is loosely based on the story of King Midas, though it begins after the well-known magic finger bit.

The Chinese-language production has been extended from a 20-minute version performed in 2006 to a full hour of good, clean, family fun, something Chang and the Kiss Me group take seriously.

"When I was young, there were some kids' plays, but they weren't very good," the 26-year-old director says. "They'd have clowns or something, but they didn't have good stories. Kids just got a 'ha-ha-ha' out of it but that was it."

Chang and Kiss Me are out to change all that. They put on shows about once a month, Chang says, and it's about more than just giving kids a chuckle.

"We want to get children to learn to like this sort of thing when they're young, give them more contact with arts, drama and music," Chang says. "They naturally like it. Then when they grow up, Taiwan's culture and arts should improve. In the end, everyone will be able to hear better music and see better plays."

You gotta love a happy ending.

- Blake Carter
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