The Sun Son Theater (
The theater troupe opened its latest play on Wednesday at the Huashan Arts District.
According to artistic director Wu Jong-Liang (
What aroused the interest of police and prosecutors was widespread media reports that 10 minutes into the performance, the three actors and three actresses remove their clothes and dance in a circle for about five minutes.
The Taipei City Police Department's Chungcheng First Precinct began an investigation into whether the play was a pornographic performance after reading sensationalized stories in the local media, said actress Chien Chao-yi (
"We felt so helpless and astounded when the police came into the theater without any advanced warning and insisted on taping the play," Chien said.
"The police acted as if we were doing something immoral. We have not been respected," she said.
The police launched an investigation because the theater group was suspected of "offending society's morals and decency," according to Taipei District Prosecutor Ho Chun-ying (
"Because the police videotaped the whole performance on the first day, they do not need to attend the rest of the performances," Ho said.
The police action drew strong protests from the actors and Taipei City councilors.
Democratic Progressive Party City Councilor Lan Shih-tsung (
"It is ironic that the city police cracked down on a show that has been approved and subsidized by the city's Cultural Affairs Bureau," Lan said.
The city councilor said that the police "made too much of a fuss" over the play.
City councilors have blamed Taipei Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Liao Hsien-hao (
Liao said he was sorry about the police action and was confused about their motivation.
"The police might not understand the content and connotations of the performing arts. It is easy to identify whether the play is art or pornography from the performers and the location," Liao said.
"We have suggested the police consult with us before taking action next time," Liao said.
Liao admitted, however, that the bureau has difficulty grasping the details of every performance under its auspices but said that it did not want to intervene in every cultural activity.
"We endeavor to protect artists' freedom to create. This won't happen in the future," Liao said.
The Sun Son Theater is a well-regarded experimental-theater troupe. It received a NT$150,000 subsidy from Taipei's cultural bureau and NT$250,000 from the National Culture and Arts Foundation for Circle of Love.
The troupe was also selected to appear at the Asia Pacific Little Theater Festival, starting this weekend.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
RSS