It's summer vacation time and kids are on the loose, busy looking for something fun to do. Moms and dads need worry no more, the circus has come to town.
It is the second visit of Moscow Magic Clown Theater to Taiwan and the troupe is fully prepared for its two-week traveling show around the country.
This weekend, the circus will perform at the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Hsinchu County (新竹縣文化局), Sinjhuang City Cultural Center (新莊文化藝術中心) and Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (國父紀念館).
PHOTO COURTESY OF MOSCOW MAGIC CLOWN THEATER
Coming from the mystical lands of the far North, 10 clowns wearing colorful makeup, baggy pants and funny shoes will play with simple props like bike, chair, flowers and balloons to create 16 short performances centered on the art of pantomime.
Each performer gives a distinct character to his or her roles, and the end result is a dazzling lineup of characters including a large-breasted nanny, a sullen-looking artist, a sweet dolly girl, ballerinas, fat ninjas and a robust biker.
The performances are full of slapstick humor and loud, explosive action. Audience members who want to try out their comic skills on the stage and have fun will also be encouraged to step up.
``This year the troupe takes out some of the stunt-oriented performances and aims for simplicity. With the help of limited props, the performers focus more on their carefully choreographed body movements to convey comic effects. Such an approach is more difficult and refined than, say magic routines,'' Younger Lin (林志揚) of the organizer Baroque Artist (靖音藝術有限公司) said in a press conference set up for the show on Monday.
The troupe has a wide range of productions designed for all age groups. ``For a clown theater, we have a relatively big age gap among audience members. So we have to make sure that everyone in the theater can enjoy the show. This year the troupe has designed a new set that can be appreciated on different levels. Both kids and adults can see something humorous and funny about the pieces,'' Lin said.
Established in 1998, Moscow Magic Clown Theater has recruited professionally trained performers in Russia and traveled all around the world with its constantly revised productions. The troupe is famed for its culturally-sensitive shows that include cultural and social references of the countries they go.
For those of you who don't want to miss the chance for a good laugh, go to http://www.bqam.com.tw or call (02) 2365 6287 for information on dates and time of additional shows.
For many people, Bilingual Nation 2030 begins and ends in the classroom. Since the policy was launched in 2018, the debate has centered on students, teachers and the pressure placed on schools. Yet the policy was never solely about English education. The government’s official plan also calls for bilingualization in Taiwan’s government services, laws and regulations, and living environment. The goal is to make Taiwan more inclusive and accessible to international enterprises and talent and better prepared for global economic and trade conditions. After eight years, that grand vision is due for a pulse check. RULES THAT CAN BE READ For Harper Chen (陳虹宇), an adviser
Traditionally, indigenous people in Taiwan’s mountains practice swidden cultivation, or “slash and burn” agriculture, a practice common in human history. According to a 2016 research article in the International Journal of Environmental Sustainability, among the Atayal people, this began with a search for suitable forested slopeland. The trees are burnt for fertilizer and the land cleared of stones. The stones and wood are then piled up to make fences, while both dead and standing trees are retained on the plot. The fences are used to grow climbing crops like squash and beans. The plot itself supports farming for three years.
President William Lai (賴清德) on Nov. 25 last year announced in a Washington Post op-ed that “my government will introduce a historic US$40 billion supplementary defense budget, an investment that underscores our commitment to defending Taiwan’s democracy.” Lai promised “significant new arms acquisitions from the United States” and to “invest in cutting-edge technologies and expand Taiwan’s defense industrial base,” to “bolster deterrence by inserting greater costs and uncertainties into Beijing’s decision-making on the use of force.” Announcing it in the Washington Post was a strategic gamble, both geopolitically and domestically, with Taiwan’s international credibility at stake. But Lai’s message was exactly
May 4 to May 10 It was once said that if you hadn’t performed at the Sapphire Grand Cabaret (藍寶石大歌廳), you couldn’t truly be considered a star. Taking the stage at the legendary Kaohsiung club was more than just a concert. Performers were expected to entertain in every sense, wearing outlandish or revealing costumes and staying quick on their feet as sharp-tongued, over-the-top hosts asked questions and delivered jokes that would be seen as vulgar, even offensive, by today’s standards. Opening in May 1967 during a period of strict political and social control, Sapphire offered a rare outlet for audiences in
RSS