In the upcoming theatrical adaptation of renowned writer Pai Hsien-yung’s popular novel Crystal Boys (Niezi, or “sons of sin” in Chinese), director Tsao Jui-yuan has invited the well-known Taiwanese gezaixi opera singer Tang Mei-yun to play the important role of Yang Chin-hai (Mob Boss Yang), which in the theatrical version transforms the elderly homosexual man into a gay female mob boss-like character.
Tang says that this is her first time to play the role of a gay woman. “In the play, I’m a totally different sort of woman. I exhibit motherly love and am willing to protect these youths, so it really becomes an alternative sort of family that has more diversity.” Back in the days when her father performed gezaixi on outdoor stages, there were always women playing gender-neutral roles, she says. “They were precisely the sort of role I’m playing now, with my hair slicked back, wearing a suit, but my father always told me to call those women ‘auntie’ so they would give me gifts.” This image and memory gradually resurfaces in her mind during every rehearsal.
Pai also says that he supports gay marriage and does not beat around the bush about it either, “Homosexuality is a part of humanity. People are striving to have this fact recognized, and if it is finally recognized it means that this country admits that heterosexuals and homosexuals are equal.”
Photo courtesy of Formosa Television
照片由民間民視公司提供
How do you give audiences a novel theatrical experience of Crystal Boys? Tsao says that Pai’s original novel is profoundly meaningful and worth reading repeatedly. Pai says that this theatrical version of Crystal Boys is the second time that the novel has been adapted. “I have the easiest job on the entire team,” Pai says. Apart from Tang being a major source of attraction, Golden Bell Awards winner Ting Chiang, veteran actors Samantha Ko and Fan Kuang-yao, along with renowned idol-actors Mo Tzu-yi and Matt Wu will also be joined by a dance troupe consisting of 17 male dancers, who serve as a key part of the performance and are meant to bring out the joys and tribulations of young homosexual boys trapped in the darkness of an unaccepting society.
The stage adaptation of Crystal Boys will be performed at the National Theater from Feb. 7 to Feb. 16 next year.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
將知名作家白先勇同志經典小說《孽子》搬上舞台劇，導演曹瑞原邀約歌仔戲小生唐美雲詮釋原著中重要人物楊金海（楊教頭），在劇中，這個角色從一位老同性戀變成了大姊頭般的女同性戀者。
Photo: Chen Yi-chuan, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者陳奕全
唐美雲說，這是她第一次出飾女同性戀，「戲中我是另外一種女性，有母愛，願意庇護這些小青春鳥，這不正是另外一種多元成家。」唐美雲表示，在她父親演出歌仔外台戲的年代，都會有一些打扮中性的女性，「就是我今天這身打扮，梳油頭，穿西裝，但我父親都教我喊阿姑，喊了才有紅包可以拿。」這個記憶，逐漸回到唐美雲每次的排戲之中，成了內在的形象。
白先勇也說支持同性婚姻，白先勇毫不避諱，「同性戀也是人性的一部分，爭取同志的人性被承認，如果承認，這才表示這個國家承認異性戀、同性戀都平等。」
要如何給觀眾全新的《孽子》舞台印象，曹瑞原說，白老師的原著就充滿深意，值得一再觸碰，白先勇則說，《孽子》舞台劇版已經是二度詮釋，「我是這團隊角色中最輕鬆的一位。」這次除了唐美雲是爆點之外，金鐘影帝丁強、影后柯淑勤、影帝樊光耀；還有實力派偶像演員莫子儀和吳中天，十七位焦點舞團男舞者則將帶來隱身於黑暗王國青春鳥群的悲歡年華。
舞台劇《孽子》明年二月七日起演出，直到二月十六日。地點在國家劇院。
（自由時報記者趙靜瑜）
If you’ve recently spotted adults parading around with cuddly toys dangling from their designer handbags, your eyes haven’t been deceiving you. The playful trend of adorning bags with cute charms has become popular among people of various ages. Plushies like Labubu and anime and manga characters such as Chiikawa have become must-have accessories that make personal statements. The practice of attaching charms to personal items has been common across cultures throughout history. In ancient civilizations, charms were often used as symbols of protection, good luck, or identity. Fast-forward to more modern times, and style icons like Jane Birkin, a
★ Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。 Kevin leaned over the bubbling pot. “Hey. . . are you okay? You’ve barely touched your food.” Zoey blinked. Her face was red — not from blushing, but from the “mala” spice and the heat of the room. Her blond hair clumped to her face like strands of fine spaghetti. Her carefully applied makeup now streaked. “This isn’t what I expected,” she said softly, forcing a smile. All around them, Kevin’s friends were laughing, shouting, and tossing ingredients into the broth. The air smelled of chili oil and garlic.
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang If plushie charms are cute little nods to people’s interests, ita bags are full-on declarations. The term “ita” comes from the Japanese word itai, which means “painful” and reflects the overwhelming visual intensity of these bags. An ita bag is essentially a handbag, backpack, or tote meticulously decorated with an extensive collection of merchandise dedicated to a specific character or idol. These bags usually feature a clear plastic window to display carefully arranged pins, badges, keychains, or fan art. Both the interior and exterior may be covered in fandom memorabilia, creating an aesthetic so intense that it’s almost “painful”
對話 Dialogue 清清：華華，你知道嗎？聽說11月5號有「超級月亮」！那天的月亮會特別大、特別亮。 Qīngqing: Huáhua, nǐ zhīdào ma? Tīngshuō shíyī yuè wǔ hào yǒu “chāojí yuèliàng”! Nà tiān de yuèliàng huì tèbié dà, tèbié liàng. 華華：真的嗎？太棒了！我想去河邊看月亮，順便拍照片。 Huáhua: Zhēnde ma? Tài bàng le! Wǒ xiǎng qù hébiān kàn yuèliàng, shùnbiàn pāi zhàopiàn. 清清：聽說在超級月亮出現的那天晚上許願，願望比較容易實現。 Qīngqing: Tīngshuō zài chāojí yuèliàng chūxiàn de nàtiān wǎnshàng xǔyuàn, yuànwàng bǐjiào róngyì shíxiàn. 華華：是嗎？讓我好好想想要許什麼願。 Huáhua: Shì ma? Ràng wǒ hǎohǎo xiǎngxiǎng yào xǔ shénme yuàn. 清清：哈哈，我已經想好了，我希望「每天都準時下班」。 Qīngqing: Hāhā, wǒ yǐjīng xiǎng hǎo le, wǒ xīwàng “měitiān dōu zhǔnshí xiàbān”. 華華：嗯......我希望今年「年終獎金加倍」 Huáhua: ēn... wǒ xīwàng jīnnián “niánzhōng jiǎngjīn jiābèi”! 清清：等你把手邊的專案做完，你的願望一定可以實現的。 Qīngqing: Děng nǐ bǎ shǒubiān de zhuān’àn zuò wán, nǐ de yuànwàng yídìng kěyǐ shíxiàn de. 華華：希望一切能順利！ Huáhua: Xīwàng yíqiè néng shùnlì! 翻譯
RSS