To help people overcome their fear of Ghost Month, Taipei Cultural Center’s Dadaocheng Theater is flouting a long-standing taboo by inviting the Taipei Quyituan to perform a cross-talk show that employs dark humor and sarcasm to satirize current affairs, interlacing them with legends and jokes that have to do with human-ghost relationships. The show aims to teach the public to hold Heaven and Earth in awe while presenting the absurdity of human nature. It is hoped that it can help the audience allay their fears through laughter.
The show will take place on Friday next week, which is the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar and marks the Ghost Festival. The performance includes many segments consisting of ghostly elements. Although these urban legends may unnerve the audience, they will end up revealing the absurdity of human nature in a way that is full of implications about life and death.
Traditionally, a pingshu show is performed by a single storyteller, but times are changing. Now traditional Chinese music has been added to enhance the atmosphere, while improvements have also been made to the pace of the script and the storytelling techniques.
(Liberty Times, translated by Ethan Zhan)
Photo: Hsiao Ting-fang, Taipei Times
照片：自由時報記者蕭婷方
為突破民眾對「鬼月」的恐懼，台北社會教育館大稻埕戲苑突破以往禁忌，邀來台北曲藝團，以相聲黑色幽默、諷諭時事等特色手法，穿插人鬼傳說及笑話，教導人敬畏天地，並呈現人性之荒謬，希望在笑聲中為大家卸下恐懼。
表演會在下週五農曆七月半中元節當天演出，許多橋段都將與「鬼」有關，雖然這些鄉野奇談的橋段會讓觀眾捏一把冷汗，最後卻會以呈現人性荒謬收場，饒富生命教育的意涵。
傳統「評書」僅有一位「說書人」表演，但隨時代變遷，現在國樂也加入其中，增添氣氛，而劇本節奏與說書手法也都精心改良。
（自由時報記者蕭婷方／台北報導）
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