The Ju Percussion Group's updated percussion theater production A Tale of Clay (泥巴) received favorable reviews after its five-show run in Taipei last month, but few may know that costume designer Keith Lin (林秉豪) drew inspiration from Taiwan's working class to create its distinctive outfits.
The workwear-inspired costumes for the play were crafted around the idea of "labor" — inspired by the musicians' rhythmic playing, which reminded him of the layered processes in a ceramics factory, Lin said in a recent interview.
Photo courtesy of Ju Percussion Group
"In a parallel world, the performers could be workers or villagers, each with their own sound," he said. "This led to the use of workwear, which not only matched the setting, but also allowed performers to carry small instruments in oversized pockets."
The veteran fashion designer, who grew up in a rural area of Pingtung County, said that childhood memories of building earthen kilns to roast sweet potatoes also inspired his designs.
"Those images of clay and construction stayed with me," he said.
In A Tale of Clay, work clothes paired with layered accessories become moving visual elements on stage, reinforcing the emotional connection between percussion, nostalgia and music, Lin said.
According to the troupe, A Tale of Clay is Ju Percussion's second percussion theater production.
The new version draws on the story of Brandon Lin (林光清), chairman of the Miaoli County-based Cilin Ceramics Co, intertwined with Ju Percussion's own 40-year journey.
"By combining percussion, ceramics and theater, the work conveys themes of roots, home and perseverance," it said in a news release.
Although a 2022 warehouse fire destroyed all sets and props for its earlier production of A Tale of Clay, the costumes survived and have been used in the play, the troupe said.
Meanwhile, updated costumes and accessories were created for new members to give the performance a more fashionable and complete stage look, it added.
Lin has worked in the field for more than 20 years with groups such as Cloud Gate Dance Theatre and the GuoGuang Opera Company.
He is also the founder of KeithLink, an international dancewear brand catering to ballet companies worldwide.
His designs are known for blending traditional elements with contemporary aesthetics.
He previously created costumes for productions such as Ju Percussion's Mulan (木蘭) and Japanese director Tadashi Suzuki's opera La Traviata.
A Tale of Clay is to be performed at the Miaobei Arts Festival on Oct. 18, with tickets already sold out.
It would then tour the Taichung National Theater on Oct. 25 and 26, and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts on Nov. 22 and 23.
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