15th Anniversary Art Festival at Yilan Performing Arts Center: The Premiere of "King Lear Here" in Eastern Taiwan

By MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, reported by Chen Guanxin

 

Since its official opening in April 1998, Yilan Performing Arts Center has now celebrated its 15th anniversary. To mark this milestone, the Yilan County Government Cultural Affairs Bureau has arranged a series of exciting performances every weekend from now until May 12. These include theater, dance, and music programs. For theater, the event features “Flying People Theater Troupe,” known for contemporary puppetry; “Screen Performance Troupe,” which offers a diverse range of performances; and “Contemporary Legend Theater,” which blends Eastern and Western theatrical arts. Dance performances will be represented by “Extreme Physicality Dance Troupe,” one of central Taiwan’s most prominent modern dance companies. For music, the popular group “Strings Beyond Sound” — beloved by audiences of all ages — will take the stage. This diverse lineup promises something for everyone.

Contemporary Legend Theater will stage the grand performance of "King Lear Here" at Yilan Performing Arts Center on April 27 and 28. Since its premiere in 2000, the play has received an enthusiastic response from the global theater community, performing in 33 cities across 16 countries. In 2006, it was invited to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in the United States, and in 2011, it was featured at the Edinburgh International Festival. Artistic Director Wu Hsing-kuo stated, “This production has toured internationally for 12 years, but we’ve had few opportunities to share it with audiences across Taiwan. This year, we’ll present this one-man show featuring ten distinct roles in its entirety in Taiwan.”

In "King Lear Here," Wu Hsing-kuo will direct and star, taking on ten different roles in the play — including male, female, painted-face, and clown roles. He plays strong and valiant men, portrays madmen with wild insanity, and embodies beautiful women with graceful elegance. The entire play is presented as a “one-man show,” deconstructing Shakespeare’s "King Lear" while blending traditional and modern theatrical elements seamlessly. The performance features live music, creatively designed costumes, symbolic stage settings, flowing lighting effects, and music based mainly on traditional Chinese opera and instruments, integrated with synthesizers and natural sound effects. The high-difficulty singing, acting, recitation, and martial arts showcase the rhythm and form of modern theater.

 

For this event, Contemporary Legend Theater is launching a “Yilan Outing to See King Lear” double-ticket package. Taiwanese audiences can purchase two tickets — one for the April 27 or 28 performance of "King Lear Here" in Yilan, and one for a round-trip train ticket from Taipei to Yilan with flexible return times — for as low as NT$1,000. The train departs from Taipei Main Station and arrives at Yilan Station. Ticket sales start now and end on April 23, with a limit of 50 packages. For ticket information, contact Contemporary Legend Theater at 02-2392-3868 ext. 14.