Yilan Performing Arts Center’s Anniversary Arts Festival – The First Taiwan East Coast Performance of “King Lear Here”

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. The program includes theater, dance, and music events. For theater, renowned companies such as the “Flying People Theater Troupe,” known for modern puppetry productions, the versatile “Stage Door Theater Troupe,” and the “Contemporary Legend Theater,” which blends Eastern and Western theatrical arts, will take the stage. Dance will be represented by Taiwan’s Central Region’s most prominent modern dance company, “Extreme Physical Dance Troupe.” For music, the family-friendly “Strings Beyond Sound Ensemble” will perform. This diverse lineup offers audiences a rich variety of shows to enjoy.

The Contemporary Legend Theater will grandly stage “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 by New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and in 2011, it was featured at the Edinburgh International Festival. Artistic Director Wu Hsing-kuo stated, “This play has been touring internationally for 12 years, but we’ve had no chance to share it with audiences across Taiwan’s cities and counties. This year, we will present this one-man show where one actor plays ten roles in its entirety in Taiwan.”

In “King Lear Here,” Wu Hsing-kuo will direct and star, portraying ten distinct characters in the production. He excels in playing all traditional Chinese opera roles—sheng (male), dan (female), jing (painted face), and chou (clown). He can portray a strong and valiant man, a madman lost in insanity, or a graceful and enchanting beauty. The entire play is presented as a “one-man show,” deconstructing Shakespeare’s “King Lear” text while blending traditional and modern theater forms seamlessly. Live music accompanies the performance, with creative costumes, symbolic stage design, flowing lighting effects, and music primarily featuring traditional Chinese opera and instruments, along with synthesizers and natural soundscapes. The performance showcases high-level singing, acting, recitation, and martial arts, reflecting the rhythm and form of modern theater.

 

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