March 27 – April 14, 2012
Puppets, politics and pop music: Taiwanese and Chinese puppet theatre in the 20th century
IDEA Space
Tuesday, March 27, 4:30 – 6pm: Opening Reception and IDEA Cabaret Conversation with Robin Ruizendaal, Director Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum

 

This exhibition presents puppet theatre as both an art form and a window on the social and political developments in Taiwan and China in the 20th century. With numerous exquisite and antique puppets, stages, artifacts and photographs, the exhibition is a unique voyage through puppet theatre and social history, as well as an aesthetic pleasure.

The Taiyuan Company performs innovative visual music theatre with puppets, actors, video and musicians, and cooperates with artists from many different backgrounds and nationalities. The company’s initial inspiration derived from the Taiwanese glove puppet theatre that has a rich and varied tradition in which music, carving, embroidery and a delicate performance technique all come together. Taiyuan was founded 12 years ago by Paul Lin and managing/artistic director Robin Ruizendaal to continue this tradition, while at the same time creating new modern theatre performances within a distinct Taiwanese context.

This model of conserving tradition and creating new plays has proved to be very successful. The company’s shows have been performed in over 30 countries at venues such as the Purcell Room and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the rainforests of Central America, the Traditional Opera Theatre in Hanoi, Union Square in San Francisco, Casa Mila in Barcelona, the countryside of Cambodia and, of course, the squares and theatres of old Taipei.

The company is based at the Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum in Dadaocheng, the old centre of Taipei.

Members of the company will be in residence at Colorado College this spring and will perform Taipei By Night May 9 — 12. Check the CC calendar for details. www.coloradocollege.edu/events