Artist in Residence: Puppets, Identity, and Politics in Taiwan
Dr. Robin Ruizendaal 5 October - 14 October 2015 Dr. Robin Ruizendaal will be our ‘Scholar/Artist-in-Residence’ at Leiden University. Dr. Ruizendaal is widely acknowledged as an authority on contemporary Asian puppet shows.
He is the Director of Lin Liu-Hsin Puppet Theatre Museum, Managing/Artistic Director of Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company, and holds a PhD in Sinology from Leiden University. Dr. Ruizendaal will stay in The Hague/Leiden for two weeks, offering a series of masterclasses to introduce Taiwanese glove puppet theatre. Puppet theatre is viewed in Taiwan as an expression of grass-roots culture, with the puppets symbolizing far more than the characters they represent. His masterclasses will chart the historical and political development of puppet theatre in Taiwan and its role as a symbol of a distinct Taiwanese identity, from the 16th century to the 21th century, and from stage performances to the television screen. A Sea of Puppets Abstract
An interactive performance of traditional Taiwanese glove puppet theatre with an introduction by Dr. Robin Ruizendaal about puppet theatre, Taiwanese culture, his 22-year experience in Taiwan and China, and his work as the director of the Taiyuan Asian Puppet Theatre Museum. This evening the Taiwanese glove puppet show will be performed on a beautifully carved wooden stage. With amazing skill the puppeteer Kuo Chien-fu will bring the exquisite puppets with embroidered costumes to life. They perform not only delicate gestures, but also exciting fighting scenes and acrobatics. In this fascinating performance we will see a glimpse of one of the most beautiful theatre performances in the world and the sheer virtuosity of the Taiwanese puppet performance. The show is without words and suitable for an audience of all ages. After the performance the audience is invited to try out the puppet themselves! Masterclass Abstract
In 2006, glove puppet theatre was chosen as the symbol that could best represent Taiwan in a national opinion poll by the Government Information Office. Puppet theatre gained over 130.000 votes, beating both the highest mountain (Jade Mountain) and the tallest building (Taipei 101), who respectively became second and third. Puppet theatre is viewed as an expression of Taiwanese grass-roots culture and the puppets symbolize far more than the characters they represent. Politicians from different parties are eager to be photographed with a puppet or puppeteer during election season. Television puppet shows have unleashed a craze among young people, which is quite unique in Asia. This paper will chart the development of puppet theatre in Taiwan from the stage performance to the television screen and its role as a symbol of a distinct Taiwanese identity. |
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This project is made possible by the Spotlight Taiwan grant from the Ministry of Culture, Republic of China, with additional support provided by Special Patron Dr. Samuel Yin and Leiden University College The Hague.
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