14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 • TIMES BY Diane Baker compiled BY DANCE stop David Chen The god of small things arital strife was top of the pops this week on the gossip pages, and we begin with a Mtale of two CEOs, their glamorous wives and a pending divorce. PERFORMANCE notes “Your wife is having an affair with my husband,” former Out of the frying pan and into the fire. What: WCdance, Small Puzzles ( ) 洪曉蕾 supermodel Lei Hung ( ) was Photo: Taipei Times WHERE: Experimental Theater of the National reported to have said in a tearful, Theater (國家戲劇院實驗劇場) late night phone call to business- Kao when they married eight WHEN: Thursday to Sept. 25 at 7:30pm, Sept. 25 man Tung Chien-san (董建三). years ago. and Sept. 26 at 2:30pm Tung, the CEO of a raw On Who Has the Last Word ADMISSION: Tickets are NT$500, available at NTCH materials company, regaled the Tonight? (今晚誰當家), Tsai told box office or through www.artsticket.com.tw Apple Daily with details of how her interviewer that she tried ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES: Oct. 23 at he found out his wife Carol Chien to commit suicide by cutting 7:30pm at Yilan Performance Hall (宜蘭演藝廳), 482, (錢德月) was carrying on an affair her wrists on two different Chungshan Rd Sec 2, Yilan City (宜蘭市中山路二段 with Huang’s husband Wang occasions since discovering her 482號); Oct. 30 at 7:30pm at National 王世均 Shih-chun ( ), the CEO of a then-husband had fallen for Chen Library Chungsing Concert Hall (台中市中興堂), jewelry company. Tzu-hsuan. 291-3 Jingwu Rd, Taichung City (台中市精武路291之 As Tung tells it, Huang Tsai was accompanied by her 3號); Nov. 17 at 7:30pm at Experimental Theater discovered the infidelity earlier twin sister Tsai Yu-chieh (蔡郁潔), of Chiayi Performance Arts Center (嘉義縣表演藝 this year after hearing his mobile who lobbed some verbal abuse 術中心實驗劇場 phone ring in the middle of night. Chen’s way, referring to her as ), 265, Jianguo Rd Sec 2, Minsyong Since Wang was passed out cold a “black mountain witch” and a Township, Chiayi County (嘉義縣民雄鄉建國路二 after a night of drinking, she “transvestite,” reported our sister 段265號); and Dec. 10 at 7:30pm at looked through his text messages paper, The Liberty Times. Weiwuying Metropolitan Park (高雄衛武營藝術文化中 and stumbled upon some And in a strange and cruel 心281棟). Admission is NT$300 for Yilan and Chiayi incriminating conversations with twist, Tsai received flowers on shows, NT$350 for Taichung and Kaohsiung Chien, in which they referred to the set of the show from Kao, each other as “husband” (老公) and who had been contacted by a “wife” (老婆). journalist who told him about This appears to be yet another her wrist-slashing attempts. The suggested enlarging children’s blocks instead. dent in what began as a fairy- flowers came with a message You can see how the simplicity of the blocks’ tale marriage between Wang and from Kao: “A thousand faults, 10 shapes would appeal to Yao, whose background is in Huang, who gave up the catwalk thousand faults, all of this has photography and installation, not stage design. However, to be a housewife. Over the years, been my fault ... it is like my heart the pieces are so big that the dancers resemble ants, Lin rumors of domestic violence has been cut with a knife, too.” said, which is apropos since his first piece for WCdance, have dogged the couple — on Tsai responded in tears: “This Small (小), confined the dancers to a Plexiglas cube that more than one occasion Huang is the last set of flowers [I’ll ever resembled an ant farm. has been spotted in public with receive from him].” Lin is so low-tech that to work out the choreography bruises and scars, which she And here’s a marriage that for Small Puzzles he bought a wooden puzzle set from has always dismissed as having almost didn’t begin. The day Toys“R”Us and painted it white. resulted from accidents. before his wedding last Friday, “Everyday I would go home, play with the blocks and Tung has been alone in airing comedian Ma Kuo-pi (馬國畢) was then the next day we would go into the studio to try out everyone’s dirty laundry. When discovered standing in a daze in the moves,” he said. “Since we don’t have the space to be asked to respond to his story, front of his burning car on a road able to look down from above, and the set pieces are so Huang insisted that she and Wang near Yangmingshan in Taipei, heavy, it would just be a waste of energy to move them had no plans to get divorced, after a botched suicide attempt. without planning ahead.” saying that “Things are good now, The 35-year-old pulled his car The music was suggested by Lin’s mentor and former and I am very satisfied with this over to the side of the road, lit a boss, Bill T. Jones: Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Well- stage of our marriage.” charcoal grill in the backseat and Tempered Clavier. That’s not the case for Tung then loaded up on sleeping pills, “Two years ago I was choreographing a piece using and Chien, who are currently according to the Apple Daily. Tchaikovsky. Bill wrote a letter to say that when he negotiating a divorce settlement. What saved Ma’s life wasn’t the was driving he was listening to Bach and thought it was Tung took the opportunity to police, who arrived shortly after well suited for me. I thought ‘OK,’ but didn’t know when complain to Apple about Chien, receiving calls from the scene, I would use it. I’m afraid the audience will fall asleep who is asking for a settlement but his bladder. since the music is only one piano [and pianist Chen amounting to NT$200 million. Apparently nature called at Huei-yu (陳慧宇)], but I think the music can be enough,” For her part, Chien refused to just the right time, prompting Lin said. “Keep the music simple, the stage simple, the discuss the divorce and denied Ma to step out to take a leak just costumes simple. I haven’t used one-piece leotards since having an affair with Wang. “He’s before his car burst into flames. I was in college.” paranoid,” Chien said of her The Liberty Times reported The 70-minute performance (no intermission) is husband. “If I just talk to another that Ma often fought with his divided into four sections: The Window, The Figures and man, he gets upset — it’s a fiancee Hsieh Yi-chun (謝依純) Shadows, The Loop and The River of Time. misunderstanding.” and the two had just gotten into Lin uses the blocks and lighting to establish the area And then there’s the story an argument before he tried to for each section. that refuses to go away: The barbeque himself. “The Window is a game of negative space. We just use cram school teacher soap opera Hsieh, who arrived at the the interior space suggested by the form of a box, like involving school owner Kao Kuo- police station to pick him WCdance members begin a nationwide tour of their newest production, Small Puzzles, at the Experimental Theater in Taipei on Thursday. the windows of a building. In The Figures and Shadows, hua (高國華), his employee and up, seemed unfazed. She told Photo Courtesy of WCdance the dancers hold the blocks so they become figures, like new flame Chen Tzu-hsuan (陳子 reporters that the wedding would ants or workers on the street,” he said. 璇) and his ex-wife, news anchor go on the next day, and it did. choreographer Lin Wen-chung’s (林文中) first two shows before going on the road next month. “The Loop is like a broken CD player; it’s the only Tsai Yu-hsuan (蔡郁璇). The next day saw the couple productions for his company WCdance (林文中舞團), Other choreographers may love computer imagery section where the music is repeated three times. The By all accounts, the drama presiding over a star-studded he made a virtue out of necessity, creating finely and multimedia magic, but not Lin. movement is circle, swing and repeat,” he said. “I think should be over — Kao officially banquet that included guests such Inhoned works set on a small number of dancers to be “My works are anti-technology,” Lin said with a laugh The River of Time is the one that people will find the divorced Tsai and has proclaimed as comedy bigwigs Jacky Wu (吳宗 performed in small venues. When you are just starting out, during an interview on Saturday last week. “The most easiest to understand — we build a boat, there’s a river, Chen as his “true love.” But Tsai 憲) and Hu Gua (胡瓜). you can’t afford to hire a lot of dancers or big venues and high-tech we get is putting a light in one of the small a storm that washes away the people, 12 blocks laid out remained in the spotlight earlier Dressed in a white tuxedo, a your sets have to be portable. pillars to make it look like a flashlight.” like a clock face.” this week with several talk show beaming Ma told reporters that No longer the new kid on the block, Lin has expanded His original idea had been to recycle the white “I’m still trying to use musicality as a way to connect appearances. On one show, she their tiff had been resolved and his vision, yet kept to his minimalist approach with his platform he used for a stage in last year’s Small Songs with regular people,” Lin said. “People in Taiwan like admitted that her parents were that he wouldn’t be touching newest work, Small Puzzles ( ), which opens at the (情歌) by cutting it into pieces that the dancers could dance, but they won’t pay to see it. Modern dance is too right about their misgivings about sleeping pills anymore. Experimental Theater in Taipei on Thursday for five play with them. Stage designer Yao Jui-Chung (姚瑞中) abstract for them, they don’t get it.”

BY Catherine Shu BY Catherine Shu RESTAURANTS TIDBITS Thai tapo was also distractingly ecorated with enough vintage Home’s Thai 香米泰國料理 BY Catherine Shu greasy. At NT$680, it was also posters and knick-knacks Ah-Tsai serves classic Taiwan- Address: 36-6, Fuxing S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市復興南路一段36-6號) one of the most expensive items to stock a flea market, ese dishes in a restaurant that on the menu. DAh-Tsai’s Restaurant (阿才的店) wo Agnes B. Telephone: (02) 2731-7309 Average meal: NT$700 to NT$1,000 looks like it comes straight Open: Daily from 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 9:30pm Home’s Thai’s version of gets precariously close to theme out of the 1960s. cafes opened another classic, chicken satay restaurant territory. But a fiery, in Taipei Details: Chinese and English menu, credit cards accepted Photo: Catherine Shu, Taipei Times (NT$280), is much better, with garlic-heavy menu of classic Tlast week, one big, juicy pieces of meat on Taiwanese dishes proves the in Eslite’s (誠品) ocated across from Breeze frogs legs. For a healthier option, skewers and two delicious restaurant’s culinary chops. Xinyi District (信義) 微風廣場 Center ( ), the interior try the Thai-style raw shrimp dipping sauces, a thick peanut Ah-Tsai’s is housed behind a shopping center 香米泰國料 of Home’s Thai ( (NT$350). The dish is a Thai butter sauce and a lighter sweet- picturesquely dilapidated-looking and the other in L理) is as trendy as you’d expect restaurant staple, but the version 微 Photo: Catherine Shu, Taipei Times and-sour option. For something storefront on Jinshan South Breeze Center ( from a popular restaurant in this at Home’s Thai is notable for 風廣場 東區 more unusual, order the Thai- Road (金山南路), with overgrown ) in the East District ( ). neighborhood. It’s dimly lit and the freshness of its firm, plump As a clothing label, Agnes B. is style grilled lamb chop with planters and a vintage scooter Take, for example, the stir- but the meat and bean curd were appointed with sleek tables and shrimp, which are butterflied and known for chic, slim clothing designs spicy sauce (NT$460), which is parked out in front for good fried betel nut flowers 檳榔花( , slightly overcooked and tough. chairs. A glimmering ceiling- covered in a big heap of diced for men and women. Its cafes, cooked just as skillfully as the measure. The interior is carefully NT$100 or NT$200 depending Surprisingly, the shacha to-floor crystal curtain sets off garlic and chili peppers. however, seem designed to fatten you chicken satay and more robust decorated to look untouched on portion size), a white plant lamb stir-fry (沙茶羊肉, NT$130 the staircase to the restaurant’s As with any menu the size of up with pastries, chocolates, quiches, in taste. since the 1960s (a thick layer of that resembles and tastes like to NT$200) tasted tame in second floor. Home’s, there are bound to be a creamy lattes and sandwiches filled Two dishes, the spicy dust on a row of Tatung electric a slightly sweeter version of comparison to the other dishes, But despite its coolly few lackluster dishes. The Thai with cheese (for calorie watchers, fried seafood (NT$300) and Thai fans and Bakelite telephones bamboo. Ah-Tsai’s version probably because it was only modern interior, Home’s offers tapo (NT$280) is ground chicken, boxes of salad and bottles of Perrier sauce squid blend (NT$300), are helps the overall effect). Scruffy tosses in a heap of cilantro, chili lightly sprinkled with a few tiny comfortingly familiar and beef or pork (we chose pork) are available). Many of the delicate, both excellent, flavored with white walls are festooned with peppers and diced scallions, as bits of chili. The slices of meat piquant Thai classics. stir-fried with chili peppers and miniature patisseries are embellished just enough chili and garlic. The colorful movie posters, yellowing well as a luxurious dose of garlic. were cooked with water spinach, with a tiny chocolate disk that has the The restaurant’s menu sauce. The dish is served with spicy fried seafood, which is calendars and black-and-white After my taste buds got over the basil and lots of shacha sauce, a Agnes B. logo printed on it, in case you is extensive — almost lettuce leaves for wrapping, but actually stir-fried, is especially photographs of dreamy looking initial shock, I enjoyed the dish, thick condiment made of chopped forget where you are eating. Prices overwhelmingly so. Appetizers the oil made it somewhat difficult good, with plump mussels, women in qipaos. Waiters grab even though all the spicy flavors fish and dried shrimp marinated are surprisingly reasonable, however, are divided into two sections, to get the meat successfully shrimp, squid and crab leg meat. dishware from cupboards topped threatened to compete with the in a mixture of soybean oil, garlic, ranging from NT$90 for a quiche to one that features exclusively inside. The Thai spicy fried crab The squid blend is served cold with old tin toys and coin banks. mild taste of the crunchy betel chilis and shallots. The amount NT$120 for a sandwich or pastry. At fried items like shrimp cakes with lemon grass had a good as a salad and topped with thin Every vintage item is probably nut flowers. of lamb seemed skimpy but NT$75 for a small piece, the chocolates and battered and deep-fried balance of flavors, but like the stalks of crunchy celery that twice as old as Ah-tsai’s clientele, Also searingly hot was the went very well with the basil and are the priciest items. complement the firm but tender which on weekdays appears kongpao shrimp (宮保蝦仁, NT$190 crunchy water spinach, whose The rampant use of logos and slices of seafood. to consist mostly of young or NT$280), which was stir-fried hollow roots soaked up the the fact that the Breeze Center cafe is located right next to an Agnes B. professionals celebrating the end with lots of chili peppers. Unlike shacha sauce. clothing store might make dessert of a workday by knocking down kongpao chicken, this dish did At NT$380 or NT$480 The piquant dishes at Home’s Thai bottles of Taiwan . Ah-tsai’s lovers wonder if this is a case of style contrast with its cool interior. not feature roasted peanuts, depending on your order size, over substance. But the patisseries strong flavors certainly seemed which were replaced with sanbeiji, or three cup chicken (三 Photo: Catherine Shu, Taipei Times (NT$100 each) are actually quite designed to induce thirstiness for chunky slices of juicy zucchini. 杯雞), is one of the priciest dishes good. The Charlene is a chocolate- a cold brew. The vegetable was a welcome on Ah-Tsai’s menu. It takes about covered dome filled with chestnut contrast to the shrimp, which had 20 minutes to prepare, which gives mousse between flaky layers of absorbed plenty of chili oil. the meat time to simmer slowly in light and crunchy feuilletine. Cream Ah-Tsai’s Restaurant 阿才的店 We didn’t get a respite from a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil liquor gives a grown-up touch to the spiciness with the Hakka stir- and wine. Topped with cloves the fluffy chocolate sponge cake 台北市仁愛路二段 巷 號 Address: 17, Ln 41, Renai Rd Sec 2, Taipei City ( 41 17 ). The entrance fry (客家小炒, NT$180 or NT$250), of garlic that had been cooked in the Danielle. The quiches and faces Jinshan South Road (金山南路) Telephone: (02) 2356-9109 or strips of pork, bean curd until tender, the chunks of chicken sandwiches, while not mind-blowing, Open: Mondays to Saturdays from 11:30am to 2pm and 5:30pm to 2am and squid tossed with scallions, were heavy on bone and relatively offer the lunch crowd a satisfying Average meal: Most dishes range from NT$100 to NT$250 celery and yet more chili short on meat, but nonetheless alternative to food court fare. Details: Chinese menu, credit cards not accepted peppers. The stir-fry was good, delicious and worth the wait.