taipei times

MONDAY, AUGUST 1 8 , 2 0 0 8 PAGE   1 3

[ THE WEEKENDER ] ‘Le Boite’: no strings attached

by Ian Bartholomew and diane baker staff reporters

La Boite (The Box), the second performance in the Taipei Art Festival (台北藝術節) opened Friday at the Zhongshan Hall (台北 市中山堂) in Taipei. The show, a collaboration between Taiwan’s Taiyuan Puppet Theater Company (台原偶戲團) and Compagnie des Zonzons from France, played to an almost full house The story of two puppet troupes who meet, learn from each other, and then continue on their separate ways was inconsequen- tial, but in the manner of great road movies, it is the journey of the spirit rather that really matters. La Boite achieves this spiritual journey through the strength of its ensemble performance. The close relationship between actors, the puppets, the musicians and even the lighting technicians (the use of projection and shadow was integral to the production), and which they presented so joyfully to the audience, was one of the great achievements of this production. The fact that the story, such as it was, was self-reflecting — two puppet troupes performing a play about two puppet troupes — lent the production a wonderful intimacy, and the little moments of humor and sentimentality worked well, nicely balanced between Taiwan’s ambassadors of rap sincere sentimentality and the artificial setup of the great “puppet box” in and around which the actors and puppets Kou Chou Ching t’s been a good year for Kou Chou FC: Mainly it’s because they’re shy. It’s more diversified. performed. Ching (拷秋勤), the hip-hop group like in school — when you’re in class and FC: But I think one problem is that there’s The production overcame enjoys a strong indie I known for sampling traditional you raise your hand when the teacher asks no new generation ... Many groups out there the problem of the small Taiwanese music and rapping in Hoklo if there are any questions, people think now are already two or three years old, and size of traditional Taiwan following for its (commonly known as Taiwanese) and you’re strange/weird. even fewer new groups are coming out. This glove puppets through the brand of traditional Hakka. The outfit gained mainstream TT: But don’t you think this is changing isn’t just happening in hip-hop but it’s also use of projections. The recognition when its latest album was for the better? the same for indie bands ... There are fewer overlaying of the projection Taiwanese hip-hop. nominated for several Golden Melody JC: Very slowly! new bands nowadays that are making good on the same space as the The group has Awards — Taiwan’s equivalent of the FL: In Taiwan, there are some scenes music and have a big following. actual performance worked Grammy Awards. The group enjoys that are pretty entertaining, with a [good] JC: It’s hard for bands in Taiwan to keep particularly well, and was much La Boite pulled one out of the box. an album out and a steady gigging schedule, and just atmosphere — last year we went to the it going because of [compulsory] military less distracting than having Photo Courtesy of taiyuan puppet theater company just returned completed a mini-tour of Tokyo rock clubs Taike Rock Concert (台客搖滾嘉年華) ... service ... It often causes bands to break up. separate video screens. at the invitation of Japanese indie label JC: Everyone, even the baimin (白民, TT: But wouldn’t a band just continue on Taiyuan has often made use of hand puppets in its experimental from a series of People’s Records. ordinary folks), enjoyed it. after they finish their service? performances, but this reviewer has always found the discrepancy gigs in Tokyo I met three of Kou Chou Ching’s five FC: It’s the same with the Ho-Hai-Yan J-Chen: People then get jobs … they give in scale too extreme even in small venues such as the Experimental members, MCs Fan Chiang (范姜) and music festival. up the dream of doing music. Theater to be truly effective. At a venue such as Zhongshan Hall, FishLin and DJ J-Chen, at a coffee shop FL: If it’s a more official event held TT: Where’s Taiwan hip-hop headed? this discrepancy could have been disastrous — instead, through by DAVID CHEN near their studio in Shilin (士林). The by somebody like the Council for Hakka FC: It’s moving toward many styles ... this clever use of projection, the intricately made puppets where STAFF REPOrTER mild-mannered and down-to-earth MCs, Affairs or the Government Information before everyone just liked gangsta rap. More able to project their presence across the much bigger space, who look and dress like typical university Office, not as many people come to hear groups are also releasing their own CDs. without losing the immediacy of the live performance. students, quietly teased their slightly goofy music — or else they come to listen TT: What’s in store musically for Kou There was much more in La Boite than you’d expect, and DJ, who sported an obvious “hip-hop” look to Hakka folk music or more normal, Chou Ching? all was very neatly combined. It did not have a big finale, which with his trucker’s mesh hat. intimate music. FL: I think that you don’t only need hip- perhaps left some of the audience a little bemused, but even this hop beats to rap … Our beats in the future seemed to fit with the whole program. After all, you often never Taipei Times: How did Japanese audiences As the global hip-hop phenomenon has will probably include drum n’ bass, house, really know when a journey has ended and another begins. respond to your music? made a clear mark on the fashion and pop to which we will add rap. We don’t just Allen Yu (余能盛) looked very happy on Saturday night, even J-Chen: The audiences didn’t understand music industries, Kou Chou Ching has listen to hip-hop but a lot of other music before the curtain went up before a full house on his production the [language] of our music, but they were distinguished itself by defying the genre’s too, so we’ll be trying other styles. of La Dame aux Camelias. He was right to be happy, for the very willing to listen to the melodies, and conventional stereotypes. There is no TT: So you’re leaning towards electronic production was a huge advance, both in scale and performance move to the beat — this doesn’t happen in “gangsta” romance in their music; instead music. levels, over his shows the past two summers. Taiwan. In Taiwan, they put their hands they rap about how Taiwanese kids need FL: Electronic, but reggae too. But we Dancing to a live orchestra clearly inspired local dancers Ho under their arms, and mostly just look at to avoid violence. There is little desire for will keep adding traditional [Taiwanese Yu-wen (何郁玟) as Nanina, Liao Yi-hsuan (廖奕琁) as Prudence you coldly. When we tell them to raise bling and wealth. The group is preparing to music samples] to electronic and maybe Duvernoy, Wang Kuo-nien (王國年) as the Joker and Chuang Yuan- their hands in the air, they’ll raise them but sell its own line of hip-hop clothing, but with even reggae music. We’ve starting to realize ting (莊媛婷) as the Queen of Cards to dance their best. They must lower them right away. In Japan, they’ll just the profits marked for charity organizations that they are compatible. have also been inspired by working for several weeks with their dance, dance, dance. and NGOs. Yet, the group’s members do not TT: Where do you get your music samples? two Czech leads, Nikola Marova and Michal Stipa. The pair’s TT: Why do Japanese audiences dance dwell on what sets them apart; their main FL: For traditional music, night markets. two big pas de duex, at the end of Act I and Act III, were both so much? Aren’t they in the same position interest lies in all things music. Some places in the countryside, temples sell passionate and technically demanding. as Taiwanese audience members who don’t their own CDs of traditional opera music. Yu’s decision to stage Act III’s casino scene with the company understand Hakka, for example? TT: What’s the current state of Taiwan’s FC: On Huaxi Street (華西街) there’s costumed as suites of cards was very clever. I loved the bright JC: That’s because of the music, and not hip-hop scene? a place that sells cassette tapes [of old unitard costumes, though I could have done without the feathers because of … FL: In Tainan, there used to be a group Taiwanese songs]. We’ll buy tapes there in the little caps. It was a scene that demanded a lot from the Kou Chou Ching, the hip-hop outfit that you could FishLin: ... whether or not you can of rappers that focused a lot on freestyle to make into samples … I’ve also had this entire corp and they pulled it off, take home for tea with granny. communicate in the language. and rapping skills. But right now it seems idea of recording on the street, where The National Theater saved the best for last in its New Photos courtesy of kou chou ching Fan Chiang: [The Japanese seem] to care like the creativity is happening in Taipei you sometimes see these tough old ladies Productions of Emerging Taiwanese Choreographers production, more about whether the music sounds good — because in Tainan, even though they bawling someone out … the way they yell as the final two pieces of the program outshone the rest. or not. In Taiwan, you don’t often get the did a lot of rapping, not many people were — that feeling is a lot like rap. And it’s very All eight dances varied so widely in terms of content and style feeling that people actually enjoy music for writing their own music. rhythmic. We could tape that and put it to that it was like ranking apples and oranges to compare them, but the sake of music. For example, say you’re They would use foreign instrumentals a rhythm track, make an intro to a song. I Su Shih-jian’s (蘇詩堅) The Wind Blew — beautifully performed enjoying the music, you might start dancing. ... but they didn’t really write their own think that would be really cool. by Chou Meng-ping (周夢蘋) — and Huang Huai-de’s (黃懷德) A This is not as common in Taiwan. music. What makes Taipei’s scene great is House Male — danced by Huang, Liu Hou-chen (劉厚辰) and Chen TT: Why is that? more people here write their own music. Kou Chou Ching’s next show is on Wei-sheng (陳韋勝) — stood out strongly both in terms of concept JC: Personality. Maybe it’s because of the US and Japan’s Thursday, 8:30pm, at the Ilan County and execution. FC: The Taiwanese are generally shyer. influence ... there are a few hip-hop jazz Stadium (宜蘭縣立體育館). Visit the group’s Huang’s piece especially — a wonderful romp on, around and FL: If you’re really getting into it and groups starting to come out now in Taipei blog at blog.roodo.com/kou/ or Web site at over a pair of moveable ballet barres — marks the arrival of a start dancing, people will stare at you. ... It used to be that a lot of people wanted www.kou.com.tw for details. strong new voice and was just a sheer joy to watch. More the pity JC: They’ll think you’re strange … and to learn American gangsta rap, more hard- [This interview has been edited and then that the second weekend did not draw as many viewers as

they’ll take a step back. core, tougher stuff. But now it’s becoming condensed.]  the first, at least as far as the Saturday matinees went. PLANET

comedian and talk show red carpet events in Hollywood Ballad of Ronnie Drew. Proceeds tune Oh My God for singer Lily by Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty, US host Ellen DeGeneres together. went to the Irish Cancer Society. Allen, also came under fire. whom she was accused of racially married her long-time partner, DeGeneres announced her Those involved included , “He wants to write his own taunting on the British version. actress Portia de Rossi, at their plans to wed de Rossi, the former , Sinead O’Connor, tunes instead of ruining everyone Gallagher joked about putting home in Los Angeles on Saturday, Ally McBeal actress, on her talk , , else’s,” Gallagher said. out his own aftershave, Eau de according to People. show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, , Shane MacGowan, “Mark Ronson needs to learn Toerag, “for the working class DeGeneres, 50, and de Rossi, in May after California’s Supreme and . three chords on the guitar and gentlemen.” 35, exchanged handwritten vows Court overturned a state ban on Dorival Caymmi, one of the write a tune.” He said Goody’s scent “smells in an intimate ceremony attending same-sex marriage. founders of modern Brazilian He branded pop band Scouting like stale urine, and that’s not by 19 guests, a representative for Irish folk legend music, passed away Saturday from For Girls “Scouting For Idiots” Ronnie Peaches Geldof is probably thankful that the perfume.” the couple told the magazine. Drew, a founding member of multiple organ failure, surrounded and attacked the Kaiser Chiefs, Of Geldof’s newly-married Noel Gallagher isn’t her father. photo: ap The couple The Dubliners, died in a by family and friends at his Rio de saying: “The Monkees haven’t split daughter, he said: “God almighty, have been hospital on Saturday, his family Janeiro home, at 94 years of age, and cut his last record on his 90th up, they’re just going under the I have respect for Sir Bob ... dating for said. He was 73 and had been local press reported. birthday four years ago. name of the Kaiser Chiefs. stamp on her though.” about four suffering from throat cancer. “We’ve lost the greatest Booze-fuelled Oasis guitarist “I did drugs for 18 years and I Gallagher admitted he was years The Dubliners, formed in 1962, professors of life,” said singer Tom Noel Gallagher compared troubled never got that bad as to say, ‘You drunk and had had only two and have were pioneers for Irish folk music Ze, who like Caymmi hails from singer Amy Winehouse to a know what? I think the Kaiser hours’ sleep. been open across Europe and the US. Drew the central coastal state of Bahia, “destitute horse” in a stinging rant Chiefs are brilliant.’ A BBC spokesman told the

POP about their was known for his gravelly-voiced where the sun-drenched lifestyle on his fellow musicians Friday. “Anybody whose drummer Daily Mail newspaper: “Noel relationship, renditions of rabble-rousing folk of fishing villages and sultry The surly loudmouth, known writes the songs are not to be Gallagher was very clearly briefed appearing at songs like Finnegan’s Wake and women inspired Caymmi’s more for his scathing outbursts, hit trusted.” in advance and monitored during Dicey Reilly. than 50 lifetime music albums. out during an interview on BBC Songwriter Gallagher also the live interview. Amy Win- In a statement, Drew’s family From his first and immediately Radio One. compared British celebrity Jade “We have not received any house joins said he died peacefully while they popular song written at 16, O que a The 41-year-old rocker, who Goody’s scent to “stale urine” and complaints. Jay-Z on were at his bedside and they were baiana tem?, Caymmi’s rhythmic was infuriated by New York rapper suggested Live Aid supremo Bob “As ever, Noel was a lively the end of “very grateful for all the letters style and deep, sultry voice were Jay-Z headlining the Glastonbury Geldof’s daughter Peaches should and opinionated guest. Of course a tongue- of support and wishes during the adopted by Bossa Nova singers and Festival, compared soul diva Wine- be stamped on. Radio One does not condone lashing term of Ronnie’s illness.” performed by Joao Gilberto, Tom house, 24, to a “destitute horse.” Goody, a former contestant on drug abuse and if we felt our from Noel With his health failing, Irish Jobim and other greats. Mark Ronson, who remixed British television’s Big Brother, guest was drunk we would not Gallagher. music stars released a tribute An indefatigable worker, The Zutons’ track Valerie for is in India, reportedly to appear put him on air.”  photo: ap song in February entitled The Caymmi gave his last performance Winehouse and the Kaiser Chiefs’ in a similar reality show hosted  — agencies