A Mighty Wind

14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2009 • TAIPEI TIMES BY Diane Baker DANCE Dancers perform Yang Ming-lung’s Eastern Wind, Too. Photo courtesy of Dance Forum Taipei stop A mighty wind

PERFORMANCE notes: compiled BY Noah Buchan WHAT: Dance Forum Taipei, But it seems Ming’s sexploits Flashing Lucidity weren’t the worst of it. WHEN: Tonight and tomorrow When the couple first started dating, Ming told Hsiao-tin��g�� that at 7:30pm 新舞臺 he would be there for her if she WHERE: Novel Hall ( ), became pregnant. Without the 3-1 Songshou Rd, Taipei City use of a condom, she predictably (台北市松壽路3-1號) became pregnant last month, a ADMISSION: NT$450 to topic that Ming largely managed NT$1,500, available through to avoid, along with Hsiao-ting��,� the NTCH box office, online for the next few weeks. at www��.�arts��.�tic��k�ets��.�co��m�� and Hsiao-ting�� decided to take mat- at the door. NT$450 seats for ters into her own hands and went tonight are sold out to the wayward Ming’s apartment. But instead of Ming answering the front door, a young woman Ming Jin-cheng: The force is strong in he Dance Forum Taipei (舞蹈空間) is celebrating described Grace as a turning point. company’s former artistic director Yang Ming-lung (楊銘 surnamed Cheng (鄭) appeared. this one. Photo: Taipei Times its 20th birthday this year and for its anniversary “Maybe it’s something to do with my life. Usually 隆), also spoke highly of the dancers’ willingness to tackle When Hsiao-tin��g�� told her program at Taipei’s Novel Hall, founder and artistic my work is very quick and to the count, but this music new challenges, in his case the improvisational techniques he 44th Golden Bell Awards why she was there, Cheng told Tdirector Ping Heng (平珩) wanted to do something is not countable. It’s really beautiful music, piano and he used to create Eastern Wind, Too (東風乍現). (金鐘獎) have come and Hsiao-ting�� that she had just had special. She wanted a program that would both reflect some technological sounds,” he said. “My work is usually Yang said the piece built on the foundation of his gone and as is typical for an an abortion two weeks previously. the troupe’s history and the changes it has gone through, concerned with designs of the human body. This piece Eastern Current (再見東風), which has long been an Tawards show in Taiwan, it was The father was allegedly Ming. as well as mark its current direction. has no story. How to react to this particular music, how audience favorite. Like that piece, the new work was mired in controversy. Meanwhile, Hsiao-tin��g�� said To achieve this Ping turned to two men who have the body moves was the challenge.” influenced by the traditions of Chinese puppetry. More on that in a moment. that Ming’s friends have tried to worked with the company before and asked them to Shimazaki said he was influenced by two very “I tried to make the dancers’ moves like those of First up is this week’s edition of convince her to have an abortion, create new works. As so often happens with Dance Japanese aesthetics, origami and bonsai, the idea of puppets, but without a puppeteer so the movement Next Magazine, which outdid with one going so far as to offer Forum productions, the two choreographers, whose artificially created nature. comes from within the puppets themselves,” he said. itself with a three-page expose her NT$150,000 for the procedure. styles and backgrounds are very different, started off “I asked the costume designer [Atelier Yoshino] to “It took two weeks to work out the improvisation about actor and director Ming And where was Ming through at opposite ends of the spectrum yet found themselves think of origami and the human body. I wanted masks so part. We recorded the process and then I told the dancers Jin-cheng (明金城) and his self- all of this? Reportedly he’s been creating pieces that were a big departure from their it wouldn’t look like a human body.” I wanted them to learn what they had improvised. They proclaimed girlfriend Hsiao-ting in the hospital for the past two usual repertoire. Judging by the short excerpt shown at the press were shocked but they tried very hard,” he said. (小婷), which included a headline weeks suffering from a bout Tonight’s program begins with the world premiere of conference, Shimazaki got his wish. The dancers wear The company leaves on Monday for a European tour that roughly translates as “14 of depression. The saga will Grace by Toru Shimazaki, a Japanese choreographer who silvery white costumes, with what looked like fabric that will take them to Antwerp, Amsterdam and Palermo, shags in 3 days” (3天14炮). inevitably continue to play out staged Ran for the company two years ago. triangles decorating the legs, and silver mesh masks that where they will be performing these two works. It’s very Pop Stop speculates that over the next few weeks. He chose a score by Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Japanese covered their faces and heads. unusual for festivals and promoters to take a chance on Hsiao-ting’s�� real name was left Moving right along, funnyman composer who won an Academy Award for his score for Shimazaki praised the troupe’s dancers and their an unreviewed program, and a testament to Ping and her out to, er, protect her privacy, (胡瓜) finally won the Hu Gua The Last Emperor, and German composer Alva Noto, willingness to work hard in the three weeks they had dancers that Dance Forum’s reputation for innovative which is odd, considering the award for best variety show host who added a digital framework for the piece. together to learn the piece. work was strong enough to outweigh any concerns about details she revealed. at this year’s Golden Bell Awards, At a press conference on Wednesday, Shimazaki The second choreographer on the program, the untested pieces. She told Next that what was Taiwan’s version of the Emmys. initially a fairy-tale relationship The television celebrity has began three years ago with a brief worked in the entertainment encounter at Room 18, a popular industry for almost 30 years and BY Noah Buchan Taipei nightclub. Two years later has been nominated 13 times. DRAMA Ming, 41, found Hsiao-ting��,�� 25�,� Hu Gua’s ecstatic reaction to on the Internet and in April they his award was in marked contrast began dating. to that of Mark Chao (趙又廷), who So far, so good. Hsiao-tin��g�� told starting bawling after accepting the Fiction is sometimes fairer than truth the gossip rag that Ming was at Best Actor award. first the picture of gentlemanly The newbie took the gong for hang Kue-nian (張桂哖) gave up on women through 30 behavior. He would send her his role in the popular police drama documentaries because making poems written by sweet messages telling her that Black & White (痞子英雄), beating them was too much of a hassle. The Chang and some of Theater she was “a gift from the gods” and out audience favorite and former Ctheater director and founding member of Taiwan’s most gifted notes: that he wanted to take care of her. F4 member Vic Chou (周渝民), who Le Voyeur Theater (窺視者劇團) said that contemporary But after hooking up, things also stars in the same show and although she enjoyed working behind the poets, including What: Herpoems (眾裡尋她) took a turn to the dark side. Hsiao-�� goes by the name Tsai Tsai (仔仔). camera, her subjects were often afraid of Yen Ai-lin (顏艾 When: Today and tomorrow at 7:30pm ting�� told Next that Ming’s sexual Chao’s win had audience revealing their identity. 琳), Hsia Yu (夏 and tomorrow and Sunday at 2:30pm practices increasingly tended members and the media in an “I’ve made a few documentaries 宇) and Chiang Where: Crown Art Center Theater (皇冠小 towards the deviant. She alleges uproar. They claimed that the about gay women,” Chang said. “But the Wen-yu (江文瑜). 劇場), B1, 50, Ln 120, Dunhua N Rd, Taipei that he would place his lightsaber reason why he took top honors [subjects] often had issues with being Performed City (台北市敦化北路120巷50號B1) pretty much anywhere it could go was because of backroom dealings filmed because people might say ‘oh, you by eight actors, Admission: NT$400, available without wearing a safety jacket by his influential father, Allen are gay.’” the poems’ through NTCH ticketing or and that he often videotaped their Chao (趙樹海), reported Apple, “I kept encountering people who themes range from online at www��.�arts��.� sexual encounters. the United Daily News and the told me that I couldn’t show it here or gay rights and the tickets.com She then went on to describe Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ couldn’t show it there,” she said with difficulties women in graphic detail how Ming sister newspaper). evident frustration. “I couldn’t show [the continue to experience in brought said encounters to a The elder Chao didn’t lessen documentaries] on public television or Taiwan’s patriarchal society to the climax. Pop Stop will spare suspicions when he awkwardly in the movie theaters because family or experiences of foreign brides. readers the juicy details. tried to coax Tsai Tsai to share friends might see them.” Chang said that while the poetry Next, always to be counted the limelight with his son. Tsai Chang’s solution was to take the real- may difficult to follow — especially for on when it comes to putting a Tsai just looked uncomfortable. life stories told to her and present them those not fluent in Mandarin or Hoklo person’s peccadilloes into context, The China Times also on the stage. Herpoems (眾裡尋她), an (commonly known as Taiwanese) offered a useful sidebar of reported that the names of the experimental performance at Crown Art — much of the dialogue is illustrated and celebrities who have been caught Best Actor and Best Actress Center Theater (皇冠小劇場), does just that interpreted through dance and music to with their pants down, including winners were leaked to the media — but with an added flourish. appeal to a wider audience. disgraced Hong Kong actor Edison before the ceremony, further Rather than tell the stories directly Formed in 2004, Le Voyeur Theater Chen (陳冠希) and Taiwanese pop evidence for many that much of to audiences in a dramatic form, aims to expose the public to theater that idol Ethan Ruan (阮經天). the event is a charade. Herpoems narrates the stories of deals with gay themes and gender issues. Herpoems examines gay and gender issues through poetry, dance and music. Photo courtesy of Le Voyeur Theater

BY Catherine Shu BY Steve Price RESTAURANTS TIDBITS Pancake Day isclaimer: Easily offended subtropical or Arctic. The and quail leg) impressed with its readers, those of an banquette along the sidewall expertly seared plump mollusk and Address: 43, Ln 26, Taishun St, Taipei City (台北市泰順街26巷43號) environmentally aware offers the most temperate seating. frothy consistency. Ddisposition, or animal rights Upstairs accommodates about 30, For the main, the oven-roasted aiwan’s self-proclaimed Telephone: (02) 2366-1551 Open: Noon to 10pm Average meal: NT$180 champions, are advised to exercise while a salon prive downstairs lamb loin in pistachio crust, Aussie sausage king, Mark Details: Chinese and English menu; credit cards not accepted caution as this review contains seats 10. served with jus (NT$1,600), was Golding has opened a new mention of a controversial though Before ordering, guests are surprisingly delicate — while many Tventure on Bade Road. Mr fine-tasting duck product, a drink offered Monteforte sparkling restaurants make their jus to the Sausage’s Kitchen, a bar-cum- ancake Day takes its a recent visit, my companion with a bad ecological rap and a or Fiji mineral water — the latter strength of industrial glue, Abu’s restaurant affair, serves eight namesake dish very seriously. ordered a chili con carne burrito reference to food porn. has been heavily criticized for erred towards the subdued. varieties of ... sausage: chorizo It is possible to get old- (NT$180), but discovered on It’s pancake day every day at Pancake Day. Opened in April by owner and environmentally unfriendly Substitute mains include pan- (includes tequila on its ingredient Pfashioned pancake stacks topped his first bite that the staff had Photos: Catherine Shu, Taipei Times head chef William “Abu” Bu (布秋 production methods, though roasted rib eye steak (NT$1,800), list), boerewors, a Guinness with butter and syrup at the three- mistakenly given him the roast 榮), formerly of Tutto Bello, Abu its maker says the company is pan-roasted Dover sole with version first concocted for St month-old restaurant near Shida chicken version instead (a pancakes, eggs, fries, a button Authentic Cuisine from the outside going green. porcini and crab meat sauce Patrick’s Day, Lincolnshire, Thai night market, but it specializes in lapse in what was otherwise a mushroom salad in a light looks much like any nondescript An assortment of breads, (NT$1,500), slow-braised veal (made with pork, fish sauce, covering its signature confection competent and friendly service). vinaigrette sauce and a choice of lounge bar with its shiny black including a baked mochi sesame shank (NT$1,200), or linguine with coconut and lemon grass), with a rainbow of syrup, fruit, and The burrito was unexpectedly bacon, ham or “American-style” facade, mesh curtains obscuring bun, a mini white torpedo roll that crab and garlic white wine sauce cheese and wine, Frankfurter vanilla or chocolate ice cream. light, especially compared to sausage. I ordered the latter and the interior, and blue neon sign. almost required lobster crackers to (NT$1,000) for the cheapskates. and bratwurst. Bite-sized dollar pancakes the extravagance of Pancake was presented with three giant Inside, the self-assured patter eat, and crunchy cheese flat bread The two desserts that followed, Bangers and mash is NT$200, (NT$150), for example, are Day’s breakfast options. The links that more closely resembled and delicate laughter of wealthy came to the table accompanied a fragrant organic rose sorbet and for which diners can choose heaped with raspberry and thin, toasted white flour wrap hot dogs than the smaller sausage patrons competes with piped with peppery olive oil, a pat of slick parfait, while both above par, two types of sausage. Other caramel syrup, diced honeydew, was stuffed with cilantro and usually served with American chamber music, as the wait staff, butter wrapped in gold foil and a ignited a yearning for hot pudding. menu items include mince pies peach and banana, dried cucumber in addition to the meat breakfasts. They tasted better some wearing white gloves, glide pot of eggplant sauce that tickled Since it began operations, (NT$120 each), sausage rolls blueberries and a scoop of vanilla and served with delicious fresh than hot dogs, though — the from table to table. There is a fine the umami receptors. Abu has earned a reputation (NT$50 each), spinach and feta ice cream, and dusted with a oven-roasted steak fries. skin was taut and the meat line between prison guard service, Abu’s menu consists of a five- for quality. A quick trawl of the rolls (NT$50 each) and vegetarian liberal coating of powdered Pancake Day’s menu lists inside was very salty and juicy. with beady eyes following every course lunch and an eight-course Net throws up an abundance of platters such as baba ghanoush sugar. Surprisingly enough, the a couple of salads under its The mushrooms seemed a bit move, and unobtrusive attention dinner set. For the former, the sensual shots of artfully presented with homemade bread and combination of ingredients was “savory pancakes” heading. out of place, but served as a to detail, which Abu stays the arugula salad with duck confit and dishes and satiated diners, and vegetables (NT$150). not overwhelmingly sweet, and Not, fortunately, salad-topped welcome counterpoint to all the right side of, though a half- fois gras pate (spicy king prawn plenty of praise. Frozen sausages are available the warm, fluffy pancakes tasted pancakes, but salads served carbohydrates and eggs. finished cup of delicate pu’er tea and apple salad is the alternative After all, some guilty pleasures for takeout, which cost NT$450 especially good when used to with savory buttermilk pancakes The restaurant’s decor is (普洱茶) was whisked away by an appetizer choice) was a lesson in are worth the remorse. per kilo. soak up the syrup and melting ice on the side, as if they were sparse but cheerful, with birds over-keen busser. self-restraint with its dainty slice of On the beverage menu, San cream. Other flavor combinations taking the place of dinner rolls. painted in glossy white paint The decor is a symphony velvety vice sandwiched between Miguel draft is NT$150 for a include fruit caramel (NT$130), The roast chicken salad with on bright yellow walls. The of browns, from the fawn satin paper-thin crackers and drizzled 500ml stein, and Hunter’s Gold fruit chocolate (NT$130), banana Japanese dressing was plain interior is outshone, however, by napkins to the beige, bronze and with a smidgen of truffle oil. The cider is NT$150 a glass. caramel (NT$130) and cinnamon old iceberg lettuce, but a heap Pancake Day’s outdoor dining amber wood flooring. king Hokkaido scallop coconut Golding encourages weird and apple (NT$140). The restaurant of watercress on top and the area, which is large enough A word of warning: the AC and lemon grass soup (the other wonderful requests, which he has already attracted a clientele extremely piquant mustard-based for three tables, surrounded seems only to have two settings, soup option is chicken broth says he will try his best to make. of devoted sweet tooths. On each dressing added an unexpectedly by potted plants and sheltered Address: 5-1, Alley 4, Ln 12, of my trips there, I witnessed nostril-searing, tear-inducing kick from the elements by a roof. The Bade Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市 diners pulling out their cameras to the dish. A heartier alternative outdoor seating is unusual in the Abu Authentic Cuisine 八德路三段12巷4弄5-1號) or cell phones and taking multiple to the burritos and salads is the neighborhood and a great place Address: 28 Siwei Rd, Taipei City (台北市四維路28號) Open: Wednesdays through snapshots of their pancakes. beef cheeseburger (NT$200). Saturdays, from 5:30pm to 11pm to take advantage of natural Telephone: (02) 2707-0699 Open: Noon to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm Sin city. Photo: Steve Price, Taipei Times Pancake Day offers a less On weekends before 6pm, light for photographers who Average meal: NT$2,000 for lunch, and NT$2,600 for dinner, without drinks but including service charge Tel: (02) 2579-0396 exciting but decidedly more Pancake Day serves a brunch that want to indulge in some pancake Details: Chinese and English menu, reservations are a “must,” credit cards accepted except Diners wholesome savory menu. On consists of two fat buttermilk portraiture. Club International