About This Issue
Let’s go watch a show! Whether moved to tears or laughing out loud, whether joyous or sorrowful, these are natural reactions to theatre. As the saying goes, “The play moves, the audience fools”—perfectly capturing the magic of the stage. Actors dive into their roles, shedding themselves to perform, while the audience, fully aware it’s all a play, still invests genuine emotion. Truly, one must be a little crazy or foolish to fully embrace the theatre! In today’s era, when we can follow dramas on our phones while walking, can you imagine how theatre enthusiasts caught performances in a time without electric lights?
During Taiwan’s modernization under Japanese rule, the history of theatre was often obscured by political interventions, leaving its presence—or absence—still partially unclear. Understanding it requires careful insight beyond mere appearances. Traditional theatre arrived in Taiwan with immigrants during the Ming and Qing dynasties and was closely tied to festivals and rituals. Festival performances were free and accessible to all, yet outside of these celebrations, attending shows highlighted the wealth and taste of elite families. Only the rich and powerful could afford private troupes, and it wasn’t until the Japanese period that theatre gradually became accessible to the broader public.
Beiguan opera was likely the most popular theatrical form in Taiwan before Japanese rule. Its long history of incorporating diverse elements enriched its artistic vitality. Because it served ritual purposes, there were many youth troupes, and even when performed in Mandarin—a language unfamiliar to much of the Taiwanese audience—it dominated stages for decades. Elements of Chinese theatrical traditions from the Huabu school indirectly cultivated a large audience base for Chinese troupes, and performances even extended into sacred spaces such as temples. During the Japanese period, Chinese troupes frequently visited Taiwan; their presence and influence are detailed in issue 17 of this publication, An Aside on the History of Peking Opera in Taiwan. In this issue, the all-female yidan troupes can be seen as a derivative of Peking opera’s influence.
At the start of the 20th century, the commercial theatre industry was promoted by Takamatsu Toyojirō, who leveraged modern transportation networks to bring theatre to every corner of the island, fostering close contact with local audiences. Theatre architecture provides a direct window into the audience’s environment, and the flourishing entertainment industry reflected broader social and economic vitality. Numerous Japanese performing arts—whether traditional or modern, from Kabuki and Naniwa-style theatre to new-style plays and magic shows—frequently appeared in Taiwanese theatres over fifty years of Japanese rule, weaving a dazzling artistic landscape. The diaries of local gentry and theatre enthusiasts vividly preserve this splendor.
Taiwanese intellectuals’ new theatre, along with Japan’s shingeki (modern-style plays), emerged from social movements and can be seen as a continuation of traditional Chinese theatrical values of loyalty and filial piety, but with broader goals: teaching ideas of nationhood and democracy. In the 1920s, Taiwanese opera absorbed elements from Taiwan, China, and Japan, performed in Taiwanese Hokkien, and rapidly swept across the island. Though new theatre competed with it, audience preference overwhelmingly favored Taiwanese opera, making it both a target of official scrutiny and popular attention.
Art is a luxury, flourishing in stable and prosperous times, and theatre—a comprehensive art form—reflects this vividly. Experiencing suppression only heightens the appreciation of freedom. Amid complex and ever-changing realities, Taiwan never abandoned the expression of individual thought. Theatre serves as a mirror reflecting life and the world—whether it captivates or not, please enjoy the show to the fullest.
ISBN 9772518947009 07
