Alternative Theater in Taiwan

Tuan (humanities and social sciences, National Chiao Tung U., Taiwan) considers alternative theater in Taiwan in terms of feminism and interculturalism through a description of its history and an examination of 17 performances from the 1990s to the present. These performances are compared to those in the US and France to demonstrate their multiculturalism. The implications of performance signs are examined in the productions of four avant-garde female directors (Chou Hui-Ling, Wei Ying-chuan, Dai Chun-fang, and Wu Xin-chou) and intercultural productions (Oresteia, Tsou Oedipus, Peach Blossom Fan, Journey to the West, and works by Stan Lai and others). Also discussed are the phases of the Little Theater Movement, interactions between Taiwan and other Asian countries, and how drama has served as a political and educational tool. She explores the concepts of the East and West and the relationship between them, and theater in terms of Orientalism, postcolonialism, and performance studies. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Iris Hsin-chun Tuan is Assistant Professor in Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. Dr. Tuan received her Ph.D. in Theater from the University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA). Dr. Tuan's publications include articles on contemporary theaters in Taiwan, western drama and theaters, and Kunqu premodern Chinese opera. Her current research projects are on gender and ethnic studies, Hakka Drama and Asian American Theater. Dr. Tuan is helping direct the graduation performance of Dario Fo’s We Won’t Pay, We Won’t Pay for the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Theater Club.