Monkey King Goes Bananas

A new territory of myth and fantasy, introducing a wonderful and pleasant experience of modern puppetry.

“Monkey King Goes Bananas” takes shape in the rich mythological air of a classical and classic Chinese fiction. It also borrows enormous symbols and elements from Beijing opera and combines them with rod puppets, string puppets, and table-top puppets. To create an extraordinary performance on stage, the playwright introduces the humorous style of dialogue of Beijing opera and blends it with the particular motions of the puppets. The incredible management of the director makes the magic happen on and off the stage. The design of the puppets, on the other hand, is meant to highlight the personality of the characters by abundant types of puppets so as the make the characters more alive. Above all, the audience could appreciate every visual detail on stage: the delicacy of the puppets, their colorful costumes, and the corresponding images. Also, the music that draws inspirations from both the East and the West creates a unique atmosphere for this play. The stage thus becomes a space of light and shadow, reality and virtuality, philosophical contemplation and playful motion. This is a play that invites your sensitive attentions.

Premiere: Jan. 14, 2005 / Experimental Theater, Taipei
Original Story: Shu-Ming CHO
Playwright: Bee-may LI
Director: Chia-yin CHENG