衛武營國家藝術文化中心 National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)

Formosa Circus Art 2021 Annual Production Circus as Folks

3 years in the making, brand new creation of all-rounder circus artist CHEN, Kuan-ting.

Superhuman, Flying-human, Circus as Humans

Stuntman, Juggling man, Circus as Folks

Jumping, rolling, falling, throwing. Extraordinary, talented circus performers always seem so incredible. But as normal as being a human, like everybody else, they have to eat, brush their teeth, chase the bus, do their homework and play hide-and-seek with their classmates when they were young. In a blink of an eye, they jumped down from top, flipping to the ground and shuttle back and forth between their bodies and objects. Every single day, there is a contesting game about cooperation and competition between superhuman and mortal in the body of the very same circus performer.

With only human beings as the "animal" on the stage, Circus as Folks is a performance without lions, tigers, elephants nor horses. It is also a circus performance about circus performers. Combining with different techniques, such as juggling, acrobatics, stunts and Cyr Wheel, etc.. Circus as Folks completely presents the uniqueness of the circus, and also allows you to see the different mental states and physical thinking between artists' daily life and professional training through the superb skills and playfulness.

CHEN, Kuan-Ting, the director of Circus as Folks, is not only one of the few Taiwanese performers who are proficient in juggling hats in the early years while the sector just developed, but also the unforgettable artist in Formosa Circus Art's creations in recent years. You may have seen his canned piling performance in How Long Is Now?, and the protagonist in Moss who chases memories and companions. If you like Circus Party and Songs of the Land, then you definitely shouldn't miss Circus as Folks, which is also directed by Chen and has accumulated years of circus creative energy.

  Pre-talk  

2021/11/26(Fri)19:35-19:50 Playhouse Auditorium

2021/11/27(Sat)14:05-14:20 Playhouse Auditorium

  Creative and Production Team  

Producer｜CHOU Ying-ting

Director｜CHEN Kuan-ting

Artistic Director｜LEE Tsung-hsuan

Co-Creators and Performer｜CHEN Kuan-ting, LO Yuan-yang, CHAO Wei-chen, LIN Sheng-wei

Dramaturge｜YU Tai-jung

Action Instructor｜CHANG, Chien-hao

Stage Manager｜GUO Fang-yu

Music｜Blaire KO

Lighting｜WANG, Tien-hung

Stage｜CHENG Hsuan-hsun

Graphic Design｜CHANG, Chung-wei

Associate Producer｜CHEN, Ting-yu

Assistant Rehearsal Master｜CHIU, Chun-hsiang

Prop Master｜KUO Ching-te

  Team introduction  

Formosa Circus Art

Formosa Circus Art was established in 2011. Its purpose is to develop the various contemporary circus arts of Taiwan, mixing them with other styles of performance including traditional forms, acrobatics, street culture and theatre arts. Formosa Circus Art's team members come from many different fields of performing arts, which makes Formosa Circus Art the only circus company in Taiwan that has over ten full-time members.

As a leading circus company from Taiwan, Formosa Circus Art has set records for many Taiwanese circus in a diversified business model. Not only Formosa Circus Art was the first Taiwan circus company to enter the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and twice to the Festival d'Avignon Off, it was also the first Taiwan circus company to conduct overseas tours. Due to its unique and diverse aesthetic form, over the years Formosa Circus Art has been loved by a large number of audiences both overseas and in Taiwan.

Formosa Circus Art launched "Interdisciplinary Trilogy" project in 2017. By collaborating with different artists including Taiwanese theatre director Baboo, Filipino visual artist Leeroy New and German dance theatre company "Peculiar Man", Formosa Circus Art recognizes this process as a way of conversation and learning the ethics and methods from peers among the arts sector, trying to generate and expand the meaning of contemporary circus in Taiwan.

Director｜CHEN, Kuan-Ting

Born in Taichung, Chen is a circus performer, directorand the co-founder of Formosa Circus Art. His training can be traced back to the folk sport learning in his childhood.

As a performer, Chen has performed in most of Formosa Circus Art's productions and involved in touring to the festivals around the world. His directing works include: Circus Party, Songs of the Land, and Future Circus. Chen also served as choreographer and technical director for Self and Others, Pursue Our Dreams, Olé, and Wukong: Before the Journey to the West.

Pre Support of Creation ｜National Taichung Theater

  Sponsor  

  More  

►2021 Weiwuying Circus Platform