Apostate 感謝公主 (International Premiere)

Audiences outside of Taiwan will finally be able to catch the critically-acclaimed play, Apostate. The 2023 production swept the Grand Prize at the 22nd Taishin Arts Award and Jury Prize at the 35th Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music.
 
A collaboration between approaching theatre and Gang-a Tsui Theater, Apostate interweaves two stories – a classic Nanxi play of a Song Dynasty envoy named Zhu Bian who was captured and forced to marry his captor’s daughter along with a modern story of a prisoner held against his will. Both are forced to decide between their personal dilemma and the bigger picture of their beliefs and loyalty to family and State. 
 
Performed in Mandarin with some Quanzhou dialect and English surtitles, Apostate features 12 actors and musicians. Audiences will have a chance to experience a taste of Nanguan, inscribed in 2009 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as the play experiments with traditional opera postures and songs while incorporating modern sound design and multimedia design.

​It also marks the much-anticipated homecoming for Taiwan-based Malaysian director Koh Choon Eiow, an Asian Cultural Council grantee.

Apostate marks the third consecutive collaboration of the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Malaysia and klpac that has produced best-selling shows Luna and Jingju Magic with support of the Ministry of Culture (Taiwan). Original pre-production supported by National Taichung Theater and co-produced by National Center for Traditional Arts & National Taichung Theater.

《感謝公主》演出將南管、梨園戲和劇場新文本並置，該作於臺灣首演時即收穫熱烈迴響，榮獲第22屆台新藝術獎「年度大獎」及第35屆傳藝金曲獎「評審團獎」。

《感謝公主》由窮劇場與江之翠劇場聯手打造，以傳統為經，當代為緯，跨時空地交織了兩段故事。作品將宋元南戲《朱弁》入題，宋朝使臣朱弁身陷敵國，受公主深情相待得以生存；現代囚犯為求生存背叛同伴，出獄後在文化事業中重塑人生。英雄或叛徒，信念、意志、犧牲，以及現實處境中的欲望和倫理角力，進進退退之間，要如何辨析得失、明暗？

本節目由12位演員及樂師共同演出，主要以中文呈現，部分演出使用泉州話，附英文字幕。旅居臺灣的馬來西亞導演高俊耀，也是ACC亞洲文化協會獲獎人，今攜作品重返家鄉，與觀眾探討關於朱弁的流離和變節者的轉向，透過世代間的對話反思人性與抉擇。

《感謝公主》重新調度南管經典劇目，觀眾在演出中不僅可以看到被聯合國教科文組織列為「世界非物質文化遺產」的傳統戲曲南管與實驗現代聲響的融合，還有極簡的舞台再搭配以影像創造空間方式進行空間實驗。

本次亦為《感謝公主》國際首演，也是吉隆坡表演藝術中心及駐馬來西亞台北經濟文化辦事處繼《路呐》及《魔幻京劇》之後，第三度聯合呈獻臺灣優質演出，獲臺灣文化部支持。本作前期創作獲得國家表演藝術中心臺中國家歌劇院支持，並於2023年由國立傳統藝術中心及臺中國家歌劇院共同製作。
 

Ticket price :

Promotions

#Eslite members: WhatsApp us at +6018 227 7212 with a screenshot of your eslite member card to get a promo code.
****Group booking: Please fill in the details here, our box office staff will reach out to you soon.

Language:
Performed in Mandarin with some Quanzhou dialects and English surtitles.
Parental Advice:
If your child is restless / crying, please bring them out of the hall. After they’ve calmed down, you can re-enter with the assistance of our ushers.

Buy Tickets 
Online Purchase: https://www.cloudjoi.com/
No phone sales and over the counter sales. E-tickets only.

Enquiry / Concession Booking
WhatsApp +6018 227 7212

approaching theatre 窮劇場
Founded in 2014 by Koh Choon Eiow and Cheng Yin-chen, is dedicated to exploring the essence of art. The company specializes in playwriting, directing, and theater education. Inspired by Taiwanese theater pioneer Chou Yi-chang, they focus on training "Performers of Individuality" with a strong emphasis on mind-body awareness and preserving local culture. Their directing style delves into colonial histories and the identity of the Chinese diaspora, while their performances embrace the tranquility of traditional arts. With international collaborations and exchanges, approaching theatre enriches Taiwanese theater with diverse influences and seeks to bring their unique theatrical aesthetics to audiences worldwide.

2014年創立，來自高俊耀與鄭尹真的劇場組合。以窮為本，究本源之心。編導演、戲劇教育並進，近年推動窮私塾「自由的表演者」訓練，承繼臺灣劇場運動前驅周逸昌先生之志，舉觀念啟蒙與身心意識覺察為工作核心，接續本土文化地氣。導演方面，擅長以複聲語境流動敘事，探問歷經多重殖民歷史、離散華人的身分認同與主體建構；表演則奠基傳統藝術之靜定內蘊，深耕劇場審美思辨。

Gang-a Tsui Theater 江之翠劇場
Gang-a Tsui Theater was founded in 1993. Its works are combined traditional Liyuan opera with modern theater and successfully presented new opportunities for the transmutation of traditional art in modern society, which infused novel elements into traditional Nanguan and became the paragon of “transforming traditional art by giving it contemporary zeitgeist.” Recent productions include Alone with the Ghost (2024), Apostate (2023, co-production with approaching theatre), Mx. Li (2022).

江之翠劇場創立於1993年，作為台灣碩果僅存，深耕梨園戲多年的劇團，在浸潤於南管之美的同時，致力賦予傳統藝術當代精神。除了肩負推廣南管與梨園戲的使命，也期盼在不違背其藝術本質精神的原則下，於傳統藝術與現代劇場的融合裡，激發表演美學新火花。近期作品包括《定伯弄鬼》（2024）、《感謝公主》（2023，與窮劇場共製）、《鄭元和與李媽李亞仙李小姐》（2022）。

Director / Playwright Koh Choon Eiow 導演/編劇 高俊耀
Koh is the director of approaching theatre and grantee of the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) Fellowship program. He is a contemporary theater director and performer from Malaysia, who obtained his master's degree from the College of Arts at Chinese Culture University. In recent years, he has been active in front of and behind the scenes of Taiwan's experimental theater, dedicating himself to both creation and teaching at the same time. His works explore the diasporic memory and historical identity of contemporary Chinese people. Koh is known for his intricate arrangement of multiple sound tracks to present a flowing narrative. By using sound to build the dimensions of time and space, he often renders a succinct and precise narrative language that is sharp in style. His recent works include Apostate (2023), Too Solitary a Loudness (Dialectical: Trajectories and Displacements of NTCH, 2022), A Gambling World III: Day and Day (NTCH Artquake In Autumn, 2021), Anna and Susan (2019-2020), The Stone Unreturned (Tainan Arts Festival, 2019), Outsider (NTCH Innovation Series, 2017), and a collection of his play scripts, entitled Outsider: Selected Plays of KOH Choon Eiow (2020).

窮劇場團長，ACC亞洲文化協會獲獎人。當代劇場編導，表演者。馬來西亞人，畢業於中國文化大學藝術研究所。近年活躍於臺灣實驗劇場台前幕後，創作與教學並進。作品探掘當代華人的離散記憶與歷史認同，擅長以多重聲軌呈現液態流動敘事，透過音聲築起時間與空間之向度，敘事語言簡練而精準，風格凌厲。近期創作：《感謝公主》（2023）、國家兩廳院三十五週年「平行劇場」展演《過於孤獨的喧囂》（2022）、國家兩廳院秋天藝術節《大世界娛樂場III：白日白晝》（2021）、台澳共製《安娜與蘇珊》（2019~2020）、台南藝術節《紅樓夢續》（2019）、國家兩廳院三十週年新點子劇展《親密》（2017）等。個人劇作出版：《親密：高俊耀劇作選》（2020）。

Dramaturg Chi Hui-ling 創作顧問 紀慧玲
Chi attended the PhD Program at the Dept. of Theatre Arts, Taipei National University of the Arts. She is an experienced art worker proficient in traditional opera and contemporary performing arts. Currently, she is mainly engaged in performing arts criticism and dramaturgy. 

資深藝術工作者，現從事表演藝術評論、戲劇顧問等職，嫻熟傳統戲曲與當代表演藝術，國立臺北藝術大學戲劇系博士班肄業。

Creative & Production Team

approaching theatre x Gang-a Tsui Theater Team 窮劇場 x 江之翠劇場 團隊
Dramaturgy 創作顧問: Chi Hui-Ling 紀慧玲
Director & Playwright 導演 & 編劇: Koh Choon Eiow 高俊耀
Cast 演出者: Wei Mei-Hui 魏美慧, Chen Yan-Xi 陳彥希, Cheng Yin-Chen 鄭尹真, Hung Chien-Tsang 洪健藏, Wang Chao-Yang 王肇陽, Li Wei-Cih 李尉慈
Musicians 樂師: Chen Chia-Wen 陳佳雯, Liao Yu-Ning 廖于濘, Lao Hong-Ling 賴虹綾, Chen Hsiao-Ying 陳曉音, Liu Meng-Ling 劉孟翎, Chen Yi-Lien 陳怡璉
Producer 製作人: Yang Kai-Ting 楊凱婷
Lighting Designer 燈光設計: Chen Guan-Lin 陳冠霖
Sound Designer 聲響設計: Lin Yu-De 林育德
Costume Designer 服裝設計: Lin Yu-ling 林俞伶
Visual Designer 影像設計: Yang Kai-Ting 楊凱婷
Set Designer＆Technical Director 舞台設計暨舞台技術指導: Lin Yu-Quan 林育全
Stage Manager 舞台監督: Chang Yi-Chin 張以沁
Mixing Engineer 音場設計、現場混音: Chung Yang-Che 鍾仰哲

Production Team of Apostate (International Premiere)
Executive Producer & Co-Founder of klpac & TAS: Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican
Artistic Director & Co-Founder of klpac & TAS: Joe Hasham OAM
Associate Artistic Director of TAS: Christopher Ling
Producer: Maggie Ong
Production Manager: Desmond Ngooi 
Assistant Technical Manager: Mathanakumar Murthi