Department of Drama and Theatre Represents Taiwan at International Exhibition

Affect, a play produced by NTU Department of Drama and Theatre, has been selected as the sole representative from Taiwan for the [UN]Common Design Project at the 2023 International Exhibition of Scenography and Theatre Architecture Prague Quadrennial (PQ). The exhibition will be held at the first-floor lobby of the College of Liberal Arts from April 19 to May 10, with a one-day pause on April 28th due to a music concert being held at the venue. Visitors are welcome to attend.

PQ is a prestigious international exhibition led by the Czech Ministry of Culture and organized by the International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT). It is currently the largest and only global exhibition dedicated to contemporary performance design and theatre architecture, held once every four years, and considered the Olympics of the theatre world. The event not only brings together talents from the global theatre field but also provides a platform for students to showcase their works and learn from and exchange ideas with designers from around the world.

The creation concept of the work Affectwas inspired by the theme “RARE" of the competition. The design core is “Emotion,” emphasizing the “rarity of human emotions.” Led by Hsiao-Mei Hsieh (謝筱玫), Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Drama and Theatre, the play was co-guided by five faculty members, including Prof. Yi-Meei Wang (王怡美), Assistant Professor Po-Lin Li (李柏霖), Instructor Chih-Feng Chen (陳志峰), Instructor Cheng-Yuan Wang (王正源), and Instructor Cheng-Wei Teng (鄧振威). The script was written by students Fang-Chi Tsai (蔡枋錡) and Wei-Chun Hsiao (蕭瑋均); stage design by Jung-Huan Pan (潘容歡); costume design by Yu-Ting Chiu (邱榆婷) and Mei-Hsuan Chen (陳玫瑄); lighting design by Wan-Tong Li (李宛曈); sound and video design by Hui-Chueh Hsu (許卉玨). After months of brainstorming and creation and more than ten guidance meetings, they overcame the challenges posed by the pandemic and stood out from the initial and international competitions.

The play is a result of the “Theatre Art Creation” course, which utilizes digital technology and media materials to experiment with innovative teaching models, enhance students’ learning outcomes, and connect with the international community. This work demonstrates the important teaching achievements of College of Liberal Arts’ on the Higher Education SPROUT Project, opening up international perspectives for students and showcasing innovative teaching methods.

The stage setting of Affectis located in the Huashan 1914 Creative Park, and the goal of the stage design is to create a visual fusion of past and future architectural styles, symbolizing the conflicts between past and future humans, and indicating that future humans have turned it into a laboratory. A century later, the world is barren, so the design team came up with the idea of transforming the warehouse ruins into a huge greenhouse. The park is not only a place for plant restoration, but also a preservation site for a small part of past humanity before the global crisis, like the last oasis on Earth.

Affectis expected to be exhibited at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space from June 18 to 28, 2023. The exhibition will be held at The National Gallery in Veletrzni Palace, Prague. For more information about the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space, please visit https://pq.cz/pq-2023-info/.