Founded in 1993 by Wang Rong-yu (王榮裕), Golden Bough Theatre puts a connection with the land and history of Taiwan at the heart of its performances – bringing the country’s unique form of opera to people up and down Taiwan.
Credit: Ministry of Culture, Taiwan
Koa-á-hì (Taiwanese opera) runs in the family for the Wang, whose mother was an opera performer, with his own theatrical background was a combination of Eastern and Western traditions. Indeed, Golden Bough Theatre’s brand of Taiwanese opera (named “ôo-phiat-á” or “o-pei-la”) has distinctly modern aspects that bring a refreshing perspective to the traditional artform and can trace its lineage to performers adapting to the censorship of theatre during the Japanese colonial period.
Wang Rong-yu, Credit: Golden Bough Theatre
With the intention to entertain, Golden Bough Theatre regularly tours Taiwan, making use of both outdoor spaces and indoor venues - the group’s 1996 debut show, “The Female Robin Hood – Pai Hsiao Lan” was performed using a small truck as a stage. In 1997, the group took to Taipei’s Huashan cultural and creative park to perform “Troy, Troy…Taiwan” – Taiwanese opera’s take on the Homer’s Iliad. The show, which drew parallels between Taiwan and Troy through their similar geo-politics, was well received and revived in 2005 and again in 2013.
Troy, Troy… Taiwan, Credit: Golden Bough Theatre
The group’s outdoor performances in particular make use of their surroundings, which each performance playing to the strengths of the environment no two performances of a show being the same. In 2009 Golden Bough Theatre took “She is So Lovely…” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream” on tour around the country, finding that the use of Taiwanese Hokkien in performances did not stop audiences in Hakka and indigenous communities from enjoying what the group had to offer.
Golden Bough Theatre in 2011 moved into Cloud Gate II’s studio and has since formed worked with other performing arts troupes. The group has also been recognised on numerous occasions by the Ministry of Culture for their outstanding performances. From 2019 onwards, Golden Bough Theatre has been engaged in a three-year long art making project, “Memory Island”, with the non-linear and avant-garde show set to premiere at the end of this year.