approaching theatre: Ghostopia

Let's start with an exorcism. An exorcist arrives at an old building and comes across ghost spying on a woman's body, taking turns speaking through her and summoning memories. In the bright sunlight are ghostly shadows. They make wishes and express themselves inside a borrowed shell of flesh. Ghosts have no taboos, so they speak of things painful and happy, and that which is the true side of lie, the false side of truth. A contemporary legend tells of a grand event attended by humans and ghosts, random nonsense from the past, and fragmented anecdotes.

approaching theatre

Co-founded in 2014 by CHENG Yin-Chen and KOH Choon-Eiow, approaching theatre is a cross-cultural theater duo from Taiwan and Malaysia, respectively. Through the interplay of physicality and script, they explore Asia’s colonial histories, immigrant experiences, and contemporary social issues. Their works are characterized by profound physical vocabulary and poetic theatrical aesthetics, as well as the incorporation of social critique and cultural reflection, making them unique in Taiwan’s theater scene.

Its name, approaching theatre, refers to “approachability as its foundation and inquiry into the essence of things at its heart.” It emphasizes cultural exploration and physical experiences that begin with the fundamentals, as well as signifies continuous discovery. This duo emphasizes that their resources are limited. However, it is this “lack” that inspires creativity, as they focus on expressing the subtleties of the physical form, the depth of the script, and the diversity of language. They also attempt to use theater to explore life, society, and identity. Since its founding, approaching theatre’s works have ranged from The Seven Silences series to adaptations of Malaysian Chinese literature, as well as international and interdisciplinary collaborations. For this creative duo, the body is the foundation, stories are the tools, and history is the backdrop, with language used to portray different characters. These are merged to produce contemporary Asian theatrical visions.

KOH Choon-Eiow

KOH Choon-Eiow is Malaysian Chinese and a co-artistic director of approaching theatre. He is also a contemporary theater director, playwright, and actor, as well as an Asian Cultural Council award recipient. A graduate of the Drama Department of the Malaysian Institute of Art and the College of Arts of Chinese Culture University, his works are characterized by powerful narratives and precise timing. KOH is adept at using polyphonic contexts and flowing narratives to explore the subjective construction of capitalist societies and the scattering and identity of ethnic Chinese people throughout colonial history. His works and awards include: Apostating Time, recipient of the 22 nd Taishin Annual Grand Prize and the Jury Award at the 35th Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music; Chronology on Death and A Gambling World II, performed during the Annual Program of Guling Street Avant- garde Theatre; Anger, recognized with the first Taipei Fringe Festival “star of tomorrow” award; and Ghostopia for which he received the Taipei Theatre Award for Best Play Writing.

CHENG Yin-Chen

CHENG Yin Chen is from Kaohsiung’s Fengshan District in Taiwan and a co-artistic director of approaching theatre. She is multi-talented, adept at performing, creating, and teaching. In 2007, she joined Gang-a Tsui Theater, learning vocals and traditional Chinese string and percussion instruments, as well as touring internationally with this company. In 2014, she co-founded approaching theatre with KOH Choon-Eiow, which combines creative pursuits with education. CHENG values the integration of traditional and contemporary theater, developing diverse training courses for performers, including “freestyle performers,” and dedicating herself to the cultural heritage and innovative development of Taiwanese theater. In 2016, she received a grant from the Asian Cultural Council to study traditional dance in Central Java, Indonesia and Seoul, South Korea.

Her recent performances include in A Mother, King Lear, shortlisted for the Taishin Arts Award; Apostating Time, recognized with the Taishin Annual Grand Prize and the Jury Award at the Golden Melody Awards for Traditional Arts and Music; and Ghostopia, shortlisted for the Taishin Arts Award and for which she received the Taipei Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Play.

Photo by 康志豪