What to talk about stranded on a Pacific island?

SHINE | 08-Jan-2021 | By Ma Yue

“Crosstalk Travelers” will be staged at Xujiahui’s Theater Above from January 22 to 31. As the seventh work of Taiwan playwright and director Stan Lai’s crosstalk play series, the play centers on two travelers who share and compare their travel experiences and the meaning of traveling while being stranded on an island in the southern Pacific.

Lai says the script borrowed details from his own travel stories, whether it was on a luxurious tour or a backpack trip. “The play encourages audiences to re-exam the meaning of travel,” said Lai. “Does travel make your world bigger or smaller? Everyone has different philosophical views.” “Travel broadens your field of vision, enlarging your world. Meanwhile, you understand the world and its rules better and become more tolerant by traveling, which makes the world closer and smaller to you,” he added. Lai’s crosstalk play series started in 1985 with the first production, “That Evening, We Performed Crosstalk,” which discussed fading of traditions. “Look Who’s Crosstalking Tonight,” the second play of the series, was produced in 1989.

“Our crosstalk series have always been welcomed by audiences since we introduced them,” said Lai. “This latest production is adapted from the 2011 edition of ‘Crosstalk Travelers,’ but we changed the lead roles into female characters.” Lai said he has made adjustments to the script to make the play suit the actress’ personalities. “A traditional crosstalk lasts for some 20 minutes, but when we make a crosstalk play, it’s much more demanding because it requires a reasonable structure,” he added. The show has English subtitles. English-speaking audiences are welcome.

Performance info

Date: January 22-31, 7:30pm (Monday-Saturday), 2pm (Sunday)
Tickets: 280-480 yuan
Venue: Theater Above
Address: 5F, 1111 Zhaojiabang Rd

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