When master psychic Ma Chien's master doesn’t arrive, his stand-in, a cram school history teacher, takes over and a wild exploration of Chinese philosophy ensues. In the meantime, the City Government has sent notice that the Nightclub is to be forcefully shut down and its’ illegally-built structures demolished. While the debate on Chinese thought heats up, the lights go out, the wall caves in and madness ensues.

ABOUT THE PLAY:

This play is the third in the “Xiangsheng” style revitalized and revolutionized by the Performance Workshop’s two previous Xiangsheng plays "Chinese Comedy in the Late 20th Century" (1985) and "Look Who’s Cross-talking Tonight" (1989). It is set in the Hua-tu Nightclub, where the main show tonight is to be a discourse on “The Complete History of Chinese Thought” by the psychic master Ma Chien. When the master doesn’t show, his stand-in, a cram school history teacher takes over, and a wild exploration of Chinese philosophy ensues, including stories about Confucius’ purported 73rd disciple, unrecorded by history, a modern day Lao-tze, and a man who attempts to build a Great Wall in today’s Taipei. In the meantime, the City Government has sent notice that the Nightclub is to be forcefully shut down and its' illegally-built portions dismantled. While the debate on Chinese thought heats up, the lights go out, the wall caves in, and madness prevails…

CREDITS
Script: Created collectively through improvisational rehearsals led by Stan Lai

Creative Process Participated by: Liu Liangzuo, Ma Kuiyuan, Zhao Ziqiang, Feng Yigang, Pu Xue-liang

Director: Stan Lai

Cast: Zhao Zi-qiang Feng Yi-gang Pu Xue-liang

Scenic and Lighting Design: Alan Kuang-yen Nieh
Costume Design: Pamela Chin
Original Music: Hung Rui-chi

Produced by Nai-chu Ding

World Premiere: August 28, 1997, National Theatre, Taipei, Taiwan

Toured Cities: Kaohsiung, Taichung, Chungli, Tainan, Hsinchu