Abstract: In the first part of the lecture, I will present the background of Our Theatre’s production of Kevin Chen’s 陳思宏 Ghost Town 《鬼地方》, including the domestic as well as international popularity of this fiction. I will detail the process and strategies of turning it from text to performance, including the inspirations for this adaption and the challenges faced in both acting and directing because of the new performing text and the attempt to integrate local acrobatics (弄鐃). I will discuss the outcomes of both its trial run in 2023 and the 2024 premiere in Yunan-Lin Performing Arts Centre.
In the second part, I will explain my reverse dramaturgical approach taken for the revival of Ghost Town at the Taipei Playground in 2025. In contrast to the previous procedure of starting from text to performance, the dramaturgical concept for this revival begins with the performing occasion, drawing inspiration from the occasional drama prevalent in English Renaissance theatre. Given the history of Taipei Playground—a theatre that was once the auditorium of the air-force headquarters—it can be regarded as a meeting ground between the old and the new generation, between pan-Blue ideology, spawned by the KMT’s dictatorship and a wish for the unification with China, and pan-Green ideology which privileges human rights and social justice over economic growth and is inclined to favour an independent political entity. The inherent history of this space, shared in the collective memory of the audience, transforms the performance held within it into a special occasion. Following the dramaturgical strategy based on this concept, we sought to locate the identities of our audience and to forge a connection with them. This lecture is meant to introduce a clear model for turning pages to the stage, showcasing the pivotal transformation of my dramaturgy across both dramatic productions of Ghost Town.
Prof. Ho I-Fan is Associate Professor at the Department of Theatre Arts, Taipei National University of the Arts and Coordinator of the MFA Program of Dramaturgy. He is a Taiwanese theatre scholar, dramaturg, and translator whose research and creative practice bridge the history of Western drama, dramaturgy, and contemporary performance. He received his PhD from the University of Aberystwyth in the UK. His scholarly work focuses on the theory and history of modern and postdramatic theatre, as well as dramaturgical approaches to intercultural and documentary performance. His academic and creative work engage deeply with the evolving forms of performance and dramaturgy in Taiwan’s theatre landscape, reflecting an ongoing dialogue between classical texts, modern aesthetics, and new modes of spectatorship.
Date: Thursday, 6 November 2025
Time: 18:30 – 20:00 (CET)
Location: SIN 1, Department of East Asian Studies/Sinology, University Campus, AAKH, Spitalgasse 2, Hof 2, entrance 2.3, 1090 Vienna
Moderation: Liu Wan-Yi, BA MA
