Drumbeats of wisdom

Combining percussion with Buddhist chants and martial arts rituals, a performing arts troupe from Taiwan promise to keep audiences mesmerised

Taiwan's U Theatre will stage their spectacular production - "Meeting with Bodhisattva" - on September 26 as part of Bangkok's 13th International Festival of Dance & Music.

The teachings of the Buddha, Mahavairocana Abhisambodhi Tantra, say "In all acts of singing there is truth; every dance portrays reality", thus connecting irrevocably the universes of spirituality and performance art. In its theatrical performance "Meeting with Bodhisattva", U Theatre underlines that message. The work, which is devoted to the Tibetan god of wisdom, has as its fulcrum complex drumming that is haunting, intense and precise - a sound that resonates with your very soul.

Thirteen drummers from Taiwan's most acclaimed music theatre group, both male and female, fill the soundscape with their drumming and their chanting, almost urging you to clear your mind of all impurities. As the dancers strike with impossible precision, simultaneously employing the idioms of martial arts and Chinese operatic dance, their message becomes clearer: become the drum and resonate the truth.

Under the direction of Liu Ruo-Yu (a winner of the Cultural Award of Taiwan) and music director Huang Chih-Chun, the tightly choreographed work tells the story of one man's encounter with a deity - Vajrasattva - only to be told that the way to wisdom is through letting go.

The story of "Meeting with Bodhisattva" is derived from four Buddhist verses: "One cudgel, like the sword of Wisdom; one cudgel, like looking for a snake in the grass; one cudgel, like the roar of a lion; one cudgel, which is not a cudgel." These verses illustrate a warrior's path to self-actualisation. Though fearful when faced with life's mysteries, the warrior goes on to rid himself of all such worries in search of wisdom. In doing so, he constantly elevates himself until he finally attains an inner stability and calm.

In 2003, the U Theatre was awarded the inaugural Taishin Arts Award's Performing Arts prize for this immensely physical work. According to the jury, "[It] combines theatre, dance, music, drumming, martial arts, chanting and other elements outside of theatre into a unified whole and thereby successfully creates a brilliant performance that is both rich in spiritual insights and intriguing to watch."

Artistic director Liu Ruo-Yu, who before founding U Theatre was a lead actress with Taiwan's Lan Ling Theatre, trained in New York University's Performance Studies programme. On return to Taiwan in 1989, she formed the U Theatre and introduced young performers to older artists, thus reintroducing the youngsters to folk music, dancing, and folk rituals.

In 1993, Liu took it up several notches by inviting Huang Chih-Chun, a Malaysian born traditional Chinese drummer master. With nearly 20 years of experience behind him, he turned to teaching the art of drumming to U Theatre members. Huang believed that to learn to play the drum, one must first learn meditation, which led the theatre group to take up meditation and Chinese martial arts, and later incorporate both into the core of their performance philosophy.

The group has participated in important festivals around the world, including the US, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Norway.

As U Theatre alternates between explosive action and meditative peace as they explore Buddhist philosophy on stage, there is a certain sense of Zen to the duality on display, at once rousing and calming.

Rhythm and movement

Tickets for the show cost from Bt700 to Bt2,200, at ThaiTicketMajor. Call (02) 262 3191 or visit www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

U Theatre's performance is supported by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand in celebration of Taiwan's centenary.

The festival is sponsored by Bangkok Bank, Beiersdorf, B Grimm, Canadoil Group, Dusit Thani Bangkok, Nation Group, SCG, Thai Airways International, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Toyota Motor Thailand.