MONSTER

Yen-Cheng Liu

Life is always difficult. When truly confronting the self, one always feels alone, despite all the relationships he/she has made.
We are the masters of our mind only at the present time. We do not have total control over how we have become what we are, nor where we will go in the future.

Everyone alone carries a different monster in his/her own mind, a monster gradually bred, grown and shaped by various influences in life. If the master of one’s mind is the soul that dwells in the body, it must be a complicated compound, expandable, shrinkable and distortable at different stages of life. A distinct monster.

Set in a daytime psychedelic mood, Monster is like a journey to retrace the time and an individual’s existence. I chase after himself, stand still, pace back and forth, and push onward recklessly. I start in a straight line, but then the path spins, twists and deforms, until I no longer see the beginning nor the destination. Never do I feel I will fail. Never do I feel I will succeed. Paradox continues to appear. We are not only defined by our past, but also by others’ past which has influences on us. That is how a monster is shaped.

Time just passes on and never returns. When I chase the future it seems going forward. However, when I look back at the past, it seems going backward. So, is time definitely moving forward?

Premiere: Jun. 2, 2017 at Experimental Theater, Taipei. Commissioned by National Performing Arts Center – National Theater & Concert Hall, Taiwan.

Touring: Aug. 2~Aug. 25 2019 at Dance Base, Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Credit:
Choreography & Sound Design:Yen-Cheng Liu | Performers:Yen-Cheng Liu (or Chu-Hua Wang), Yu-Fan Liu | Costume Design:Hikky Chen | Stage Design:Hsuan-Hsun Cheng | Lighting Design:Tien-Hung Wang (premiere version), Jui-Hsuan Tseng (tour version)

Pareviews:

''a riotous profusion in between monochrome imagery...''

I-Wen Chang, Critics for Pareviews:

“It gives a riotous profusion in between monochrome imagery… The piece seems to run the time in a loop, in an attempt to retrace the time backward… The information here is filtered by various objects that can be found in everyday life. While these objects give a sense of context, the diffusing smoke however cast ambiguity and confusion, with a feel of solemn condensation.”

Edinburgh Guide:

''radical in its conception and avant-garde in its form...''

Garry Platt, Edinburgh Guide:

Monster is radical in its conception and avant-garde in its form and shape. It is exactly what the Fringe was built for. There is no standard beginning, middle or end here … The ending is absolutely genius with no one quite sure what has happened or whether it is truly ended … It pushes at the boundaries of dance and challenges old standards and protocols.”

To Do List:

''the unique show that leaves you perplexed but intrigued...''

Luara Edmans, To Do List:

“That unique kind of Fringe show that leaves you perplexed but intrigued … it is not in any way traditional dance – it even feels almost hallucinatory at times. The aesthetics are striking and beautiful … a blend of naive and casual as well as purposeful and meticulous.”

The Wee Review:

''fabulous to see a choreographer having the chutzpa to bring something unconventional...''

Max Scratchmann, The Wee Review:

Monster is an outstanding achievement and dares to not only be different but revels in its uniqueness … It’s fabulous to see choreographers like Yen-Cheng Liu having the chutzpa to bring something as unconventional as Monster to the Dance Base stage.”