The Rite of Lobster
2023
The Rite of Lobster
When savoring each bite of tender lobster meat, what are we truly consuming?
“Research shows that because lobsters frequently molt, their shells do not record signs of aging. Lobsters continue to grow without senescence and retain their reproductive capabilities indefinitely. For a long time, no one knew how long a lobster could actually live.”
(If you're curious: This phenomenon is due to telomerase, an enzyme that prevents the deterioration of telomeres at the ends of chromosomes, allowing endless cell division.)
The Rite of Lobster invites the audience to a live ritual performance that contemplates biology, marine sustainability, and mythical symbolism.
Drawing from his award-winning 2021 work Dragon Palace, installation artist Cheng Tsung FENG creates bamboo structures that evoke the textures of marine creatures and the segmented forms of crustaceans. Performers continuously build and dismantle this abstract, organic structure on stage. The temporary bamboo forms slide, collapse, and reconfigure—resembling the lobster’s relentless cycles of molting and escaping capture.
As we witness this shared ritual, might we gain insight into sustainability, and integrate it into our future survival practices?
2023｜Dancing Ecosystems｜Taipei Arts Festival｜08/24-27｜Taipei Performing Arts Center｜Taipei
art director｜Juo Yu LIU
taipei arts festival curator｜Jen Chung LIN
director｜Yu Tien CHEN
installation artist｜Cheng Tsung FENG
lighting & space design｜Kuan Lin CHEN
music design｜Li Ting CHOU
sound design｜Yang Che CHUNG
stage manager｜Wei Chen SUN
assistant director｜Yue SU
director assistant｜Szu Yu MAO
assistant stage manager｜Chih Chun LIN
stage technical coordinator｜Po Yen LIU
lighting technical coordinator｜Ze Hong TSENG
costume support｜Ching Ying CHANG
performers｜Chun Ming WANG, Chu Hua WANG, Hsiao Ching NIU, Po Hsiang CHIU, Che Ren TSUI, Yan Yi LIANG, En YEH, Yu Jen TAI, Kai Lun YEN
(Names listed in order of stroke count)
production｜Taipei Performing Arts Center
executive production｜Ying Chieh WU, Yu Chieh (Karen) SUNG
visual design｜Yue De LIU
photography｜Da Bei QIN
video recording｜DaDa International Film Co., Ltd.
installation design & production｜Studio Kao Gong Ji (Chan Wei HSU, Hong Lin LIU)
structural analysis｜Jian Quan Engineering Consultants
2023
脫殼
當把一口一口的鮮美肉質送進口中，我們背後在吃的是什麼？
「據研究，龍蝦因經常脫殼，蝦殼上不會保留生長紀錄，且不會停止生長，也不會隨著年齡增長而衰老，始終保持著生育能力，因此過去無人得知龍蝦究竟可以活多久。」（如果你好奇：這個物質叫做「端粒酶」，可維持生物染色體上的「端粒」穩定不耗損，以不斷進行細胞分裂）
以生物學探究、海洋永續與神話意義的龍蝦為題，《脫殼》邀請觀眾一同來劇場，共時見證對龍蝦致意也致祭的永生儀式：特邀裝置藝術家范承宗以2021德國柏林設計獎銀獎作品《龍宮》為基，運用竹子創造出海生動物紋路和甲殼類枝節，並由表演者持續構築不具象表徵的竹結構生物；當舞台上的臨時裝置一次次滑動、崩落，宛如未遭捕獲的龍蝦一次次脫殼、逃逸……身歷其境的你我，會否從中參透「永續」，貫徹未來生存行動的奧義？
2023｜萬物運動｜台北藝術節｜08/24-27｜台北表演藝術中心｜台北
藝術總監｜劉若瑀
臺北藝術節策展人｜林人中
導演｜陳煜典
裝置藝術家｜范承宗
燈光暨空間設計｜陳冠霖
音樂設計｜周莉婷
音響設計｜鍾仰哲
舞台監督｜孫唯真
助理導演｜蘇越
導演助理｜毛思語
舞監助理｜林芷君
舞台技術統籌｜劉柏言
燈光技術統籌｜曾擇弘
服裝協力 ｜張靖盈
表演者｜王浚銘、王筑樺、牛筱晴、邱柏翔、崔哲仁、梁雁怡、葉恩、戴郁仁、顏楷倫（照姓氏筆畫排列）
製作｜臺北表演藝術中心
執行製作｜吳盈潔、宋語婕 Karen
主視覺設計｜劉悅德
劇照攝影｜秦大悲
錄影｜陳大大國際影業有限公司
裝置設計暨製作｜考工記工作室（許展維、劉鋐霖）
裝置結構分析｜建全工程顧問