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In the 1980s, the Little Theatre Movement in Taiwan thrived as the country went through its democratization. The Little Theatre Movement in 1980s Taiwan was director-centered and as a result, the previous research has mostly aimed at the observation of theatre directors. This thesis takes a further look at the performers by studying the diversity of their body experience after receiving performance training and illustrates the influences of the little theatre on individuals in late 20th century Taiwan. Taking the life history of Jan Hui-ling as an example, the study examines how the generation of democratizing Taiwan has shaped the uniqueness of their bodies through the training of little theatre.
Jan Hui-ling founded the theatre group Critical Point Theatre Phenomenon in 1988. The previous studies pointed out that the group’s works from the 1980s to 1990s captured the social and political turmoil in Taiwan after the lifting of the martial law, which could be categorized as the second generation of the Little Theatre Movement highlighting the political theatre. The thesis argues that though sometimes being criticized as immature youth theatre, Critical Point Theatre Phenomenon has developed a feminine way of fighting against the traditional gender framework through its experiment and exploration in theatre.
Growing up in a conservative environment in the 1970s, actress Jan Hui-ling once felt that her body was under invisible constraint both on campus and at home until she joined the theatre group in 1986. The performance training of theatre changed Jan's values and liberated her body. Through director Tien Chi-Yuan's training and works, the actress rebuilt her understanding toward gender and body presentation. Also, the training methods combining Chinese and Western cultures were prevalent among the little theatre companies in the 1980s Taiwan, which helped Jan form her distinctive body in theatre performance. The research focuses on two iconic plays of Critical Point Theatre Phenomenon, A Girl White Marguerite and Mary Marlene, which Jan Hui-ling both starred in 1994 to portray how she interpreted a variety of rebellious female characters and started to make her own theatre by expressing personal experience with theatrical productions after Tien Chi-Yuan passed away.
Besides being a theatre actress, Jan Hui-ling is a senior nude model. She combines theatre and art modeling to practice a teaching theatre that inspires the audience through her body while expanding the possibilities of nudity, performing arts, and modeling. With a review of Jan Hui-ling’s meditation and reflection on body and gender in her 30 years of performing arts career, the thesis considers her body a field of practice and fulfillment. From actress, nude model to director, Jan completes her life in different identities and creates a theatrical space for women to be self-aware and self-elaborate.
Keywords: democratizing Taiwan, the little theare, female, body, Critical Point, actress
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