Introduction
"Five-tiger Hill" is a unique term describing the special geography of Tamsui. It originated more than 2 million years ago when the Datung Volcano erupted. Its lava flowed in different directions creating several low areas and later formed five hills that look like five fingers. These hills are called the Five-tiger Hill and are where the settlements of Tamsui developed.
The 2012 Art Festival uses "Five-Tiger Hill" as the theme. The contents of the show connect the local history, legends, customs and human affairs to life in old times, taking the audience through a time tunnel to experience 1000 years of Tamsui and presenting a very special arts feast. Still using the form of "environmental theater" that has been used for several years, "The Amazing Journey of Five-Tiger Hill" further breaks the barriers between theater and the audience for it is presented in a flowing form. The streets of Tamsui are transformed into a big performance space, and the audience will follow the performers and move with them as the plot continues. The audience become active participants in the show and have become a part of the show themselves.
The streets also become part of the show for they are transformed into the time tunnel in the show. The audience, through watching and participating in the show as well as walking among the streets with the performers, seem to experience an amazing journey into old and new Tamsui. The city landscape is transformed into a performance space. The performing group brings the audience into the landscape of the city via dramatic performance on a grand scale, and the show is completed by the collaboration of artists and audience. The combination of these three elements is a brand new way to create art which also makes "The Amazing Journey of Five-Tiger Hill" become the "first" of its kind after "The Legend of the Westerner". In a way, it has exceeded "The Legend of the Westerner" for it creates the unique and even more surprising civic cultural strength and artistic energy of Tamsui.
About the activity
1. Community Artist-in-Residence Program
By implementing the artist-in-residence programs in various communities according to the themes of activities, the points of view of both artists and community residents will interact to create materials for artistic creation. In the meantime, artists-in-residence will also train local residents who will participate in the show as well as give advice during the rehearsals.
2. Artist-in-residence on campus
Artists have been recruited to interact with children at schools in forms of art camps and to perform at schools, art streets and participate in Let's Art activity.
3. Let's Art Activity
The theme for Let's Art is "The Amazing Journey of Five-Tiger Hill". Via artist-in-residence programs, artists will collaborate with people in the community to create art with history, legends, customs and culture and life in old times in the community. The first part of "Let' Art" is a big parade which includes everyone, then comes the environmental theater show - "The Amazing Journey of Five-Tiger Hill", bringing everyone a special art feast that presents 1000 years of Tamsui.
4. The Environmental Theater - The Amazing Journey of Five-Tiger Hill
Combining the four legends--"Eight Village Dadaokong", "King of Pirates - Cai-Qian", "The Westerner - The Love of Mackay" and " Robin Hood of Taiwan - Liao Tian-Ding", the show brings the audience the epics of Tamsui one after another. The No.1 choice theater director, Wang Rong-Yu, who is the director in chief collaborates with professional performers to bring the public this special art feast of "You can only see such a soul-moving performance when you are in Tamsui."
5. Performances brought to you by international performing groups
World-renowned performing groups are invited to perform on Tamsui's old streets or at Tamsui Historic Sites, encouraging the public to get to know Tamsui so that the history of Tamsui will touch more hearts.
