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Moon Seeks Friends on Earth: Taichung Theater Stages Father's Day Puppet Show

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The National Taichung Theater will stage the cross-border children's puppet show "The Moon Looks for Friends" on Father's Day weekend.
  • The play, directed by Thai artist Sirikarn Bunjongtad and performed by Taiwan's No Man's Land Puppet Theatre, explores themes of friendship and acceptance.
  • The story follows the moon's journey to Earth to find friends, encountering challenges and learning about connection.

The National Taichung Theater is set to host a heartwarming Father's Day weekend with the cross-border children's puppet show, "The Moon Looks for Friends." Directed by Thai puppetry artist Sirikarn Bunjongtad, also known as Jae, and brought to life by Taiwan's acclaimed No Man's Land Puppet Theatre, the production promises a magical journey of friendship and acceptance.

Nobody likes me, making friends is so hard.

— The MoonThe moon expresses its loneliness and difficulty in forming connections during its journey to Earth.

The play's narrative centers on the moon, who feels lonely because it lacks friends, unlike the sun. Driven by a desire for companionship, the moon embarks on an adventure to Earth. Along the way, it faces misunderstandings and rejections, such as being attacked by a mother bird when trying to play and accidentally having a spaceship taken by a kitten. These experiences lead the moon to lament, "Nobody likes me, making friends is so hard."

Director Jae described the moon as a representation of shy children struggling to make friends at school. The production aims to resonate with both children and parents, offering a warm and therapeutic atmosphere to explore the universal emotions of seeking understanding and companionship. The puppet designs are a highlight, with No Man's Land Puppet Theatre ingeniously using umbrellas to depict a pufferfish's dynamic transformation and creatively designing a bird mother's trousers as a nest.

The moon is like a shy child who doesn't know how to make friends at school.

— Jae (Sirikarn Bunjongtad)The director explains the character's motivation and relates it to common childhood experiences.

According to the theater's artistic director, Li Hui-mei, the play's themes mirror the adult search for recognition and belonging, as well as children's need for comfort and peers during their growth. Performances are scheduled for August 8 and 9 in the small theater, with each show lasting approximately 50 minutes without an intermission. Families are invited to experience this enchanting story together.

In real life, adults seek recognition and a sense of belonging, and children also need to find comfort and companions during their growth. The relevant plot can all be found in 'The Moon Looks for Friends.'

— Li Hui-meiThe theater's artistic director draws parallels between the play's themes and the universal human need for connection.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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