Taiwan Musical Reveals the Actors Behind the Scenes

The cast of Gootan Theater's musical adaptation of the Bollywood film Three Idiots has opened up about life behind the rehearsals as a new tour approaches. The production uses sharp humor to satirize an education system focused on rote learning and exam pressure.

Wang Wei, who plays an exceptionally capable student who relies on memorization, said the role is the opposite of his own personality. He recalled being a troublemaker during his school years, someone who gave teachers and school officers headaches. Playing a university student at a younger age has also proved a major challenge.

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merciless critic

To work through the large amount of dialogue, Wang practiced with his actor wife, Fang Yu-hsin. He joked that she serves both as a loyal audience member and a "merciless critic." After watching a rehearsal, she teased him by saying his only similarity to the academic high-achiever he plays was that he "can't understand Chinese," drawing laughter from the cast.

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can't understand Chinese

Li Pei-yu, who shares many scenes with Yang Chi-yu, praised him as approachable and kind. She said the strongest contrast at rehearsals came when Yang, known as an idol, focused intensely on his lines before immediately grabbing his bag and leaving to pick up his child. To her, that revealed his strong sense of responsibility as a father.

Tsai Chang-hsien, who plays the lead character Ah Han, often becomes emotional during the production's family scenes because of his father's death. He said Li prepared tissues and quietly waited at the side of the stage during every performance on last year's tour, which ran for more than 20 shows. "This has already become a kind of ritual," he said.

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This has already become a kind of ritual.