U-THEATRE

U-Theatre

Contemporary percussion theatre from Taiwan combining drumming, movement and ritual performance.Touring internationally in theatres and festivals; previous presentations include major venues and outdoor stages in Europe and Asia.

Key facts: cast 20, duration 90 minutes, touring with backline, adaptable to proscenium and large outdoor settings.

PERFORMANCE

Sword of Wisdom (at the Segesta Festival in Sicily)

Sword of Wisdom is more than a performance. It is a spectacle-ritual, where the body and sound become tools of inner search. Inspired by four Buddhist verses, the play tells the story of “Brave” – a warrior who, facing fear and ignorance, gradually reaches spiritual clarity and a deep understanding of himself.

With a harmonious composition of traditional percussion, martial arts, dance, Tai Chi, precision and silence, the play transports the viewer to a “magnetic space”, where movement and stillness, strength and tenderness coexist. A journey from the outside to the inner landscape of man. U-Theatre, The harmony of discipline and freedom

L’éveil de la Montagne (in Vienna, Prague and Dresden)

A performance of extraordinary beauty, U-Theater brings together musical virtuosity, traditional percussion, martial arts, dance, and meditation in a singular stage language. Founded in 1988 by Madame Liu Ruo-Yu, the company is internationally celebrated and widely regarded as one of Asia’s most iconic performing arts ensembles.

From the beginning, U-Theater drew inspiration from the theatrical practice of Jerzy Grotowski, rooted in the physical, sculptural, and psychological training of performers. Since 1993, percussionist and artistic director Huang Chih-Chun has further shaped the company’s path by integrating meditation, while performers are also trained in tai chi chuan. Based in the hills of Taipei, the ensemble works in an environment that nurtures concentration, discipline, and deep listening.

Set on Mount Laoquan, The Awakening of the Mountain is an ode to the natural world surrounding the company’s training center. Drums, gongs, and a rich palette of instruments create a striking visual and sonic landscape, while the performers’ ritualized movement, elegant white costumes, and precise choreography evoke both raw power and meditative grace.

Refined lighting, sculptural images, and a highly detailed musical structure give the work a powerful sense of mystery and transcendence. Body, rhythm, breath, and spirit come together in a performance of rare intensity and subtle poetry.