OzAsia | The Village

An epic theatre event, tracing the lives of three different families across half a century, by China’s most revered playwright and director, Stan Lai.

The Village is a deeply emotive coming-of-age story; expect to laugh and cry as heart-warming themes of identity, community and belonging are masterfully explored, appealing to the humanity within us all.

In the late 1940s, thousands of Communist-defeated Chinese Nationalist Party soldiers fled to safety with their families in makeshift “military dependents’ villages” in Taiwan. Fifty years later, what was presumed to be a temporary refugee exile transformed into a permanent communal melting-pot that would vibrantly colour Taiwan’s cultural heritage forever.

Drawing from true life stories in such villages, legendary US-born director Stan Lai has captured poignant experiences and crafted a spell-binding set design and period costumes. Staged over 200 times worldwide, including in China, the UK and the US, and with standing ovations since its premiere a decade ago, The Village is a masterful and compassionate production that depicts the true, moving history of Taiwan.