//  Venue: Humanities Studio,      

                  University of Warwick

 

//  Time: 19:30 30th Nov - 3rd Dec

 

//  Financial Sponsor: IATL

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// Academic Sponsor: Department of 

                                         Philosophy

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Short Bio

 

Being and Nothingness is strut and fret’s very first original play. Written and directed by Elysia Qiu, it focuses on the theme, ’identity crisis’. In this age of displacement and migration, many have experienced ‘departure from home’ regardless of their origin. As they travel to different places; encounter different people; and experience different culture. The feeling of lost and confusion grows yet stronger, —— ’the place that can never be retrieved to’ ‘the home which can never be returned to’. When we depart and leave for new adventures, it is almost inevitable that we will leave some people and places behind, left behind and hidden in our memory. The past defines who we are now, but when you lose the connection with your past, where do you see yourself? Or, Who do you see as yourself? 

 

Being and Nothingness is performed in the form of an immersive theatre. The Chinese title of the play 鹿過，literally translates to ‘Passing by’. The first character 鹿 (deer), originates from Lijun Teng’s song The Tale of a small town 小城故事 —— a song about the town of deer 鹿港. The town represents many Taiwanese youth’s beginning, their home that can never be returned to. For the 60 minute duration of the play, strut and fret wish to take you temporarily back to a small Chinese town in 1990s, where everything began. Perhaps, that will remind you, of where your story began. 

 

The English title Being and Nothingness reflects the structure and construct of the play, rather than a literal translation of the Chinese title. We also wish to emphasise the philosophical essence of the play —— ’identity crisis’ and ‘existentialism’ —— through the title. 

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