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Esplanade Presents
15 Feb 2025, Sat, 2pm & 7.30pm
16 Feb 2025, Sun, 2pm
(Intermission: 1 x 20mins)
Esplanade Theatre
This event is over.
This event is over.
After a more than two-decade long domestic run, celebrated Taiwanese arts icon Wu Nien-jen brings his acclaimed Human Condition theatre series to Huayi for its Singapore premiere. The well-loved series has been enjoyed by over half a million Taiwanese theatregoers so far, and Human Condition VIII is the latest eagerly anticipated instalment.
Human Condition VIII tells the story of Mingcan, a retiree who finds himself adrift and without a purpose in life. His status as a respected patriarch has long disappeared as his adult children have their own families and lives to deal with. Unable to contribute to the economy and unneeded by his family, Mingcan questions his self-worth as his dignity slowly fades with each listless, monotonous day. Just as he feels that he has struck rock-bottom, he instead strikes the lottery jackpot, and immediately finds himself to be of interest to his family once more. Mingcan feels respected, needed, wanted. But is this unexpected windfall a stroke of luck or a harbinger of misfortune?
Starting in 2000, the Human Condition series shines an empathetic spotlight on the day-to-day stories of everyday Taiwanese people who strive to make the best out of what they have in their lives. Presented by Greenray Theatre Company, the series has continued to garner enthusiastic support and enjoy great appeal since its inception. It has become the first taste of theatre for many across Taiwan, with each instalment of the series rapidly selling out within days of their launches.
The first comedy of the series, Human Condition VIII is a humorous and poignant tale of masculine self-worth that features an acclaimed cast that includes theatre multi-hyphenate Chen Hsi-Cheng, and Golden Bell Award winners Wang Chuan and Yang Li-yin.
Playwright and director Wu Nien-jen is one of the most prolific and respected names in Taiwanese cinema. Debuting in 2001, the Human Condition series is his blockbuster foray into theatre, which had been seen and loved by over half a million Taiwanese theatergoers, and earned him the prestigious National Cultural Award.
Artistic Director: Wu Nien-jen, Ko I-cheng
Produced by: Greenray Inc.
Written / Directed by: Wu Nien-jen
Executive Director: Denny Wu
Main Cast: Chen Hsi-sheng, Wang Chuan, Yang Li-yin, Sam Yang, Crystal Lin, Frog
Key Visual Photographer: Chen You-wei
Key Visual Graphic Designer: Hsu Ming-wen
Contains some coarse language.
Greenray Theatre Company
Since its establishment in 1993, Greenray Theatre Company has produced many theatre works, categorised into five series: “Original Musical”, “National Theatre”, “World Theatre”, “Taiwan Literary Theatre”, and “Urban Life Theatre”, which features more than 40 works. In 2021, episodes one to six of the Human Conditions series were broadcast online and received a record 2.8 million views.
In 2022, Greenray Theatre Company announced the establishment of Greenray Inc., with Wu Nien-jen as the chairman, to diversify the IP of stage plays and to convert them into different forms of cultural entertainment—literature, film and television, theatre, music, and video games—in order to promote the interconnection and integration of the multicultural entertainment market.
Wu Nien-jen
Wu Nien-jen is a Taiwanese director, playwright, actor and writer, who was the first to win all four Golden Awards—the Golden Melody Award, Golden Bell Award, Golden Horse Award, and Golden Tripod Award. He is currently the chairman of Greenway Inc. His signature works include Daughter of the Nile, A Borrowed Life, Osmanthus Alley, A City of Sadness, and Dust in the Wind.
Wu joined the Greenray Theatre Company in 2001 and created the Human Condition series, which has been staged more than 400 times since. His works are reflections of the daily lives of everyday people, with plots that are simple and sincere, successfully attracting first-time theatre audiences.
15 Feb 2025, Sat
2pm
7.30pm
16 Feb 2025, Sun
2pm
Standard | Students, NSFs & Seniors |
PWD | |
Cat 1 | $128 | - | $30 |
Cat 2 | $108 | - | $30 |
Cat 3 | $88 | - | $30 |
Cat 4 | $58 | $46 | $30 |
Cat 5 | $38 | $30 | $30 |
Esplanade&Me Specials
Early Bird (5 – 22 Dec 2024, limited tickets)
Black: 20% savings
White: 15% savings
Discover: 15% savings (Min. of 2)
From 23 Dec 2024, 10am
Black: 15% savings
White: 10% savings
Discover: 10% savings (Min. of 2, limited tickets)
Applicable to Standard Cat 1 – 3 tickets only. Terms and Conditions apply.
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PAssion members: 10% savings
Min. of 4 tickets, limited tickets
Applicable to Standard Cat 1 – 3 tickets only.
Tote Board Arts Grant
All Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges/ Centralised Institute & ITEs may use the Tote Board Arts Grant to subsidise up to 50% of the programme cost.
For more details, please contact Esplanade Box Office at 6828 8389 or email boxoffice@esplanade.com.
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