UP Visayas Hosts Shoreline Shakespeares Conference

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The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Division of Humanities, in collaboration with the Asian Shakespeare Association (ASA), hosted the 6th Biennial Conference of the Asian Shakespeare Association, titled Shoreline Shakespeares, from December 4 to 6, 2024, at the UPV Iloilo City campus.

The event brought together scholars, performers, and literary enthusiasts from across Asia and beyond to celebrate and explore Shakespeare’s legacy.

The opening ceremony took place on the morning of December 4 at the UPV Little Theater. Messages from UPV Chancellor Dr. Clement Camposano and ASA Chairperson Beatrice Lei welcomed participants.

Professor Karen Raber of the University of Mississippi, who is also the executive director of the Shakespeare Association of America, delivered the keynote address, Against the Current: How We Read Shakespeare’s Animals. She discussed how traditional and modern scholarship on Shakespeare’s animals could evolve to foster an ecologically driven perspective of kinship, compassion, and humility.

Parallel sessions commenced in the afternoon at the Little Theater, the OICA Conference Room, and GCEB Training Rooms.

On the second day, the Graphic Shakespeare Award Ceremony opened the program, followed by a keynote address by Professor Ted Motohashi of Tokyo University of Economics. His lecture, Between Technology and Ecology: Reflecting on the Trans-human in Gilgamesh, Suzuki, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, examined the intersection of technology and ecology in theatrical art.

Participants also took part in a cultural tour that included visits to the UPV Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage galleries, Muelle Loney Street, the downtown area, Molo Mansion, Molo Church, and Panaderia de Molo.

The day concluded with a performance of Titus Tan by Teatro Tayo, composed of students from West Visayas State University’s College of Physical Education, Sports, Culture, Arts, and Recreation (PESCAR). Directed by Anton Juan of the University of Notre Dame, the play is a reimagined adaptation of Titus Andronicus incorporating Iloilo’s political narratives, Philippine historical contexts, and Layeta Bucoy’s Tinarantandong Asintado (The Mad Sharpshooter).

The final day began with a roundtable discussion, Shakespeare from Shore to Shore, chaired by Poonam Trivedi of the University of Delhi.

Panelists included Koizumi Yuto from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tarini Mookherjee of Queen’s University Belfast, Scott Shepherd of Chongsin University in South Korea, Reto Winckler from City University of Hong Kong, and Roweena Yipp of the National University of Singapore.

The conference concluded with a performance of The Forum Scene from Caesar’s Maze by Wu Hsing-kuo, Anton Juan, and students from UP High School in Iloilo (UPHSI) Junior Theater Arts Club.

Directed by Wu Hsing-kuo, artistic director of the Contemporary Legend Theater, Caesar’s Maze is an innovative adaptation of Julius Caesar blending elements of traditional Chinese xiqu theatre.

Chu Po-Cheng, a trained xiqu actor known as “Howie,” demonstrated traditional techniques, captivating participants and students with his skills and training insights.

A Q&A session followed, where Lei, Wu, and Howie addressed questions on xiqu actor training, challenges of portraying Western characters, and interpretations of Brutus in the performance.

The conference highlighted the dynamic ways in which Shakespeare’s works resonate across cultures, fostering discussions on tradition, modernity, and artistic exchange.

(Photos by Alven Polido, Mary Arvic Dolendo, and student facilitators. Written by Mary Arvic Dolendo, IPO, with sources from the Asian Shakespeare Association)