The Magic of Blooming Flower Fields by Shu-Kai Yang 8 Feburary 2024 Guling Street Avant-Garde Theatre Annual Program Selection Observer Guling Street Theatre Cultural Newsletter If there truly exists a 'magic that blooms into fields of flowers' in this world, it must be the effect brought by performing arts. Dazed and Confused, as an autobiographical work, blends Lin Lu-chieh’s background as both a magician and theatre practitioner. Magic and theatre, in essence, are the same—using techniques that create something from nothing to sincerely narrate stories where truth and illusion blur, captivating audiences in a fleeting moment of brilliance. In less than an hour, the creator condenses their coming-of-age experiences into a delicate, heartfelt story, weaving small or grand surprises at every life turning point. With a light and humorous touch, these memories of varying warmth connect, inviting audiences into the creator’s world while making time feel tangible and clear in that moment. by CHIH-YUAN CHENG The audience’s 'pretend' worry for the staged situations (despite knowing it’s a magic trick) is a highly sophisticated and mature theatrical technique that skillfully draws viewers back into the live experience. In terms of narrative, these techniques are honed through the pursuit of childhood imagery, tracing back to explore 'who I am' and, more preciously, decisively declaring 'what I am not.' The roads not taken are delicately transformed into charming, knowing surprises at our feet. In an era where anxiety and distraction are the default mindset for audiences, Dazed and Confused is one of the rare works that allows people to purely focus on the joy of the moment for an entire evening—highly effective and truly Brilliant!