So Close and yet So Far

Puppets／20 mints

Creators：Spica Wobbe、Shih, Pei-Yu

Premiere
The 24th International Puppet Theatre Festival Dordrecht
28-29 Jue. 2008 Dordrecht Holland

Once upon a time, there was a girl named FAR and a boy named CLOSE. They lived at opposite ends of a circle, always doing different and often opposing things. For instance, FAR would eat her soup after her meal, while CLOSE would have soup before. FAR would introduce her last name before her first, whereas CLOSE would say his first name before the last. However, they were unaware of each other’s existence until they met.

One day, FAR noticed a star playing hide-and-seek at the other end of the circle. Intrigued, she decided to visit the star at the opposite side of the circle. The only way to not get lost was to keep looking at the star, for she had no map. Consequently, she had to do many opposite things, like sleeping during the day and traveling at night. She walked backward to ensure no monsters were following her.

Gradually, she fell in love with doing opposite things. Traveling at night allowed her to hear sounds she had never noticed before, like the breathing of trees, the blinking of butterflies, and the sound of dew sliding off leaves. Most often, she heard her heartbeat, as if her heart was singing to her. If she wasn’t too tired, she would dance to her heartbeat. You know, traveling at night required more focus and concentration.

As FAR followed the star, she drew the star on leaves, pretending she already had it. She touched the reflection of the star in the water, sighing, “So close, yet so far.” Until she saw that window and the little boy inside…

FAR met CLOSE. As it turns out, everything she sought was already right before her, even though it seemed so far away in the sky.