Emotional artistry in the backyard: Moss” impresses at the Weimar Art Festival!

Emotional artistry in the backyard: Moss” impresses at the Weimar Art Festival!

On August 24, 2025 the time has come: the Weimar Art Festival presents the eagerly awaited European premiere of the piece “Moss”. This creative collaboration between the renowned Taiwanese FOCASA Circus and the German-Taiwanese choreographer duo Peculiar Man bring a poetic fairy tale about the life of children in the big city to the stage.

“Moss,” which means “moss” in German, deals with the experiences of five boys growing up in a backyard in Taipei. All five young artists (Kuan-Ting Chen, Yu-Ping Chiang, Wei-Chen Chao, Chia-Hao Hu and Hung-Yi Tsai) not only have an eventful childhood behind them, but also bring a variety of talents with them: from juggling to equilibrium to martial arts elements, everything is offered in the piece. The inspiring story reflects the anarchy and melancholy of big city life and shows how children defend their living space against the older generations.

A look behind the scenes

The setting of the piece with its construction site charm - a sheet metal wall, a sliding gate and scaffolding - contributes a lot to the atmosphere. The audience experiences a realistic depiction of “backyard sadness” as the boys run around, play and tease each other, often interrupted by short pauses in the narrative that give the pace a special touch. Completely described in this sense Weimar.de the piece as a successful combination of artistry and action, even though some of the intermediate scenes were perceived as incomprehensible.

The music, a mix of music box sounds, pop songs and other content, gives the piece an additional dimension, even if it doesn't always fit harmoniously with the plot. Still, the artistic highlights are undeniably impressive, as demonstrated by the large hoop choreography and mesmerizing diabolo performances. The piece lasts approximately 65 minutes and is aimed at audiences aged 7 and over.

Who is behind “Moss”?

The director is Tsai-Wei Tien and Jan Möllmer from Peculiar Man, who both have a connection to the Wuppertal dance theater Pina Bausch and have a lot of experience. The entire piece benefits from a talented production team who FOCASA Circus supports and works with various creatives to bring the production to life. The performance is also supported by the Ministry of Culture Taiwan and the Taiwanese representation in Germany.

Participation in the Weimar Art Festival is characterized by a focus on Taiwan, which not only strengthens the cultural connection between Europe and Taiwan, but also introduces a wider audience to the fascinating world of New Circus. There is great anticipation for this unique performance - an experience that should not be missed!