This paper presents Seng Dao, an original stage play, as a form of research-led creative practice for understanding the comic dramaturgy of Samuel Beckett and its transformation within Taiwanese crosstalk drama, particularly in the works of Stan Lai. Writing the play enabled a rethinking of Beckett’s theatre not as abstract philosophy, but as a performative logic grounded in dialogue, rhythm, and relational tension. The play employs key structural features of xiangsheng (crosstalk) as analytical tools. First, it foregrounds conversational rhythm: rapid turn-taking establishes temporary alliances, while pauses and interruptions destabilise them. Second, it draws on the peng and dou role dynamics central to crosstalk drama to shape character relations. The monk, burdened by a concealed crime, lies without limit and pulls others into sustaining his deception. The Daoist also harbours a secret, but his lies expand reactively under the monk’s pressure. In contrast, the police officer interprets language with rigid rationality, becoming increasingly vulnerable to manipulation. The play is structured around three concerns: xiangsheng-style dialogue as a generator of dramatic relations, philosophical questions of life and death, and the emergence of plot through the internal logic of natural language. Following Beckett and Stan Lai’s insistence on comic seriousness, Seng Dao resists resolving its mysteries, demonstrating how crosstalk drama can serve as a productive framework for rethinking Beckett’s comic legacy in Taiwanese theatre.

Authors:
Tan-Hsin Tsai, National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Tsai Tan-hsin is a lecturer at the Foreign Language Centre at National Taipei University of Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C. He received his MA From National Chengchi University, Department of English and is currently working toward the accomplishment of Ph.D. degree at the University of Exeter, UK. His research focuses on Samuel Beckett, Stan Lai, crosstalk, comedy theory, philosophy of humour, and metatheatre.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tank-tsai-52319a1b4

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/tanxin-Tsai

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