Nude Theater, Again

It's nude theater time again in Taiwan, and yes, this time too, the play has incited curiosity from the police.
In a previous post more than a year ago, I already wrote about a play in which several actors stood naked with their backs to the audience. The police investigated that play, but - especially after a protest from the public - decided there was nothing obscene about it and let it go.
This time, the Eslite Theater Festival is staging a Hong Kong play which includes a pre-recorded video segment with 13 people singing naked in their baths, and an actress performing completely nude.
At the first performance last night, the United Daily News reports, two policemen showed up to take notes, but concluded there was no reason to press charges. To prevent problems, members of the public had to show their ID when entering the room, and video recording and photography equipment were banned.
All 200 seats for the performance were sold out, the paper notes.

Naturism and Politics

Didn't I mention naturists should have a political party of their own in one of my early posts? Well, now, according to the International Naturist Association web site, quoting Australia's Sunday Telegraph, Australia is about to be the first country in the world with just such a party.
The Nudist Lifestyle Party plans to contest the 2007 elections for the Upper House of the state of New South Wales. Their platform includes the creation of naturist parks and sports areas - adding to naturist beaches - and the right of women to go topless where men are already allowed to. The party founders emphasize that doesn't mean they want women to show up topless in restaurants or supermarkets. It's just that where it's ok for men not to wear a shirt, women will be allowed to do so too.
Local elections are the perfect environment for naturist parties to find their niche. It maybe difficult for a naturist party to find a common platform on economic development, unemployment and foreign policy, but on local issues, beaches, swimming pools, tourism, cultural and education topics, yes, that's where naturist movements can have an impact. If the campaign is a success - we still have to wait two years to find out - we hope there will be other naturist parties contesting elections in other parts of the world. Sometimes, it takes a lot of courage and hard work, but taking the political road could force a major breakthrough for naturist ideas.