蘇子中
摘 要
高行健學貫東西,博古通今,常被稱為是現代主義文學家與藝術家或前衛劇作家和導演。他的跨界著述、創作與評論為評論家與學者提供了最佳的比較文學、比較藝術或比較戲劇的研究課題。他在二十世紀開始流亡前的八〇年代,以劇作《車站》和《絕對信號》,引入了小劇場理念,在中國開了先河,並在極短的時間內,點燃了戲劇的前衛思潮論戰,成就了他前衛戲劇作家和理論家的先鋒地位。接著,他連續介紹一系列西方戲劇觀念與評論,捕捉了西方戲劇與劇場和中國戲曲的共通與相異之處,結集成評論集《對一種現代戲劇的追求》(1988),論述凡二十六篇。這本論文集開風氣之先,展現了高行健對東西戲劇與劇場發展的敏銳觸覺,而他的劇作《車站》、《絕對信號》、《野人》、《彼岸》和《冥城》等,皆是這部前衛戲劇論述的具體創作實踐。論文集第二類中除包括〈我與布萊希特〉一文,也收錄原載於《戲劇報》(1986)的文章〈評《邁向質樸的戲劇》〉。該書評的出現源於《邁向質樸的戲劇》中譯本的出版,突顯高行健很早就開始關注葛羅托斯基(Jerzy Grotowski),並將葛氏許多的理論與實踐融入自己的戲劇理論與劇場實驗。本論文的目的在比較、分析與探究高行健和葛羅托斯基在戲劇和表演理論上的異同。論文將從論述兩人的戲劇和劇場觀著手,並利用高行健所倡議的幾個重要戲劇概念為引子,諸如「表演三重性」、「中性演員」、「全能演員」、「全能戲劇」、「第三隻眼睛」、「化解表演程式」、「觀審」和「游神」等,來引發進一步的討論。對筆者而言,高行健與葛氏的戲劇和表演理論在許多觀念與議題上不謀而合,值得我們為文將兩者相提並論,並藉由葛氏的理論,進一步突顯和釐清高行健理論的實質與意涵,確立其為獨樹一幟的先鋒理論家與劇作家的地位。
關鍵詞:高行健、葛羅托斯基、表演的三重性、全能演員、全能戲劇、貧窮劇場
ABSTRACT
Gao Xingjian has a profound mastery of both Eastern and Western knowledge, and is well-versed in both ancient and modern insights. He is often referred to as a modernist writer and artist, or an avant-garde playwright and director. His interdisciplinary writings, creations, and critiques have provided critics and scholars with excellent research topics in comparative literature, comparative art, or comparative theater. In the 1980s, the period of time before his exile in the twentieth century, he introduced the concept of “little theater” using his plays The Bus Stop and Absolute Signal. His initiative set a precedent in China, ignited a debate on avant-garde thoughts about drama in a very short period of time, and achieved his pioneering status as an avant-garde dramatist and theorist. Then, he successively introduced a series of Western drama concepts and criticisms which captured the similarities and differences between Western drama and Chinese opera. In the end, these essays were compiled into a collection of reviews, titled The Pursuit of a Modern Drama (1988), including twenty-six essays. This collection of essays pioneered the trend and demonstrated Gao Xingjian’s keen sense of the development of Eastern and Western drama and theatre. His plays―Bus Stop, Absolute Signal, Wild Men, The Other Shore, and Dark City―are the concrete creative practices derived from the avant-garde drama criticisms. Other than the article “Brecht and Me,” the second category of the collection includes the article “Review of Towards a Poor Theatre,” originally published in Drama News (1986). The appearance of this book review, originated from the publication of the Chinese translation of Towards a Poor Theatre, highlights the fact that Gao Xingjian began to pay attention to Jerzy Grotowski very early and integrated many of Grotowski’s theories and practices into his own drama theory and theatre experiments. The aim of this paper is to compare, analyze, and explore the similarities and differences between Gao Xingjian and Grotowski in their theatrical and performance theories. It begins by examining the theatrical and stage perspectives of both figures, using several key concepts advocated by Gao Xingjian as a point of departure. These concepts include “the tripartite nature of performance,” “neutral actor,” “omnipotent actor,” “omnipotent drama,” “the third eye,” “dissolving performing program,” “self-penetration,” and “roaming spirit,” among others, to stimulate further discussion. Gao Xingjian and Grotowski’s theories converge on many ideas and issues, making their comparison a worthwhile scholarly endeavor. By engaging Grotowski’s theories as a lens, this paper seeks to further illuminate and clarify the essence and significance of Gao Xingjian’s contributions, thereby establishing his status as a pioneering theorist and playwright with a distinctive position in modern theatre.
KEYWORDS: Gao Xingjian, Jerzy Grotowski, the tripartite nature of performance, omnipotent actor, omnipotent theatre, poor theatre
Tsu-Chung Su, Distinguished Professor, Department of English, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan (tsucsu@gmail.com).
DOI: 10.30395/WSR.202606_19(2).0006