Tiny theater’s big meaning 小劇場大意義

Stage drama, especially small-scale theater, seems for many to be an esoteric art not everyone can immediately appreciate. However, Hong Kong stage director Edward Lam says learning to love the art form isn’t as hard as it seems.

對許多人來說，舞臺劇，尤其是小劇場屬于深奧的小眾藝術(shù)，并不是每個人都能欣賞。然而，香港舞臺劇導演林奕華認為，要愛上這種藝術(shù)形式，并沒有想象的那么難。

“Good drama doesn’t directly tell you what it is and offer answers. Instead, it leads you to find out your own answers,” he said.

他說：“一部好劇不會直接告訴你它講了什么，然后給出答案。相反，它會引導你自己去尋找答案。”

The 2015 Cross-Straits Little Theater Festival, running from April 25 to May 17 in Beijing, brings together 10 stage dramas from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong, including Lam’s “Two Men”. It introduces audiences to the charm of small theater, and offers space for lectures from mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwanese theater directors.

2015兩岸小劇場藝術(shù)節(jié)于4月25日至5月17日期間在北京各劇場上演，精選了來自中國大陸、臺灣和香港的10部舞臺劇，包括林奕華導演的《兩男關(guān)系》。藝術(shù)節(jié)為觀眾介紹了小劇場的魅力，大陸、香港和臺灣舞臺劇的導演也借此做了相關(guān)講座。

Originating in Europe in the 19th century, small theater (called Fringe theater or Off-Off Broadway theater in the West) is performed in a tiny space, like an underground garage. The movement came to China in the 1980s, and it’s since become synonymous with experimental theater.

小劇場(西方稱為實驗性質(zhì)劇場或者外百老匯劇場)起源于19世紀的歐洲，舉辦場所為面積狹小的空間，比如地下車庫。小劇場運動于二十世紀八十年傳入中國，并從那時起成為實驗劇場的代名詞。

Ren Ming, head of Beijing People’s Art Theatre describes small-scale theater as a “dream studio”. “It offers a platform to showcase directors’ spirit of innovation and exploration. Many experimental dramas occur in these venues. To really know Chinese stage drama, you have to also appreciate small-scale theater,” he told Chinaculture.org.

北京人民藝術(shù)劇院院長任鳴將小劇場描述為“夢工廠”。他對 Chinaculture.org表示，“它為導演提供了展示創(chuàng)新和探索精神的舞臺。許多實驗劇場都在這樣的場館舉行。若想真正了解中國的舞臺劇，就不能不看小劇場。”

Small theater is gaining popularity among college students as well.

小劇場也正越來越受大學生的歡迎。

For example, this year’s Beijing college student small theater festival, held in January, received more than 100 entries produced entirely by students, China News Service reported. Ten of the entries won awards and toured universities in Beijing, attracting more than 10,000 viewers. Similar theater festivals have also been held in other cities including Jinan and Guangzhou in recent years.

比如說，據(jù)中新社報道，今年一月份舉辦的北京大學生小劇場戲劇節(jié)，完全由學生參與制作的入圍劇目有100多部。其中有10部獲獎，并在北京高校進行了巡演，演出吸引了1萬多名觀眾。近年來，其它城市如濟南和廣州也舉辦了類似的戲劇節(jié)。

What prerequisites must be met in order to appreciate this form of art? Lam says not to worry.

要欣賞這種形式的藝術(shù)需要滿足什么前提條件么?林奕華告訴我們不用擔心這個問題。

“The only question is whether you are willing to admit the issue that the drama addresses is relevant to you,” he said.

他說：“唯一的問題就是你是否愿意承認，舞臺劇中講述的問題是與你息息相關(guān)的。”

He compares watching a stage drama to appreciating an abstract painting. At first glance, you may feel confused about the image and the meaning. But after you do enough research about the painter’s life experiences and cultural background, you will get some understanding.

他將看舞臺劇比喻成欣賞抽象畫。第一眼你可能會對畫作及其要表達的意思感到困惑。但是，當你對畫家的人生履歷及文化背景做出一定的研究后，就會多一些理解。

“Art, no matter what form it takes, always reflects humanity,” he said. “It reflects humans’ desires, hopes and other internal needs.” And that’s something it doesn’t take much effort to grasp at all.

“藝術(shù)，無論是什么形式的藝術(shù)，都是表達人性的，”他說，“它傳達了人類的欲望、希望和其它內(nèi)在需求。”而這些東西是你不需要花功夫就能領(lǐng)悟的。