Selected team members’ writing about their first phase of work
學生演員、舞臺工作人員關于第一階段工作筆記摘錄
ALANNA FLYNN, PLAYING THE ROLE OF MINGFENG
阿爾納•弗林(ALANNA FLYNN)劇中 飾演 鳴鳳
When we first began the process of scouring through all five of Cao Yu’s plays, I felt slightly out of my depth. They were long plays, often with many characters with confusingly similar names (from an English viewpoint). However, after reading each play we were asked to pick the scenes we found most significant in displaying the idea of women suffering. After performing our chosen scenes, the group would discuss what issues we felt were portrayed and what the relationships between the characters were. This really helped me to understand the plots of the plays and the situations of women in that time, as they were very different to how women are treated nowadays in western society.
當我一開始被要求閲讀曹禺的五個劇本時,深 感困難。它們都是很長的劇本,人物很多,名字 很像(當然是我英國人的想法了)。然而,閲讀 了每一個劇本以後,當我們把閲讀中感到最重 要的、表現了婦女受難的部分展現在舞臺上時, 劇本中的故事與社會以及歷史、文化的方方面 面發生了聯繫,我也開始理解那些人物了…… 總體來說,我感到這一階段工作教了我很多演 出的技巧,而更加重要的,這是一次很好的學 習機會,讓我懂得了中國婦女在歷史上苦難的 處境。
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FREDERICK SIMMONDS, PLAYING THE ROLES OF JUXIN AND GEORGE ZHANG
弗雷德里克•西蒙茲(FREDERICK SIMMONDS) 劇中飾演 覺新、張喬治
Most recently we have finished showing together the desired scenes and started talking more in detail about the presentation of the play. Personally, one aspect stood out to me as being very interesting: the contemporary versus old debate. Throughout the play there are many references to traditions that would be characteristic of a pre-modern China. However we are putting on the play in a contemporary setting, using the translated texts and young western actors. Should these traditions be respected only to be misunderstood by modern western audiences?
最近我們剛剛做完了公開排練,並且開始更多 地討論我們對於這部演出的體現。我個人對於 其中一個方面非常感興趣:有關當代與傳統的 討論。在這些劇本中,有很多表現了20世紀初 現代中國的特點。然而,我們的演出是在當代 環境裡,并且用的是英語,同時我們這批西方 青年演員出於對於傳統的尊重,我們希望直接 採用原劇本中的元素,但是這樣做會不會使此 地的觀眾誤解呢?
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VICTORIA BURGESS, PLAYING THE ROLE OF SIFENG
維多利亞•伯吉斯(VICTORIA BURGESS) 劇中飾演 四鳳
Before beginning the process I knew very little about Cao Yu or about the type of theatre performed in China. In order to make the most out of all of Cao Yu’s plays the whole ensemble including the design and management team needed to read and study all of the plays. We workshopped this process over January, February and March. By doing this it meant that all the team were on the same page, literally, as we read all of the plays and discussed them. I am absolutely thrilled to be offered such an invaluable opportunity, not only as an actor but as a young person to be given a chance to perform a play in China taken from a playwright who is obviously so important in Chinese history.
在沒有進入劇組以前我完全不知道中國劇作家 曹禺和中國的戲劇。為了最大程度地體現曹禺 的劇作,整個團隊包括演員、設計與管理都要 閲讀整個曹禺的劇作。我們在一月、二月、三月 期間開始了這項工作,這也意味着我們全隊一 直在一起,就在一個頁面上,因為我們都一直 在讀、在討論。我非常高興擁有這樣一次寶貴 的機會,不僅僅是作為一個演員,更加是作為 一個年輕人,獲得演繹一個重要中國劇作家的 作品的經驗,并且到中國去演出。
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ROSE COLLARD, PLAYING THE ROLE OF MOTHER JIAO
芮思•科勒德(ROSE COLLARD)劇中飾演焦母
The Sun Is Not for Us seemed a fantastic opportunity, and the thought of exploring Chinese theatre through the process of devising was very appealing to me. I feel that looking at Cao Yu’s plays so thoroughly and from an English perspective has been a hugely influential process for all of us involved, opening our eyes to the fascinations of another culture.
《太陽不是我們的》是一次絶妙的機會,通過 集體創作的工作方式來探索中國戲劇這一做法 對我非常具有吸引力。我覺得從英國青年的角 度出發、徹底地閲讀曹禺的劇本,已經很大程 度上影響了我們所有的人,開拓了我們看待另 一個文化的眼界。
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TOTO GUO, PLAYING THE ROLES OF QIU HU AND PAN YUETING
郭頭頭(TOTO GUO)劇中飾演 仇虎、潘月亭
It was the style of Cao Yu’s writing that interested me the most. The structure, tone and, specifically, language is distinctly Chinese and felt unfamiliar and refreshing. At the same time, I could see links between his themes and structure with Western playwrights(such as Ibsen) which was also intriguing and something new I’ve learnt.
曹禺寫作的風格吸引了我。劇本的結構、味道, 尤其是他的語言都是絕對的中國,既讓我感到 陌生、新鮮,又讓我看見它們與西方劇作家(如 易卜生)作品中主題與結構之間的聯繫,這非常 令人神往,也讓我學習到了很多。
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LARA OWEN, PLAYING THE ROLE OF FANYI
勞拉•歐文(LARA OWEN)劇中飾演 蘩漪
Having being a student of Chinese and English for three years this is the first time I have been able to collaborate with students from other departments and from different year groups. We have really taken ownership of project and it is unique as it showcases the work of six months of collaborative thinking with our director David Jiang. As a student of Chinese I think it is fantastic that Leeds students’ work will be able to be featured in such a prestigious festival. That my University is promoting these connections with China, such a rising power, is really exciting.
作為中國學和英國文學的三年級學生,這是一 次與不同學科、年級的同學合作的機會。我們 真正實現了創作的自主權,這也是獨一無二的 方式,因為它展示了與我們的導演蔣維國先生 一起六個月合作性的工作思維。作為利茲大學 學習中國學的學生將參與如此著名的戲劇節也 會是十分精采的經歷。利兹大學努力促進與中 國這樣一個正在崛起的大國之間的聯繫,這本 身也是一件非常激動人心的事情。
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OLIVER JACQUES, STAGE MANAGER AND PLAYING THE ROLE OF JUEHUI
奧利弗•賈克斯(OLIVER JACQUES)舞臺監督 并飾演覺慧
This is the greatest opportunity I have ever been offered. This project has not only given me the chance to develop special skills in management and in acting, but also to become a more rounded and committed person.
這是我歷來所獲得的最好的一次機會。曹禺的 演出不僅給我提供機會讓我發展在戲劇管理與 戲劇表演方面的技巧,更加讓我成為一個全面 的、具有責任心的人。
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SUSAN DANIES, FELLOW IN ARTS AND CULTURAL EDUCATION, CHAIR OF CHINA WORKING GROUP UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
蘇珊•丹尼爾斯(SUSAN DANIES)藝術與文 化教育教授,利茲大學中國工作小組負責人
I am fascinated by the ways in which the arts are used to shape the perceptions of nations both internally and externally. This culturally bridging project allows students and staff a unique opportunity to be action researchers in the construction, deconstruction, and evaluation of such perceptions.
我著迷於這種通過藝術的方式去形成國家間內 部的與外部的理解。這個文化橋樑的項目給學 生和教員們提供了一次非常獨特的實踐與研究 的機會去構架、解構這些理解,同時再度評估 這一理念的價值所在。
