Intercultural theatre: Two Beijing opera adaptations of Shakespeare

grantor: University of TorontoAs major theories and praxis of theatrical interculturalism are disseminated from experiences in Euro-American theatre, contemporary Asian theatre is conscious of developing its own strategies and discourses on adapting foreign (particularly Western) theatrical elements into native traditions. Historically, intercultural theatre in Asia emerged as a result of Western dominance and Westernization which started in late nineteenth century. Since the nativist movement and nationalism spread in the 1970s, Asian artists have consciously used interculturalism to express their cultural subjectivity and to revitalize their declining traditions. Some even see it a vital means by which to take part in a larger, more universal "world culture." Thus the seminal issue which defines the task and goal of Asian theatrical interculturalism is how to achieve the equilibrium between borrowing Western playwriting and staging techniques, which gives social significance to modern audience, and preserving Asian forms and aesthetics, which provides cultural roots and a sense of continuity with the past. This thesis singles out two distinctive traditions--Beijing opera and Shakespearean drama--and examines their confrontation and reception. This process is surveyed from a historical angle, including: (1) the impact of Western cultural and theatrical models on China; (2) Beijing opera's adaptation of specific Western dramaturgical elements under various social and political environments; (3) Shakespeare productively received as a literary, cultural, and dramatic paradigm in China and Taiwan. Although the cross-cultural fertilization between the two proves to have been more sporadic than systematic, it indicates the beginning of a much more intense and sophisticated intercultural movement involving the adaptation of Western non-realistic theatre by Asian traditional forms. Through adapting Shakespeare, Beijing opera in late-1980s Taiwan has moved towards three major directions: to a form which requires little "preknowledge" of artistic conventions in the audience; to a form which balances musical perfection with scenographic expression; and to a literary theatre which emphasizes structural tightness, character complexity, and relevant themes. These shifts, along with the opera's newly-gained international significance in world tours, have released Beijing opera from its artistic conventionalism and political propagandism, and opened a new vista for future development.Ph.D