Neohelicon
Volume/Issue:
Volume 38: Issue 2
World drama and intercultural performance: Western plays on the contemporary Chinese stage
Author:
Chengzhou He School of Foreign Studies and Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 People’s Republic of China

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Pages:
397–409
Online Publication Date:
30 Jul 2011
Publication Date:
01 Dec 2011
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11059-011-0104-y
Keywords:
World drama; Intercultural performance; Chinese opera; Adaptation
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Abstract  

The circulation of world drama beyond its origin is to a large extent dependent on its intercultural performances, which are often done in unexpected forms for an indefinite body of audiences. In contemporary China, the adaptations and performances of Western plays have played an important role within and without theatre. In those intercultural adaptations, Western plays are translated, appropriated and staged by interweaving Chinese and Western performing cultures. So far, the adaptations of Western plays have brought about transformative effects on both the Western playwrights and Chinese theatre. Compared with the early ones, contemporary adaptations of Western plays have acquired some new characteristics. Firstly, there have appeared some international casts using different languages, as the audiences in the theatre are becoming bilingual or multilingual. Secondly, more and more Western plays are adapted into traditional Chinese theatrical forms, such as jingju, kunju, yueju, chuanju, quju, etc. One of the most obvious differences between traditional Chinese opera and spoken drama is that singing plays the leading role in the former. In some local opera performances, dialects are naturally used. Thirdly, certain individual plays have been frequently adapted and staged in different localities. The adaptations are often closely related to the political and cultural specificities in the local contexts. Despite the complexities in its global circulation and production, world drama gains in the intercultural process of adaptation, staging and viewing.

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Cover Neohelicon
Neohelicon
Print ISSN:
0324-4652
Online ISSN:
1588-2810

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Neohelicon
Language English
Size B5
Year of
Foundation		 1973
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 2
Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
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Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
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Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
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ISSN 0324-4652 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2810 (Online)

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