Friday, October 21, 2016
Chinese Theatre-Maker Lu Ang on Bridging Past and Present, East and West
The Theatre Times: In its 23rd edition, the Cairo International Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theatre honoured several renowned international theatre practitioners, among them Professor Lu Ang, dean of the directing department at Shanghai Theatre Academy, and vice chairman of the Shanghai Theatre Association.
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Based on personal experience, traditional Peking Opera is no long popular among the youths in China. There is a trend that people that are non-Chinese tend to appreciate Peking Opera more than Chinese people. It has become more of a cult art whose symbolisms are frequently alluded by movies and TVs shows, but the original art form in itself is very much out of the public eyes. It is so heartwarming to see the effort of theater directors like Lu Ang to revive such a beautiful and complicated art form through integration with modern theater on an international stage. The influence of English-language theater is extremely pervasive and a lot of modern-day Chinese theater productions are very much following the Western format. If Chinese theater wants to find its own roots, it has to look back to traditional theater like Peking Opera and study its aesthetics and use of language.
Something that's interesting to me that I realized while reading this is how infrequently we talk about international theatre in the United States. In Foundations and other history classes we discuss other cultures conventions and uses of theatre, but very rarely do we actually do in depth research or discussions about theatre besides the Western canon. I don't even know what a fusion of Egyptian and Chinese theatre would look like!
It's good that there is an effort being made, that is apparently supported by the government, to preserve and reinvent traditional Chinese opera. I find it interesting that non-Chinese people are more interested in it than Chinese people, but that might be because to Westerners, Chinese opera is new, and to Chinese young people, it's boring. It will be interesting to see how this art form can be reinvented.
It's really interesting to see traditional Chinese theatre culture outside China. It's like one of those moments when you finally realize the uniqueness and beauty in things that you wouldn't be able to while you are inside or part of them. Living in a foreign country for more than a year makes me appreciate my hometown more than I would expect. The traditional Chinese opera is absolutely a cultural gem, and even part of the community identity of Chinese people. One of the most common things older generations do in their leisure time (at least in Beijing) is to listen to the Beijing Opera on the radio while "walking" their birds in the park. This kind of laid-back relaxing lifestyle is starting to walk slowly to history as the older generation walk to the grave. The Chinese government has been trying real hard to re-promote the opera by heavily funding small traditional theatres, paying for people to learn this art form, and introducing it to the elementary school.
After the disastrous revolution in the 70s, China has been (very) slowly and painfully re-cultivating a culture that respects art and theatre while rejuvenating the country's economy. Chinese theatre artists are still in the quest and struggle for what they want to express in what form.
It's such a blessing to the Chinese opera that artists like Lu Ang is striving to re-galvanize younger generation'a appreciation for this old and precious art form by refining it instead of modernizing it. I've never seen his play but I bet the audiences can actually see the respect he has and he effort he makes for the traditional art.
I am always surprised that when we discuss theater at school, Eastern theater rarely comes up. It's practices and traditions are just as beautiful and well-articulated and thought out as the other classics we learn. And that's strange, because they grew in a similar manor. Just like the Greeks, ancient Chinese theater originated in choruses and songs. To do a class, or a unit even comparing the differences in Eastern theater and Western, and also what we have always had in common, I think would not be hard to do, and also greatly beneficial. I hope young theater artists can see the beauty that lies in traditional Chinese, and other Asian countries' theaters.
I am glad that this director is aiming to combine the two. Perhaps this will unite the two very different worlds of theater, and when Western audiences see it they will be more open to exploring the history behind it. Maybe it will seem more approachable to our audiences. In any case, I applaud his efforts and hope that more people in the United States, and at theater schools here emphasize the beauty and importance of Eastern Theater.
I don't know much about Eastern theatre. It's definitely something I haven't had much exposure to. The fact that this director is aiming to bridge this divide is great. Connecting our modern art forms to traditional practices is always a great way of exposing younger generations to ancient and beautiful traditional art forms. This is something I think we need a little more of. To have a true understanding of what theatre is and can do we should all be exposed to as many varieties and styles of it as possible. I was also very interested in what Lu Ang had to say about using his style of theatre not just to bring traditional theatre to young people, but to bring modern theatre to those who are trapped in the world of traditional Chinese opera. This is one of those things I know I've never really put thought into. Bringing modern theatre to an alder generation through stories and styles they are familiar with is genius, and just as important as the inverse. The one thing I couldn't stop thinking about while reading this article though was just how authentic Lu Ang's pieces must be. He isn't an outsider trying to bring this traditional form from under the dust. He himself is a merger merger betweeen traditional and modern, Eastern and Western. I'd enjoy getting the opportunity to see one of his pieces.
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