「做活戲」的幕後推手：臺灣歌仔戲知名講戲人及其專長
Journal
戲劇研究
Journal Issue
1
Pages
221-251
Date Issued
2008
Author(s)
Abstract
Outdoor Taiwanese Opera, often performed on religious occasions, preserves the tradition of doing ”living plays,” namely plays that are impromptu in nature as opposed to those with a fixed text. With no written scripts, the basis of a ”living play” could instead consist of a list of scene titles and characters, or even a simple storyline. For the most part, it is completed by improvisational collaboration of the cast and the musicians. The key figures behind these plays are the so-called ”scenario tellers” who are in charge of duties such as devising the scene chart and serving as a leader during rehearsals. The primary function of a scenario teller, usually an actor himself, is to ensure the dissemination of the repertoires. For long, the Taiwanese Opera has nurtured many prominent scenario tellers who have helped keep the old plays alive and create new ones. On certain occasions their leadership is not unlike that of a director. The present study, analyzing the scenario tellers of Taiwanese Opera, focuses on people. It first explores the process of nurturing a scenario teller, which often entails the guidance of predecessors, and stems from a family tradition. Then, based on field research, the study categorizes scenario tellers into three types: ”the disseminator,” ”the playwright” and ”the director.” Prominent figures of each type, and their expertise, will be the focal point of this part. Lastly, by investigating the methods of certain scenario tellers, the study illustrates how, by ways of attitude, artistry and authority, a scenario teller profoundly influences the overall production. The ultimate goal is to reconstruct the essence of the ”living plays” in Taiwanese Opera, especially the aspects of narrative techniques and concepts.
Type
journal article