“对话”

Reviewer: Neo Hai Bin | 梁海彬
Performance: 14 May 2016

如何诠释传统经典剧？

“DRUMS”是双场戏（double-bill），由日本导演中野成树（Shigeki Nakano）和本地导演张子健（“十指帮”剧团导演）诠释三岛由纪夫（Yukio Mishima）的经典能剧《绫鼓》。

舞台中央是一个黑色的容器，圆形，像一口井，里面盛满浅浅的水。台中上是看似木质的屏风。极简的舞台设计，颇有传统能剧的极简主义之意味，不断提醒观众：我们看的是当代导演对传统能剧的重新诠释。

《绫鼓》讲述一个老园丁爱上了一个貌美绝伦的公主，结果却遭她开了一个无情且残忍的玩笑，最后导致了老园丁的自杀。

导演中野成树把故事改编为现代校园凌霸事件。舞台上加了一个帐篷，一株植物和三个砖块。剧中不断强调现代化和城市发展，把兴建高楼和阳具的勃起相提并论。中野成树着重刻画青少年性意识的甦醒，青少年彼此伤害，结果导致一个女同学在欺凌的耻辱中自杀。年轻人的冷酷和虚伪竟然不下于成人世界里的明刀暗箭，我们不寒而栗。

中野把《绫鼓》里的情欲，改编成青少年的性欲和城市盲目追求发展的欲望。在手法上也不断带领观众看见“过去、现在、未来”（时间）的交错。中野成树显然更着重经典剧的某些主题：情欲、死亡（时间），并且思考这两大主题与现代社会的关系。但是，这么做与其说是“重新诠释”，我看到的更多是导演如何被《绫鼓》启发、如何获得灵感，然后创造出一个全新剧本。

现代和传统的碰撞，没有激发出对话的火花，我们于是欣赏的是现代导演如何从经典剧中摄取创作灵感，如何发展经典剧的主题思想。

导演张子健的版本只有两位演员。在布景、服装、剧本情节、肢体表现等等，都在“建议”（suggest）或“指向”能剧的各种舞台表演元素，但是观众一望即知，这不是能剧。这种“似是而非”和“模拟两可”，让观众在开场时即刻身处一种阈限空间（liminal space），这个空间是传统与现代的重叠，过去和现代的重叠。在这样的空间里，我们有机会看到传统和现代的差异，更能发现共性。这个共性是剧场的基本元素，一种独特于剧场的“语言”。

在这样的阈限空间里，观众的想像力仍被牵引，而且我们还得以看见剧场的最基本元素之一：演员的身体。两位演员对身体的绝佳掌控和运用，成功牵引观众的想像力，让观众充分体验剧场的诗意。张子健借鉴传统能剧元素，以抽象、诗意的舞台方式呈现故事，而观众仍能够在情感上认同故事、相信角色、投入这个世界。张子健仍然保留了原剧的情节，在内容上的处理，改变了人物身份，加入了自己对剧本的诠释和想法。

我们如何诠释传统经典剧？也许，我们也该问：我们如何与经典对话？我们怎么展开对话？对话的前提是什么？对话之后又是什么？张子健在利用“错位”（新加坡演员用英语呈现日本经典能剧）让观众在阈限空间里启发想像力和记忆力，在想像和记忆中和传统对话。中野成树直接让观众在“现在”的时间点看到“过去”的影子。两位导演用自己的方法和经典对话，他们寻找的东西很不一样，让我们看见一个经典如何衍生出多重的可能性。这，也许正是“DRUMS”的当代意义。

“Drumming in the future”

Reviewer: Dawn Teo
Performance: 14 May 2016

Drums is a performance that showcases the traditional and the contemporary interacting to bring about new perspectives. It challenges the audience to keep an open mind while engaging their imagination.

Performed as part of the Super Japan Japanese Festival of Arts, it is held at the Esplanade Recital Studio. The two-hour performance is essentially a double-bill – two directors, Chong Tze Chien and Shigeki Nakano, each work on the same modern noh classic, The Damask Drum by Yukio Mishima.

Chong’s interpretation eases the audience into the dark atmosphere with its straightforwardness. Though abstract in presentation, Chong chooses to stick closer to the storyline and that allows the audience to follow the story. In doing so, Chong takes liberties in other theatricalities, such as the stylised physicality of the actors. He successfully unsettles the minds and hearts of audience members while merging the old with the new.

Nakano’s piece is satirical in treatment and form: he plays more on humour and sarcasm. Together with the use of props and two languages, he creates multiple layers of meaning. I am unfamiliar with the Japanese language and culture and so I feel like I am missing out on some aspects of this approach (e.g. the mannerisms and choices of reference in text). However, I am able to grasp the sentiment and message of his work.

Even though both works are presented in very different ways, I enjoy how both directors worked in the small pool of water that sits in the middle of the stage. It is significant as the stage is left bare most times, besides a wooden panel that works as a backstage area for the actors.

Drums provides a glimpse into two sides of the same coin, and leaves plenty for the audience to ponder over. It is an interesting and beautiful way of exploring perspectives and the various crossings between two worlds.