{"id":883,"date":"2018-11-29T20:30:24","date_gmt":"2018-11-29T20:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/18\/?p=883"},"modified":"2023-03-19T10:14:52","modified_gmt":"2023-03-19T10:14:52","slug":"the-interpretation-and-misinterpretation-of-the-verfremdungseffect-on-the-modern-xiqu-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/18\/the-interpretation-and-misinterpretation-of-the-verfremdungseffect-on-the-modern-xiqu-stage\/","title":{"rendered":"The Interpretation and Misinterpretation of the Verfremdungs<\/em> effect on the Modern Xiqu<\/em> Stage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lin Chen<\/strong>*<\/a><\/p>\n

Abstract<\/em><\/strong>: Criticizing the \u201cculinary theatre\u201d[1]<\/sup><\/a> of his age, Brecht elaborated on the epic theatre and the Verfremdungseffect <\/em>(V-effect<\/em>), and constructively interpreted\/misinterpreted Mei Lanfang’s jingju<\/em> performance to back up his idea. Since the 1980s, xiqu<\/em>[2]<\/sup><\/a> performances that interweave different performance cultures have flourished on the Chinese stage. Productions in this vein include: kunqu Macbeth<\/em> (1984), bangzi Medea <\/em>(1993), yueju Hedda Gabler<\/em> (2006) and jingju Metamorphosis <\/em>(2013). The yueju<\/em> performance The Good Person of Jiangnan <\/em>adapts not only the dramatic text of Brecht’s The Good Woman of Szechwan<\/em>, but also endeavors to practice the V-effect<\/em> with the materiality of the performance. This attempt distinctly transgresses the common \u201cwestern story, eastern body\u201d mode. This paper, firstly, elaborates upon the practice of the V-effect,<\/em> especially the method based upon the traditional xiqu<\/em> role system, within The Good Person of Jiangnan<\/em>. The V-effect<\/em> requires making the action strange, alien, remote or separate, and, consequently, inspires the audience to think. Yet, The Good Person of Jiangnan<\/em>\u2019s adaptation of the \u201cstory\u201d together with the \u201cbody\u201d ensured no critic of the culinary theatre. In the context of modern China, as the \u201cworld’s factory,\u201d and the major social issue of migrant workers, it is surprising that this production gave rise to little discussion of this subject. Instead, the hot topics of debate turned out to be its perceived lack of authenticity and its relationship to the global intercultural tendency. This paper endeavors to explore the reason for this debate, based upon critical analysis of the production. Furthermore, the profound reasons for the traditional cultural upsurge and the authentic discourse of xiqu<\/em> will also be considered.<\/p>\n

Keywords<\/em><\/strong>: Brecht, <\/em>V-effect, Chinese theatre, <\/em>xiqu performance<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Video<\/h6>\n