Contemporary China - Yavanika

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t$e Sun Yatsen and his followers was the occasion {br several spoken drarnas about him. His wife Song Qingling, who died in 1981, figures prominently in them. The first of thc plays was Sun Yatsen's London Lnclunter with Dtrnger \Sun Zhongshan Lundun mengan ji). Its focus was Sun's arrest by thc Chinese legation in 1896 and later release through the ef'forts of his fbrner teacher, the British doctor Sir James Cantlie. This enables the playwright, Li Peijian, to emphasize not only the courage and unselflshness of Sun, but also thc power and wisdon of the British people, represented by Cantlie and others, and Sun's good lelations with his'foreign friends'. The play is unusual in China, even in the 1980s, in being set rn a foleign country. Sites of performance, audiences Theatre perfbrmances can take place in a variety of sitcs in China, including workers'ol t-ural clubs, a The Changyin Ce lfoyful Sounds Pagoda), a three tiered stage in the In-rperial Palaces o{'Bcijing, srtc ofthe former intperial court. marketplace or any open space. Street theatfe is comrron only on special occasions such as festivals. In the cities and towns, cinemas are readily used as theatres for live perfbnnances. A major theatre encyclopedia published in Beijing in 1983 stated that there were 891 theatres in China in 1949 and 2227 in 1957 . It claimed that 'after 1958 [we] continued to build quite a few new the:rtres' but gave no hgures. In the main cities there arc a few large theatres, of special note being one opened in Beijing in 1984 which has a 600-squalenrctrc slage able to hold 1000 performcrs. Most theatres built since 1949 follow a somewhat stark Soviet architectural style, both internally and externally. In sharp contrast to the teahouse-theatles of the 19th century, the audience is expected to concentrate fully on the perfbr, nance, and sits in rows facing onc side ofthe stage. In the case of musical itcn-rs, the text is projected beside the stage to facilitate comprehension. The seats are rarely padded. The lalge 1984 Beijing thcatre has a stage with rising and revolving platforms, a stereo sound system, lamps, spotlights and curtains all controlled by computer, the first ofirs kind in China. Some companies own their own theatre. Those not so fortunate negotiate with a Iocal government Bureau of Culture, which coordinates the timetables of the various troupes and theatres. Tours are planned through an annual meeting organized by the central Ministry of Culture. In a few parts of China there are special theatres fbr balladeers or storytellers. Here people sip tea and listen to stories sung out by one or several performers, acconlpanied by musical instrurrents. However, in most cases storytellers perfbrm by thernselves in parks or squares. Performances are advertised partly through the Iocal press. Theatres announce forthcoming items and perfbrmances through bills in the foycr. Most important of all, advertisements afe stuck on special billboar-ds, poles or any free space along the streets or in the ll'rarkets. This is especially necessary in snall towns or villages which lack their own newspaper. Tickets for professional perfbrrlances are cheap and ently to anateur oncs often frec. Simple printed prograrnrres are very cheap. Full houses are quite conlmoD, especially fbr good and well performed pieces, br.rt companies frequcntly complain of low attendances, and nearly empty theatres are distress provincial centres. Those involved with the tr newly arranged historical n becone very worried over the people from their audiences.l performance of over a decader Revolution dealt a crippling bL est in such theatre. It was exclu cation and cultural life for so lo of its revival they simply did no saw no reason why they should the 1980s and 90s, audienc mances of traditional music i over 40 years of age, with n women two or more to one affects the countryside, but is nounced there. Young theatre-goers prefer because they can understand il say of relevance to their own li the mid 1980s even spokend been finding it increasingly dil meet and to attract large aud entertainment which is more a the largest audience is not the The State Statistical Bureau's on the previous year's eco declared that there were 764 and 1123 television transn stations. Television is availa cities but to very large and inc countrysidc. Ironically the scr drama forns in the sense that I modern music-dramas and s shown both on television and the fact is of little comfort to thr Audiences at traditional mr be noisy, possibly in part a incomplete understanding of but lhose at spoken drama ar reserved n-rainly for notes helc of time or an excellent acro very good troupes are lucky tr patter at the conclusion ofthe The performer The State Statistical Bureaua 1996 that the number of full p ing-arts troupes in China in
)pen space. Street theatre is lcial occasions such as festi- I towns, cinemas are readily live perforrnances. A major published in Beijing in 1983 re 891 theatres in China in 7. It claimed that 'after 1958 ld quite a few new theatres' n the main cities there are a of special note being one 1984 which has a 600-squareld 1000 performers. t since 1949 follow a some- :hitectural style, both inter- . ln sharp contrast to the the 19th centuly, the audincentrate fully on the perfors facing one side ofthe stage. I items, the text is projected cilitate comprehension. The led. The Iarge 1984 Beijing with rising and revolving rnd system, lamps, spotlights :olled by computer, the first ,,rn their own theatre. Those .iate with a local government rich co-ordinates the timetaupes and theatres. Tours are nnual meeting organized by rf Culture. In a few parts of al theatres for balladeers or rle sip tea and listen to storr several performers, accomtruments. However, in most brm by themselves in parks dvertised partly thlough the nnounce forthcoming items ough bills in the foyer. Most rtisements are stuck on speor any free space along the rets. This is especially necesrr villages which lack their ets for professional perforentry to amateur ones often )rogramnes are very cheap. rommon, especially for good pieces, but companies freow attendances, and nearly empty theatres are distre ssingly comnon nrovincirl centres Those involved with the traditional and the newly arranged historical music drana have become very worried over the defection of young people from their audiences. Possibly the gap in performance ofover a decade during the Cultural Revolution dealt a crippling blow to youth's interest in such theatre. It was excluded from their education and cultural life fbr so long that by the time ofits revival they simply did not understand it and saw no reason why they should nake the effort. hi the 1980s and 90s, audiences at urban performances of traditional music dlamas are mainly over 40 years of age, with men outnumbering women fwo or more to one. The same problem affects the countryside, but is not nearly so pronounced there. Young theatre-gocrs prcfer the spoken drana because they can understand it and it has more to say ofrelevance to their own lives. However', since the mid 1980s even spoken-drama troupes have been finding it increasingly difhcult to make ends meet and to attract large audiences. The form of entertainment which is more and nore attracting the largest audience is not theatre, but television. The State Statistical Bureau's 1995 communiqr.ri on the previous year's econony and society declared that there were 764 television stations and 1123 television transmitting and relay stations. Television is available not only in the cities but to very largc and incrcasing areas ofthe countryside. Ironically the screen does support all drama forms in the sense that both traditional and modern music-dramas and spoken dramas are shown both on television and in the cinema, but the fact is oflittle comfort to the average perforner. Audiences at traditional nusic dranas tend to be noisy, possibly in part a reflection of their incomplete understanding of what is happening, but those at spoken drama are quiet. Applause is reserved mainly fbr notes held an nnusual length of tine ol an excellent acrobatics display. Even very good troupes are lucky to elicit more than a prl ter at t he concl u si ou of t he per'folunnt e. The performer The State Statistical Bureau announced in March 1996 that the number offull professional performing-arts tloupes in China in 1995 was 2690. The in 'lhe rcnownecl llcijing Opera:rctor, Wang Yaoqing 11881-1954), in a military dan (wudon) lole in Qipan Mornrdin (qipdn shdll). nunber oftroupes in 1950 was 1676 and in 1965 it was 3458, but it had fallen to 2514 by 1971 as a r-esult of the policies of the Cultural Revolntion. Thc ycar with the highest figure was 1980, with 3533 troupes, bnt the trend during the 1980s and 1990s was downwards, The nationalization of professional troupes began in the nid 1950s and was corlpleted duling the Cultural Revolution. After the fall ofthe 'gang of four'' the process was reversed and in the early 1980s reform dirccted towards fiee cnterprise begarr to be intloduced evrn in rtate (onlpilllies. Under the new system, state subsidies to troupes are reduced and the troupe keeps a larger portion of its box-office earnings. tsox-offic earnings thus assume far greater importance. This aims to 'break thc iron rice bowl' ancl in theory inproves cp.rality
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Page 13: divergent women as l contemporary C

Contemporary China - Yavanika

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