吳念真《人間條件》系列和Marie Jones的劇場比較

Abstract

本文試圖以後殖民論述對照Marie Jones的劇本和吳念真《人間條件》系列，探索兩位劇作家面對殖民歷史、身分認同、語言政治和全球化的方式。兩者的作品在票房方面皆十分成功：Marie Jones的戲在愛爾蘭頗受好評，後來到紐約和倫敦演出，甚至被墨西哥導演改編為西班牙語演出；吳念真的《人間條件》系列臺灣上演後更不斷加演，迄今己發展到第五集，劇本和DVD在書店販售，也改編成漫畫系列。不過，因為他們的作品都能吸引新的觀眾來看舞臺劇，因此劇評家常把他們的作品視為媚俗，或是過度簡單化。本研究以劇本分析的方式探索他們的作品如何與大眾產生共鳴，以及它們為何會被劇場界輕視。透過愛爾蘭和臺灣這種所謂「通俗」劇場的比較，兩地去殖民（decolonization）、全球化的論述會被呈現出來，同時也會談論劇場界的菁英主義為臺灣社會從殖民政權繼承的階級結構。希望藉由這種比較，讓吳念真的作品跟愛爾蘭的劇場對話，並讓臺灣學者以愛爾蘭的劇場批評來重新檢討他們對吳念真作品的評價。

This thesis attempts to place the plays of Marie Jones and the Human Condition series by Wu Nianzhen in comparative perspective, employing postcolonial theory to examine how both playwrights deal with colonial history, identity politics, language and globalization. Works by both playwrights have garnered massive success and popularity, Marie Jones’ plays having been performed in New York and London and even adapted by a Mexican playwright, while Wu Nianzhen’s series has enjoyed unprecedented ticket sales and extended runs domestically. Their popularity, particularly among typically non-theatre going audiences, however, has led to their work being perceived as populist and simplistic by most serious critics. This thesis is an attempt, primarily through examination of the published performance texts, to compare the manner in which these two playwrights captured the popular imagination, as well as exploring the reasons their plays are often overlooked in theatre criticism. Through comparison of so called ‘popular’ (tongsu) theatre from both Taiwan and Ireland, the similarities and differences in the process of and discourse surrounding decolonization, and dealing with globalization in both countries will be highlighted, as well as the cultural elitism that can be seen as the enduring legacy of the colonial regime.