| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣藝術大學 === 戲劇學系 === 100 === ABSTRACT
Xiangsheng, sometimes translated as crosstalk, is a traditional Chinese comedic performance usually in the form of a dialogue between two performers. It is one of the most popular Chinese performing arts. Xiangsheng may seem as simple as telling jokes and doing impressions, but actually it involves many performance skills. With its well-established performance style, it is rich in content, flexible, and changeable. Since it became part of the performing arts industry, Xiangsheng has gradually developed its distinct performance style, as well as its unique audience-performer relationship. It is definitely not easy to have an in-depth knowledge of xiangsheng and pick up its performance. On the other hand, it is not very difficult to understand this performing art and gain some basic knowledge of it.
The author has studied theater with a concentration on performing arts. Since coming into contact with xiangsheng, the author has slowly probed the depth of it, and discovered that even though xiangsheng and theater are both performing arts, there are differences between the two besides similarities. The “I” in xiangsheng is different from the “I” in theater; the same goes for their awareness of role playing. The “I” in Quyi (a Chinese performance art consisted of narrative storytelling using staged monologues and dialogues) is mainly the role of the storyteller, who plays various characters as the story goes. Xiangsheng is included in the category of Quyi. The “I” in xiangsheng may be the same as the “I” in Quyi, but is more flexible in the performance. That is, the “I” can be the storyteller, the performer himself, or anyone else he intends to play.
No matter what person the “I” appears to be, the characteristics of the performer himself in xiangsheng are distinctive. Some crosstalks are like small plays; however, “It IS a play, but you can’t make it a play.” How to grasp the idea and limits is beyond words; one must feel it and experience it oneself, but there are also some tips to follow. In order to get the hang of it, one must gain a basic understanding of xiangsheng. Otherwise, it gets more confusing when it is explained more.
Xiangsheng has its own characteristics and artistic techniques. It also has a unique audience-performer relationship. It is different from theater regarding the performer himself and the performer playing other people. Xiangsheng is also one of a kind in the category of Quyi. People who study theater first often encounter obstacles and cannot get the hang of it when they just begin to learn xiangsheng. One of the reasons is that even though xiangsheng is also a performing art like theater or Chinese opera, they do not share as many similarities as they appear to. Due to a different background, format, structure, audience-performer relationship, and other factors along the way of its development, xiangsheng has its own characteristics; therefore, when it comes to playing a character, xiangsheng is different from theater or Chinese opera. The author had met obstacles when first joining xiangsheng performance. Now that the author has cooperated with the senior performers from Taipei Quyi Group as well as those who are dedicated to developing, studying, and passing on the legacy of xiangsheng, with the author’s interaction and discussions with them, plus the author’s personal experience, his application of it on stage, and knowledge, the author hopes to make his humble contribution to academic essays on the topics of xiangsheng and performing arts under the guidance of the senior performers and his professor.
Keywords: xiangsheng, quyi, singing and telling arts, performing arts, theater, drama
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