去殖民、去冷戰與去帝國的閾限性：以波瓦新聞劇場與東亞流行文化為方法的社區即興喜劇《大歹紀》

Abstract

新加坡華語劇場的研究大多從歷史線形式或分段式角度分析，未曾將其文化實踐置於後殖民、後冷戰與後帝國的脈絡中思考。本文的研究對象是新加坡最為活躍之一、具社會批判意識，並以華語社區劇場著稱的劇團－戲劇盒。劇團一方面必須應對政府具帝國想像的「環球藝術城市」政策，同時受制於沿襲自英殖民體制的多元文化主義話語，並在後冷戰脈絡中以英語為工作語言的環境中，實踐具有政治批判與社會參與意識的華語劇場。筆者認為，通過借鑑陳光興（2006）「亞洲作為方法」思考劇團的文化實踐，能彰顯其文化干預在後殖民、後冷戰與後帝國脈絡中的意義。即興喜劇系列的《大歹紀》是戲劇盒最為著名的社區劇場製作之一，該劇在不同政府組屋區巡演，具有強烈的義大利即興喜劇的風格，應用奧古斯都．波瓦（Augusto Boal）被壓迫者詩學（poetics of the oppressed）中的新聞劇場（newspaper theater），並挪用東亞流行文化針砭時事。筆者將重點論述2007年7月4日在牛車水廣場（Kreta Ayer Square）的演出。該地點位於已故建國總理李光耀政治選區的一個戶外市民空間，而演出的社會政治意義重大，不僅戲謔新加坡2006年大選，質疑高薪養廉、能賢制度與精英主義，亦反思選民的政治冷感、保守與短視。《大歹紀》雖可於去殖民、去帝國與去冷戰的脈絡中探討，但由於劇團與政府有著既協作亦抗爭的多重關係，該劇的文化抗爭有一定的閾限性－此一反思是「亞洲作為方法」警惕二元對立思維模式的回應。

The research on Singapore Chinese theater has largely focused on the study of theater groups, productions and/or practitioners within fixed historical timelines. There exists a gap in the consideration of how socially engaged Chinese theater in contemporary Singapore can potentially contribute to the discourse on decolonization, de-Cold War and de-imperialization. This paper examines Drama Box, one of Singapore's most prolific theater companies, known for its socially engaging Mandarin productions and community theater. Drawing from Chen Kuan-hsing's ＂Asia as method＂, I consider the theater group's cultural practice in relation to the state's ongoing project for developing Singapore into ＂a global city for the arts,＂ the official framework of multiculturalism which draws from British colonial legacies, and the post-Cold War milieu for using Mandarin as a medium for political critique and social engagement in Singapore where English is an official working language. Focusing on the 2007 production of News Busters!, Drama Box's Mandarin community comedy theater series touring in different government housing estates and inspired by the farcical and satirical conventions of Commedia dell'Arte, I analyze how it appropriates Augusto Boal's newstheater techniques and East Asian popular culture genres and motifs for sociopolitical critique. Paying particular attention to the performance at Kreta Ayer Square, I examine the sociopolitical significance of its satire in an open civil space located in the late Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's constituency. This is a play that has satirized the Singapore General Election in 2006, questioned the government's rationale for high ministerial salaries, meritocracy and elitism, and reflected on the political apathy, conservatism and myopia of voters. While the cultural intervention of News Busters! potentially contributes to decolonization, de-Cold War and de-imperialization, its liminality lies in Drama Box's multifaceted relationship with the state, which is simultaneously collaborative and oppositional. Such an understanding problematizes binarized thinking, as proposed by ＂Asia-as-method＂.