The Steinney System And Chinese Drama Acting

A comprehensive survey of the development history of Chinese theatrical stage art reveals that Stanislavski's system of acting(“the system” for short)is of great and far-reaching influence.In the 1930 s,dually influenced by domestic political campaigns and the thought trend of “left-wing theatre”,the Chinese theatre started to “follow the Russian road”.From then on,“the system” gradually became orthodox in Chinese theatrical acting.Therefore,a systematic study of the development history of Chinese theatrical stage art requires a thorough examination of the large project of “the system in China”.The core aim of the dissertation is to explore the influence of “the system” on Chinese theatrical acting in a systematic way.The dissertation attempts to conduct a phased study on the above-mentioned project from four aspects: first,the translation,spread and acceptance of “the system” in China;second,Chinese dramatists' approaches to stage art creation with the employment of “the system”;third,Chinese dramatists' methods of constructing the national theatrical system of acting through subjective consciousness and “the system”;fourth,problems existing in the study of “the system” and their special influence on the development of Chinese theatrical acting.The dissertation consists of six parts.The introduction elaborates on reasons for the study,research significance,present research situation of related questions in the academic circle,research approaches and viewpoint innovations.The dissertation does not stay on the research level of combing through historical documents and listing the translations of “the system”.It is not confined to the description of researches and debates related to “the system”.Instead,based on the above,the dissertation illustrates the profound influence of “the system” on the construction and development of Chinese theatrical acting and examines the puzzlement and questions of the theatrical circle in the study and practice of “the system” as well as the corresponding reflections and rectifications,which is the innovation of the dissertation.Chapter One begins with the origin of Chinese theatre and combs through the features and drawbacks of theatrical stage art before the Anti-Japanese War in order to prove that Chinese theatre should adopt “the system” to standardize acting and develop the style of stage art in the special historical period.Chapter Two focuses on “the craze for the system” during the Anti-Japanese War period and presents a complete picture of the theatrical circle's discussion about “the system”.Meanwhile,taking Chongqing theatrical stage,representing the finest performance then,as the point of observation,the chapter analyzes how the dramatists improve acting quality by drawing lessons from the standards and methods of acting and directing creation in “the system”.Their conscious adoption of the means in national operas and their beneficial attempts to construct an acting system of national operas are also analyzed.The chapter then points out the incurable potential peril hidden in the development of Chinese theatre,which is caused by the misreading and one-sided understanding of “the system”.Chapter Three focuses on the upsurge in the comprehensive study of “the system” during “the seventeen years” of the People's Republic of China.The chapter elaborates on the decisive role played by “the system” in the professionalization and standardization of theatrical acting in terms of Soviet experts' training,translation of documents related to “the system” and the theatrical circle's practice of acting methods in “the system”.It also analyzes how “the system” became authoritative due to the political domination over literature and art and how it subsided and was ridded.The chapter further illustrates how theatrical troupes represented by Beijing People's Art Theatre as well as directing and performing artists consider and establish the acting school conforming to Chinese people's aesthetic taste on the basis of “the system”.Chapter Four,starting from “the New Period”,gives a comprehensive picture of the efforts made by the theatrical circle to bring order out of chaos,actively recover “the system”,and correct creation mistakes in “the seventeen years” after the Cultural Revolution.It reveals new crises caused by dramatists' overcorrection,embracement of other western acting schools and ignorance of “the system” under the influence of “the second western trend”.The chapter summarizes some dramatists' achievements and experience of absorbing eastern and western acting methods and creating the national theatrical acting system with the guidance of all-embracing theatrical concepts.Aiming to correct the ubiquitous defects on today's theatrical stage,the concluding part proposes that Chinese theatre still needs “the system” and illustrates that it can help Chinese theatrical acting take a higher step for its openness and inclusiveness.