The Realization Of Bertolt Brecht's Alienation Effect In Dramatic Space

Being almost as much praised as blamed in China,Bertolt Brecht and his theory of"Verfremdung"(Alienation Effect or V-effect)tend to be abandoned by Chinese theatre,for the fact that numerous Chinese productions of Brecht's plays are unsuccessful.Apart from the difference of aesthetic thinking model between Brecht and Chinese theatre,there is an important and easily overlooked factor,namely the ability and quality of practice.The failure of practice cannot prove the invalidity of the theory.On the contrary,a correct interpretation of the theory and the establishment of a set of applicable practice patterns that match it will provide guidance to practice to the greatest extent.The "Verfremdung" that can be seen in practice,which includes the stage and set,stage areas,decor,half-screens,signage,bright lighting and so on,have been widely discussed by scholars both at home and abroad.Since these studies are concerned essentially with theatre buildings,stages and set,they naturally deal with theatre space in a very concrete way and can be studied from a static,diachronic standpoint.However,for the invisible"Verfremdung",a set of aesthetic space that requires the imagination of the audience to participate in creation,is difficult to be perceived by the theater-makers and even the dramatists because of the dynamic and synchronic nature of it.At the same time,this is also the key to achieve Brecht's "Verfremdung" in practice.Therefore,this article will focus on exploring the practical logic of the "Verfremdung" in theatric space.Synthesizing the space theory of the French scholar Michael Issacharoff and the Chinese scholar Bo Pu,the dramatic space can be further divided into three levels:First,the performance space(interactions and exchanges between actors,roles,and audiences on the stage);second,the text space(story space in the script);and third,the symbolic space(logical framework of drama).Through an in-depth analysis of the structure and deep logic of dramatic space,this article aims to explain the practical dilemma of the "Verfremdung"in China,and establish a theoretical framework in which the concept of "Verfremdung"and its practice in theatre can be reinterpreted and revisited.At the same time,by combining the concepts of "Verfremdung" and space,with the science and technologies,such as video and laser technologies,this article will provide a new perspective of practice and solid theoretical support for the practice of "Verfremdung" in theatre worldwide.