用真情表現現實生活
——寫在《錢塘里》首演之后

文 /毋 丹

尾聲：唯愿人情似月圓。（劇情圖片）The ending scene of Qiantangli.

初聞《錢塘里》的首演消息，我感到一絲忐忑。現代戲創作難度大，在戲迷群體中也不討喜，這是小百花第一部以現實題材創作的現代越劇，作為一名百花鐵粉，我不由捏了一把汗。走進劇場后，兩個多小時的時間在笑與淚中遽然流過，起初的緊張忐忑早已拋到九霄云外。

舞臺上方高懸著錢江新城的剪影，柔和的光影鋪灑在因一場車禍相識相親的兩家人身上，詮釋著“家人閑坐，燈火可親”式的溫暖。毫不受控地，一句東坡詞浮上心間—此心安處是吾鄉。我仿佛突然理解了劇名的深意，在《錢塘里》所敘述的市井故事中，“錢塘”并不僅僅作為故事展開的地點而存在，它升華為一種精神符號，象征著杭州城的性格氣質，傳遞著平凡世界中的人情美和人性美，與我在這座有溫度的城市里找到的歸屬感完美契合。

中國戲曲凝結著中國文化中樂觀尚善的民族精神，浩如煙海的古今作品不乏對美好人性的謳歌，但往往立足于人們對現實的憧憬和想象。《錢塘里》營造的是一座新時代的“桃花源”，它并非極致和諧到失真的烏托邦。戲中人有著最平凡的歡喜和悲辛、迷茫與煩惱。他們也許是我們身邊的人，也許，就是我們自己。在這里，人性的弱點被不加粉飾地呈現，但人性的光輝在與弱點抗爭的過程中顯得越發奪目。真實的現實生活避免不了一地雞毛，正因如此，我們的世界需要一束光。這看似童話的故事，帶來心酸，又給人寬慰，同時還發出一聲靈魂的拷問 ：我們應該用怎樣的心態去面對不如意的人生？我想《錢塘里》給出了一個有分量的答案：與能力相比，更重要的是選擇。

《錢塘里》是一部現代中透著“傳統”的新戲，從舞臺設計到藝術表現手法，沒有詭譎技巧的堆疊，或高深理論的實踐，故事按照時間發展的順序，平穩有序地向前推進。在細節的渲染下，戲劇沖突更多地轉向人物心靈的交鋒，跌宕起伏的劇情、張弛有度的場面，又與戲曲的抒情性特征結合得恰到好處，使樸素敘事時見警策。

全劇在一個工作日的城市生活圖景中徐徐展開。演員們改換了面貌的虛擬表演，讓我們看到了馬路上形形色色的行人，公交車上為了柴米油鹽奔波著的上班族，還有如潮水一般涌出的電瓶車大軍，他們是這座城市跳動的脈搏，經過富有青春感的舞臺演繹，使一切顯得親切自然而又透出蓬勃的生命活力。

寫意舞臺上的心靈邂逅

在看到《錢塘里》之前，我很難想象花兒們穿著現代裝在舞臺上表演的模樣。小百花以“詩化越劇”著稱，現實的題材和現代化的表達是否會使戲曲的詩意精神蕩然無存？脫離了水袖、失去了傳統戲曲功法的加持，表演是否會變得如白水一般寡淡無味？走進劇場之后，我就明白了自己是庸人自擾。

我們都讀過杜甫的詩，他的許多時事詩明白如話，抓取典型畫面和細節，以極簡之言敘極長之事，虛實相生，而至神來之境。《錢塘里》擷取現實社會的一個側影，以個別事件展示人世百態，以個體形象繪制眾生群像，何嘗不是一種詩意精神的體現？這種大寫意的手法，正是中國戲曲顯著的藝術特征。

舞臺上的道具布景富有現代氣息，甚至帶有一些“科技感”，但并不喧賓奪主。傳統表演程式不得不被放棄，而依然采用了虛擬表演，這無疑是對戲曲演員更大的考驗。深入挖掘人物內心的同時，他們還必須有效提煉生活動作，形成一套新的肢體語匯。

我曾聽方小米的飾演者、“水袖公主”李云霄說起過她對《焚香記 · 陽告》的舞臺處理 ：在戲曲身段和情感表達中加入了部分影視劇的表演方式。若非她的自述，我竟絲毫未能分辨，最終所達到的妙不可言的藝術效果無疑能夠說明她敏銳的藝術感悟力和程式創新的能力。在對她抱有十足信心的前提下，舞臺上的方小米依然大大地超出了我的預期。禍事剛至時的六神無主，咽下心酸后的堅毅決絕，女兒生病時的焦急崩潰，絕望失落時拖著的沉重腳步……現在回想起來，都止不住眼中酸澀。

生行演員們則面臨著更大的困難和挑戰。坤生是女子越劇的一大特色，在情感的細膩表達和儒雅書生形象塑造方面有著天然的優勢。而女演員在現代戲中扮演男性形象，少了許多造型和表演程式上的加分，提煉生活動作時還需要完全站在自然性別屬性的對立面。坐在觀眾席上，我被她們的高超表演技巧折服，同行的友人甚至絲毫沒有看出陳運河與老陸是女扮男裝。我想，這背后必定藏著常人難以想象的刻苦訓練。而另一方面，優秀青年小生演員李霄雯卻又需要去適應新的“舞臺性別”。不得不承認，主創團隊在選角方面的確獨具慧眼。女小生扮演女強人陸亞飛，將難以言傳的微妙氣質展現得淋漓盡致。李霄雯飾演的陸亞飛大方、機敏、果敢又英氣逼人，與當下青年群體審美標準中的“又A又颯”不謀而合。

謝幕后，觀眾久久不愿離去。Audience calls for an encore after the end of the show.

來自陌生人的善意與信任。（劇情圖片）A scene from Qiantangli.

優秀的演員詮釋角色，深刻的角色成就演員。演員與角色進行心靈的觸碰并緊密結合，觀眾在劇場與之邂逅，便能幸運地享受一場既美妙又現實的精神之旅。舞臺上，方小米勇于承擔、知錯就改的品質令我感佩、動容，她讓我明白在困境中守住本心是多么重要。陸亞飛是最能引起我情感共鳴的人，內卷中身心脫力的狀態仿佛讓我看到自己，少年時輾轉于無休無止的培訓班和深不見底的題海，成年后掃盡滿地的落發、繼續著“垂死夢中驚坐起，打開word寫兩行”的生活。陸亞飛在家人的關懷和朋友的情誼中重拾斗志，她敢于直面人生挑戰的勇氣給我以鼓舞。陳運河對妻子無條件的包容、理解和支持；金月芳和老陸攜手暮年后的相濡以沫，以及對他人的諒解和信任；小米婆婆言語不饒人卻默默為子女的小家庭奉獻……這些無不深深地印刻在我腦海中。

《錢塘里》最動人之處就在于演員與角色完美融合，不刻意拔高，只用心發掘，讓現實生活中的真實人性得到再現。也許正因如此，才使全劇現實而不板滯、通俗而不俚俗，形成一種獨特的藝術風貌。

新時期傳統越劇何去何從？

中國戲曲是活態傳承的藝術，當下的我們，正書寫著行進中的戲曲史。戲曲自產生起，便在“破”與“立”之中不斷往復。沒有魏良輔改良昆山腔，就沒有今天名列“世界非遺”名錄的昆曲；沒有齊如山、梅蘭芳等劇壇泰斗的國劇改良實踐，中國的戲曲表演體系便無法進入國際視域；沒有袁雪芬等老藝術家扛起“越劇改革”的旗幟，越劇便無法躋身“五大地方戲”行列。面對文化藝術，我們往往抱有尊古卑今的心理，殊不知在漫長的戲曲發展史上，先賢們的所思所為遠比我們想象的“新潮”得多。

當然，中國戲曲經過千年的醞釀與發展蛻變，已經形成了獨有的精神氣韻和審美格調，這是當代戲曲人應當堅守的寶貴財富。然而，保護文化遺產不等同于一味的守舊。灌注新鮮血液，讓戲曲藝術不斷延續、傳承下去，才是最好的保護方式。多元文化的沖擊下，傳統的越劇藝術該走向何方？《錢塘里》進行了一次成功的創新實踐，為當代戲曲舞臺上的嘗試與探索提供了一條可供借鑒的新道路。

《錢塘里》一亮相即引起了熱議。我們不難發現，無論是劇場內、還是各媒體平臺的宣傳視頻中，都充斥著年輕的面龐。青年觀眾認可，僅僅因為這是一部現代越劇嗎？我想，答案是否定的。

就我近年來在大學生群體中開展戲曲普及活動與課堂教學的情況來看，年輕人與古老的戲曲藝術之間并不存在文化鴻溝，他們只是缺少一個走近戲曲的契機。而當走近之后，因普遍較高的文化素養和審美能力，浮于表面的流行元素，并不能真正獲得他們的青睞。最打動他們的，總是那些經得住歷史淘洗、具有永恒生命力的經典作品。從這一方面而言，“現代”并非《錢塘里》的制勝法寶，反而給主創團隊以更大的壓力。想要得到觀眾的肯定，意味著要打破成規，建立新的美學范式，與有著深厚積淀的傳統戲站在同一賽道上。《錢塘里》大獲全勝，并非有賴于它的“現代”與“時尚”，而在于它迸發出的超越時空局限的人格力量，在于傳統戲曲精神與現代舞臺的完美融合。

《錢塘里》將深刻的立意熔鑄在現代化的舞臺表達中，但不一味迎合，親切而不媚俗。演員雖摒棄傳統的戲曲表演程式，但洞察人物內心，以細膩的唱腔、豐富的表情和熨帖的肢體動作，將復雜人性表現得淋漓盡致。舞臺布景不著重體現杭州城的歷史感，而彰顯著數字之城、科技之都的新氣象，貼合故事背景的同時，也拉近了觀眾的心理距離。而這一切卻并沒有“逾越”感，整場戲不見炫目的高科技手段，“數字化”背景默默地盡著自己的本分，渲染舞臺的氛圍、烘托人物的表演。在音樂設計方面，則將現代音樂與越劇流派唱腔結合得恰如其分。保留越劇聲腔悠游婉轉的總體風格前提下，既能表現人物張力，又能突出演員唱功。因此，當一些新鮮的詞匯、甚至英文字母被傳統的聲腔演唱出來時，觀眾并不感到突兀。更為難得的是，全劇的唱段數量非常充足，這很大程度上調和了老戲迷與新觀眾的不同口味。

融媒體時代，人們的娛樂方式和文化的消費體驗方式都有了諸多新的變化。作為傳統戲曲的守護者，我們與其抱怨“文風日下”，不如借力而上，以戲曲之美承載時代精神；與其一味迎合大眾口味，不如潛心鉆研，為當代舞臺塑造不朽傳奇。我們期待更多如《錢塘里》一般的佳作。

Representing Real Life with Sincerity

By Wu Dan

Upon learning the premiere of(In Qiantang),Xiaobaihua Shaoxing Opera Troupe’s first modern drama based on realistic themes, I felt a bit apprehensive. Difficult to write,modern dramas are not popular even among drama fans. As a diehard fan, I couldn’t help but get concerned. Yet in the theater, after more than two hours of laughter and tears, my anxiety had long since been dissipated.

The silhouette of Qianjiang New Town high above the stage,soft light fell on the two families attached to each other because of a car accident — “The family sits leisurely, and the lights are lovely”. I suddenly understood the meaning of the play’s title.“Qiantang” is not only the place where the story unfolds, but a spiritual symbol for the character and disposition of Hangzhou city, conveying the beauty of human sympathy and humanity in the ordinary world.

Chinese opera epitomizes the national spirit of optimism and goodness in Chinese culture. There are many ancient and modern literary works eulogizing the wonderful human nature,which are nevertheless based on people’s longing for an ideal life in imagination., however, presents no unrealistically harmonious utopia. The characters in the play have the same joys and sorrows and confusion and troubles as ordinary people,and the human weaknesses are portrayed without modification.In fighting against such weaknesses, though, the brilliance of humanity becomes more dazzling. Bringing both sadness and relief, the play also sends out a profound question: What kind of mindset should people have in an unsatisfactory life?gives a powerful answer: more important than one’s personal ability is their choice.

Before seeing the opera, it was hard for me to imagine Xiaobaihua actors performing in modern attire. As the troupe is known for its poetic Yueju opera or Shaoxing opera, one might wonder whether the poetic spirit would fade away in realistic themes and modern expressions. After walking into the theater, I realized it was just a nonissue.

Taking an aspect of the real society,shows the vicissitudes of life with individual events, and draws a group portrait of living beings with images of individuals. A notable artistic feature of Chinese opera, this freehand-style technique embodies exactly the poetic spirit. Though traditional performing patterns are abandoned, virtual performances are still adopted in the drama. This undoubtedly poses a greater challenge to the actors, as they must effectively refine real-life movements and form a new set of body language.

I once heard Li Yunxiao, known as a “Water Sleeve Princess”,who played the role of Fang Xiaomi here, talk about her stage handling in the playthat performances used in films and TV dramas were employed in the figure and emotional expression. But for her explanation, I couldn’t have told any difference here. Fang Xiaomi on the stage greatly exceeded my expectations — her angst when the accident just happened, her determination after swallowing the sadness, and her distress and emotional collapse when learning her daughter was ill. ... Looking back now, I can’t stop the tears in my eyes.

The(male) role players of the troupe are faced with even greater challenges. Usually performed by an all-female cast,Yueju opera features, i.e., female role players as,who enjoy natural advantages in expressing subtle emotions and presenting refined scholar images. However, playing male roles in modern dramas deprives them of the blessings of makeups, hair styling and traditional performing patterns. They have to base themselves on the opposite of natural gender when refining reallife movements. Sitting in the audience, I was impressed by their superb acting skills. Lu Yafei, played by Li Xiaowen, a(young male) actor, is handsome and heroic, who meets the aesthetic standards of the current youth group.

Excellent actors interpret roles, and profound roles make actors. Watching the play, the audience are lucky enough to enjoy a wonderful spiritual journey. On the stage, not afraid of committing herself, Fang Xiaomi confessed faults and made amends instantly, which left me in awe. Lu Yafei, the character who aroused my emotional resonance the most, got physically and mentally exhausted in the rat race of city life, letting me see myself.

The most touching thing aboutis the perfect integration of role players and the characters. With no deliberate exaggeration but in-depth exploration of humanity, the opera reproduced human nature in real life. Perhaps because of this,the whole drama is realistic yet not rigid, popular but not vulgar,forming a unique artistic style.

Chinese opera is an art of living inheritance, and we are currently writing its history. Since its inception, it has been going back and forth between “breaking the old” and “making something new”.

After a thousand years of development and transformation,Chinese opera has formed a unique spiritual charm and aesthetic style, which is a valuable asset that contemporary opera actors should hold onto. However, to preserve the heritage does not mean blindly sticking to the old. The best way is to infuse fresh blood and make the art live on. Where should the traditional opera art head under the impact of multiculturalism?is a successful innovative practice for exploring the contemporary opera stage.

The play sparked heated discussions as soon as it debuted.Whether it was in the theater or in the promotional videos on various media platforms, there were many a young fan. Young people are appreciative of the ancient art if provided with a chance to get closer, and the ones that impress them the most will always be the classics which have withstood the test of time. From this aspect, modernity puts more pressure on the playwright. To gain the audience’s acclaim means establishing a new aesthetic paradigm and standing on the same track as traditional dramas with their profound cultural accumulation. The great success oflies not in its modernity, but in the personality power that transcends the limitations of time and space, and the perfect combination of traditional opera spirit and modern stage.

casts a profound idea in a modern stage expression, which is cordial yet not blindly pandering to popular tastes. Though abandoning the traditional performing patterns,the actors portrayed the complex humanity incisively and vividly,penetrating the souls of the characters. The stage setting showcased the new look of Hangzhou, a digital and high-tech city, shortening the psychological distance between the actors and the audience.However, there is no sense of incongruity with modernity. The digitalized background silently renders the atmosphere of the stage. Modern music and Yueju opera singing are combined appropriately, not only retaining the general style of the opera’s melodious and graceful voice, but expressing the tension of the characters.

觀眾幾度潸然淚下。Many spectators are in tears watching the show.

《錢塘里》主創人員在集體研討劇情。The production team of Qiangtangli discusses the plot of the play.

In the era of integrated media, ways of entertainment and cultural consumption have undergone many new changes. As guardians of traditional opera, we should take advantage of our strengths to carry the spirit of the times with the beauty of opera, and commit ourselves to creating immortal legends for the contemporary stage. We look forward to more masterpieces like