On The Cultural Orientation Of Chinese And Western Little Theatre

The small theatre movement started from1980s as the symbol of Antoinecreating the freedom theatrical troupe. The tinder of the small theatre which waslighted spread the whole Europe and the opposite shore of Atlantic. At the sametime, China also began its practice of the small theatre influenced by themovement. Compared with traditional theatres, the small theatre had its uniqueand charming expression in art. However, Chinese small theatres had made itsunique path with Chinese local character comparing to Western theatres.The paper can be divided into four parts, and each part can be summarizedas below:Chapter1: Define the small theatre and other nouns which are related. Andexplain the connotation of the small theatre through the academia’s discussionabout ‘what is the small theatre’ that was made in20thcentury. What’s more,compare the small theatre to experimental drama in order to make clear aboutwhat the small theatre is. Chapter2: Explain the two tides of western small theatre and Chinese smalltheatre movements. Thus the development of the small theatre in history can beknown.Chapter3: Analyze the common art characteristics based on thereconstruction and innovation of seeing–acting space and relationship, theborn-worrying under the rebellion exploring, as well as lowing the function ofscript and raising the position of directors. The analysis establishes the basis ofanalyzing the comparison between western and Chinese small theatres.Chapter4: Discuss the unique position of the small theatre in the present agein China. The three types of the small theatres which are experimental, practicaland unexperimental dramas make the small theatre go into the market-orientedway.Finally it comes to the conclusion that the small theatre in China is animportant part of world small theatre movement. What’s more, constructing thenew seeing-acting relationship, emphasizing directors’ position, the innovationof traditional dramas and reforming the dramas are in the same strain with thewestern small theatre. However, the small theatre is affected by the backgroundand is restricted by Chinese dramas’ whole condition. Thus the small theatre has its local characteristics and cultural location. And it performs in terms ofexperimental, unexperimental and commercial dramas and promotes withmarket-oriented operation. At present the small theatre enters a multi-level andthree–dimensional way that can face different types of audience.