MODERNIZATION OF ASIAN THEATRES: Process and Tradition

Book Details

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Author: Yasushi Nagata and Ravi Chaturvedi (Eds.)

• Language: English

• Edition: 2019

• ISBN: 9788131610275

• Pages: 276

• Cover: Hardcover

About the Book
This volume is a significant contribution to the study of Asian theatre, focusing on the complex processes of modernization within the theatre traditions of various Asian countries. As Asian theatre continues to gain prominence in global theatre scholarship, this book addresses the gap in knowledge by examining the unique contexts in which theatre modernization has taken place. Despite the rich and diverse traditions of theatre in Asia, the history and development of these traditions remain poorly understood in many respects.

The book explores the conflict between tradition and modernity in Asian theatres, highlighting the challenge of integrating Western influences while preserving indigenous practices. Several chapters focus on the modernization of theatre in countries like Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, and India. The contributors offer critical surveys of the historical development of theatre modernization in these regions and specific case studies that explore the impact of Western modernity on traditional forms. Topics include the reception of Western realism in Korean theatre, the modernization of Chinese Xiqu, the development of Malay theatre, and the formation of modern Chinese spoken drama in Singapore.

Edited by Yasushi Nagata and Ravi Chaturvedi, this book brings together renowned theatre scholars and critics to provide an in-depth understanding of Asian theatre's modernization and transformation, making it an invaluable resource for students, researchers, and theatre practitioners alike.

Contents
Part I: Process of Asian Theatre Modernization

1. Relevant Figures at the Early Stage of the Modernization of Japanese Theatre / Mitsuya MORI

2. The Modernization of Korean Theatre Through the Reception of Western Realism / Meewon LEE

3. Movement of the Western Modern Drama in Taiwan and Its Modernity / Kun-Liang CHIU

4. Staging Reality: Premodern Drama in China at the Turn of the Twentieth Century / Gilbert FONG and Shelby K. Y. CHAN

5. The Modernization of Malay Theatre: From the Makeshift Stages of the Bangsal to the Proscenium Stage / Solehah ISHAK

6. Metamorphosis: “Modernity” on Stage – The Formation of the Chinese Spoken Drama in Singapore (1913–1937) / YU Weijie

7. Modernization Re(ad)dressed in Indian Theatre / Ravi CHATURVEDI

Part II: Problematics of Asian Theatre Tradition
8. Representation of Chinese and Western Classics: 108 Heroes and Measure for Measure in Taiwan / Iris Hsin-chun TUAN
9. The Translation and Reception of Eugene Labiche’s Plays in Modern China / LO Shih-Lung
10. The Modernization of Chinese Xiqu with a Case Study of Major Kunqu Productions in Mainland China, 2001–2013 / YANG Ming
11. On the Modernity of Chinese Drama Through the Perspective of Perception from Gao Xingjian’s Dramas / Yingying XIAO
12. From Traditional to Contemporary: Genealogy of Kumiodori in Modern Okinawan Theatre Called “Okinawa shibai” / Shoko YONAHA
13. Bangsawan (1870–1940): An Analysis of Modern Performance Elements and Its Role as Transitional Link Between Traditional Malay Theatre and Modern Malaysian Drama / Zainal Abd LATIFF and Gan Eng CHENG
14. Assimilation of Asia: On Okawa’s Revenge and Nayotake / Yasushi NAGATA

About the Authors
Yasushi Nagata is a professor of Theatre Studies at the Graduate School of Letters, Osaka University. He has published extensively on Russian Avant-Garde theatre and has contributed significantly to intercultural theatre scholarship. Nagata has also served as the president of the Japanese Society for Theatre Research and has been an executive committee member of the International Federation for Theatre Research (IFTR).

Ravi Chaturvedi is a professor and former director of the School of Media and Communication at Manipal University, Jaipur. He is a founding member of the Indian Society for Theatre Research and has been involved with IFTR for several years. Chaturvedi has authored several books and plays and is a professional theatre director and actor. His work on contemporary Indian theatre has had a significant impact on both the academic and performance communities.