Showing posts with label Drumming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drumming. Show all posts

Saturday, December 7, 2013

蛇,不在外头,就在心中-- 观看优剧场的《金刚心》

        这是我在这博客的第一个以中文书写的篇章吧!我是优剧场的戏迷。但,这不代表我盲目地热爱他们的每一出戏。六年前,我就曾经对优剧场的走向感到失望, 在《禅武不二》剧评中提问-优人的本来面目在哪里?(文尾附上《禅武不二》剧评)

        2003, 在新加坡的一个很小间的影片光碟专卖店发现了《金刚心》,便马上把它买下。 单单观看光碟, 就有无名的感动。一知道优剧场将到新加坡演出《金刚心》,心里急切的期待。但,因为对《禅武不二》有点失望, 心想--这次别期望太高, 以免失望极大。去了一趟观看演出,它不止唤醒我似乎已疲累的身心,也再次肯定了我要为艺术工作继续耕耘的决心。

     台上的设计看上去象是我们的高楼组屋。鼓声响起, 把我们带进了隐藏在急步都市生活的一颗宁静之心。但,这宁静的心不是死板板的。 就是在心静了下来观看世界时, 世界的每一花每一草才变得更加的有趣。所以, 优人击的鼓是充满变化的,就如人生无常。其中一面舞台看上去象一面旧式老钟,似乎在代表着时光的流逝和世间轮回。

 
        
    戏开场的汹涌鼓声就已十分的震撼。当中的木鱼声有画龙点睛的作用,一开场就把观众带到一个很高的意境。接下来的篇章, 都持续着可动可静,静中带动,动中带静的击鼓、颂唱和舞动。 武术、诵经、舞蹈都融入于优人的击鼓表演。与其说是优人在打鼓,我却感受到鼓是自然地从优人的一举一动中体现出来的。鼓声是由优人身体的运作和武(舞)术而发出。戏的最高境界在于-- 优人不在“打”鼓;鼓声由身而出。
     渐渐的,戏把观众带进一种梦境的感觉。台上的舞蹈带着太极的张力,使出绵绵不绝的力量。优人们的身体动作就象是当我们做梦时,想跑却跑不快的那种有弹性的移动方式,把我带进了梦境。这刻让我想起了弘一法师的《世梦》:

却来观世间,犹如梦中事。人生自少而壮,自壮而老,自老而死。俄入胞胎,俄出胞胎,又入又出无穷已。生不知来,死不知去,蒙蒙然,冥冥然,千生万劫不自 知,非真梦欤?枕上片时春梦中,行尽江南数千里。今贪名利,梯出航海,岂必枕上尔!庄生梦蝴蝶,孔子梦周公,梦时固是梦,醒时何非梦?旷大劫来,一时一刻 皆梦中。破尽无明,大觉能仁。如是乃为梦醒汉,如是乃名无上尊
    
      戏的高潮是“拔草寻蛇篇”。这是一段非常美丽和富有意义的一篇。 十个鼓手在台的右边,七个敲击乐手在左台,加上台中三位男表演者,当中以黄志群为寻蛇人。所有二十人在台上的节奏配合得天衣无缝,但同时,每个人却有着自己流程的变化。 有规律却形成机械式的表演不难遇到。优人却做得到有规律却又变化无穷的演出,令人赞叹!黄持着棍子寻蛇,这棍看上去由他内在力量而舞动。 这棍,已成为表演者身体的延伸。黄向四周寻蛇,但最后发现--蛇,就在心中!对我而言,这蛇代表了佛教里的三毒--贪、嗔、痴。这三毒都不在体外,而是在我们的内心!

     戏的末尾, 台上只留着一优人在旋转着。 也许,在人生旅途的最后一个阶段,路-- 还是得一个人走的。。。

     话说回来,《金刚心》虽取材于藏传佛教,它的艺术境界远超宗教意识。非佛教徒可别因为这出戏的浓厚宗教色彩而错过了它。整出戏编得很有诗意,很有味也很富有生命力。给我带来最大的震撼是它的各个突然群体停顿的时刻。 静止,其实也是一个音符。美中不足的是-- 每个静止的时刻都让观众的掌声盖过。但,这也不能怪观众的“自然”反应。优人的舞、武、唱、鼓,是太完美了。

    我又在一次见证了优人的“本来面目”。感恩。 谢谢。

         如果想看《金刚心》,今晚 (十二月七日)将是最后一晚了:http://thestar.sg/events/event/45-u-theatre-meeting-with-bodhisattva

剧评指数:9.5/10



六年前给于《禅武不二》的剧评 (取自《联合早报》,20073 10日):







Saturday, April 14, 2012

Review: Mother Afria (12th April 2012- Opening Night)

This is my first time watching a circus act in a theatre auditorium instead of the conventional circus tents. In "Mother Africa", you do not see animals in action, and you do not get to see aerial flights. However, the precision and clarity of how stunt skills are demonstrated by the contortionists and acrobats would be enough to blow your mind away.


People tend to associate circus performances as pure entertainment. However, "Mother Africa" is more than that. It is artistic, entertaining and soul-lifting. In addition to the exciting and breathtaking items put up by the performers, the costumes and music were also the highlights of the show. The live band that comprised the lively drummers and percussionists filled the two hours performance with high energy! I especially enjoyed the rhythmic drumbeats from the band that were played with high intensity. The fusion feel of the costumes which was a blend of ethnical and contemporary added vibrancy to the show.


 
Generally, I preferred the first half of the programme to the second half. Items that I really loved were the ladder act which was artistically choreographed and displayed with great mastery; the songs by the three ladies during the first half of the show that were beautifully haunting; the highly challenging handbalancing act on a vertigo-inducing tower of stacked chairs that was carried out by the acrobat with ease and eventually ended with a serene meditative repose position of the acrobat seated on top of the stacked chairs; the feet tossing of a pint-sized acrobat through the air in a backflip by a bigger sized acrobat that stunned the audience as the action was repeated 51 times.


 Video clip of handbalancing act on a tower of stacked chairs:



Each move, each act and each moment would be disastrous without the focus, precision, strength, right timing, and coordination (individually and within a team) that the group of 36 artists demonstrated. After I held my breath through all the acts to the last second and left the theatre, what remained in me were the wonderful memories and the vibrant beats of Africa.




Rating: 8/10



Cirque Mother Africa
THREE more shows on Sat 3:00 PM & 8:00 PM,
Sun 8:00 PM
Venue: Esplanade Theatre
Tickets: $68-128.
(PAssion Card Members enjoy 10% discount from 1 March - 15 April 2012)