Abstract
My dissertation explores the process of recontextualizing contemporary British theater in a Chinese environment, focusing on how the source dramas are adapted and made performable in the target context. Recontextualization is approached as a multifaceted concept that goes beyond linguistic translation to encompass the adaptation of stage performances, the reinterpretation of social meanings, and the negotiation of audience reception in a new cultural context. By examining how recontextualization, conceived of as a process, facilitates the successful staging of drama in the target culture, this study posits recontextualization as an “umbrella term” that integrates various aspects of translation and adaptation. The focus of this research is on the contemporary British theater that has emerged since 1956, which has not received extensive study in China but is interesting because of its culturally disruptive nature. Post-1956 theater in Britain is characterized by the exploration of bold and provocative topics, including violence, cruelty, and non-traditional sexual practices, and has progressively evolved into more radical forms of expression. The introduction of such theater to China, given the situation of cultural conservatism and censorship, necessitates a nuanced recontextualization for successful adaptation and performance.Overall, my dissertation enhances understanding of theater translation by using recontextualization to highlight the various processes involved in achieving performability. The dissertation consists of three case studies, and my analysis of these cases contributes to understanding three aspects of recontextualization that serve to make British contemporary theater performable in the Chinese context.
When discussing theater translation, recontextualization serves as an umbrella term that encompasses the various processes involved in bridging this gap. Moreover, central to theater translation is the concept of performability, which this dissertation examines at three levels through three case studies. The first case study focuses on the textual analysis of the translation of Pinter’s The Homecoming, addressing performability at a linguistic and cultural level. This chapter illustrates how the translator created a readable and culturally adapted script by using localized language and having a deep understanding of the original text. Based on linguistic analysis, I find that textual and cultural factors were recontextualized to create a performable script that could resonate with local Hong Kong viewers. The second case study shifts focus to the technical level of performability by analyzing the staging performance of McDonagh’s The Pillowman. It emphasizes the importance of non-verbal signs—such as gestures, stage design, background music, and lighting—in overcoming linguistic barriers and successfully recontextualizing a play to the stage of a new context. Non-verbal signs are pivotal in achieving performability because they compensate for the loss of meaning in translation. Finally, the third case study explores performability from the perspective of audience reception. By examining social media commentary on specific “in-yer-face” theater productions, this chapter reveals how the social meanings of a drama can shift when performed in different cultural contexts and how these shifts affect the play’s performability, recognizing the interactive nature of dramatic experience.
This dissertation introduces a refined theoretical framework based on the notion of recontextualization and provides an in-depth investigation of the dynamic relationships among language, culture, performance, and audience reception. Although previous studies have examined recontextualization, this study applies the notion in innovative ways to the empirical context of translating contemporary British theater in China. The results show how contemporary British theater navigates cultural differences and adapts to local sensibilities when recontextualized for a Chinese setting, providing practical guidelines for theater translation in intercultural contexts.
| Date of Award | 13 Jan 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Suen Caesar LUN (Supervisor), Lydia Hwa-Che Medill CATEDRAL (External Co-Supervisor) & Dominic Stephen GLYNN (External Co-Supervisor) |