迴響極短篇｜呼吸

1. 因為被《好事清單》 (Every Brilliant Thing) 感動到不行，一看到四把椅子劇團再度搬演同劇作家 Duncan MacMillan 之作品，立刻買票。
2. 整齣戲由大量對話組成，線性順敘，但經常跳接場景。角色和事件相對不重要，是針對「生育」哲學思辯、情緒溝通的過程。
3. 基於環保理由而猶豫生育比較是左翼第一世界問題，較難放進臺灣本地脈絡。作者同時藉氣候變遷象徵長期伴侶間的關係變化無可避免，成為劇本核心議題與意象之一。
4. 雙面台白白淨淨，只有少許幾何物件，類似ikea傢俱，排練場般的中性空間，有利於場景切換。個人想像此劇本甚至可以在一個完全「空的空間」進行，好奇導演與舞台設計還曾考慮過什麼其它作法。
5. 舞台正上方有一大型電子螢幕，長寬比例讓我聯想到手機。畫面模稜兩可，似冰河慢速融化，也像雨滴流淌於碎玻璃。燈光簡潔，且電子螢幕扮演重要角色，耳目一新。
6. 原文劇名為 Lungs（肺臟），沒有比「呼吸」更好的翻譯了。它連結生命、空氣、關係起伏，小至決定是否創造一個孩子，大至整個地球是否人類過載，都是宇宙新陳代謝。原劇名我也挺喜歡的，因為「肺臟」一詞更加具象，而且解剖構造有左肺和右肺，由支氣管與氣管相連，成雙成對。

1. Following “Every Brilliant Thing”, “Lungs” was the second play by Duncan MacMillan that 4 CHAIRS THEATRE chose to bring to theatre audiences in Taiwan. Deeply moved by the former show, I had looked forward to “Lungs” for months.
2. The play consisted of lots and lots of dialogues in a linear chronological narrative. It cut to different times and/or spaces frequently. Rather than characters, actions, and events, the text itself was more of philosophical speculation and emotional communication regarding human reproduction。
3. In the story, the female character had anxiety about environmental protection leading to reluctance to have a child. In my view, it is a left-wing first-world problem and is not common or easy to be understood in the social context of Taiwan. The playwright used climate change as a metaphor for inevitable changes in a long-term relationship. Therefore concern about climate change and environmental protection served as the core issues and symbols in this work.
4. The stage was double-sided with a minimalistic style. White geometric furniture gave an “ikea” vibe. It was very “neutral” like a rehearsal room. I imagined that the show could take place in a void, a non-space. I’m curious about what other ideas the director and stage designer once had for this production.
5. A large electronic screen was hung right above the stage center, and its shape reminded me of a giant cell phone. The screen displayed an uncertain picture, which looked like a slowly melting glacier or shattered glass with raindrops. The lighting is also minimalistic, and the electronic screen played a surprisingly key role.
6. The play was originally named “Lungs”, nicely translated to “呼吸” (meaning breath in Mandarin) in this production. Breath represented life, air, as well as the ups and downs of relationships. From having a child or not to questioning human overload on this planet, everything was (just) a part of the circulation of the universe. Nonetheless, I am personally fond of the original title “Lungs”, because this word is “literally more visceral”. In addition, lungs come in pairs anatomically.

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