Cross-Cultural Dialogue and Synthesis - Contemporary American Drama in China

Author: Wu Wenquan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: This book analyzes the various responses triggered in China after the introduction of contemporary American drama, and studies the outcomes of the collision between two cultures with different backgrounds. The book is rich in references and offers thorough analysis. To some extent, it helps fill the gaps in Chinese theater culture. One of the biggest strengths of the book is that the author has extensively researched the material, allowing historical facts to speak for themselves. The book discusses numerous instances of American dramas being performed in China, often reminding me of the immense enthusiasm in China's cultural circles during the early 1980s for translating and introducing foreign dramas. Some of these performances themselves became sensational "cultural events." As participants and witnesses to these events, discussing the historical records brings a sense of familiarity. Cross-Cultural Dialogue and Synthesis: Contemporary American Drama in China is based on a wealth of primary sources, meticulously analyzed, and has sorted out the trajectory and patterns of translation, performance, criticism, and the reception, adaptation, and integration of contemporary American drama in China over the past half-century. It also summarizes some rules of cultural exchange and highlights the issues the author wishes to convey. The book largely adopts the theoretical framework of comparative literature, using vivid materials and analysis to elucidate and enrich the concepts of comparative literature, comparative drama, and cultural transmission, while also providing readers with insights into the current status and development of contemporary American drama and contemporary Chinese drama.