「做活戲」的幕後推手：臺灣歌仔戲知名講戲人及其專長

Movers behind “Living Plays”: Taiwanese Opera’s Prominent Scenario Tellers and Their Expertise

臺灣民間廟會酬神演出的外台歌仔戲，保留了歌仔戲「做活戲」的傳統，採用「台數」（即「幕表」，場次表）創作劇目。它沒有劇本，有的可能只是一個表格，上面寫著每一場戲上場的角色，以及簡單的劇情，或甚至可能只是一個情節的提綱而已；其他主要部分，都靠演員即興表演和樂師的臨場配合來完成。歌仔戲「做活戲」的主導人物，是擬定「台數」，並帶領順戲的「講戲人」。「講戲人」多由演員充任，最基本的功能是劇目的傳播。長久以來，歌仔戲劇場培養了不少優秀的「講戲人」，他們不僅傳播舊劇目，更編創新劇目，甚至發揮導演掌控戲劇演出的功能。本文以「人」為重心，對臺灣歌仔戲「講戲人」展開研究。首先探討講戲人才的養成，分別從前輩「講戲人」的啟發、家族傳承等不同方面，勾勒人才培育的過程。接著根據田野所得，以「傳播型」、「編劇型」和「導演型」三個類型，介紹臺灣當今歌仔戲知名的講戲人及其專長。最後，從講戲的執行面著眼，就態度、技巧和權力三方面探討講戲人如何影響戲劇的演出成效。

Outdoor Taiwanese Opera, often performed on religious occasions, preserves the tradition of doing “living plays,” namely plays that are impromptu in nature as opposed to those with a fixed text. With no written scripts, the basis of a “living play” could instead consist of a list of scene titles and characters, or even a simple storyline. For the most part, it is completed by improvisational collaboration of the cast and the musicians. The key figures behind these plays are the so-called “scenario tellers” who are in charge of duties such as devising the scene chart and serving as a leader during rehearsals. The primary function of a scenario teller, usually an actor himself, is to ensure the dissemination of the repertoires. For long, the Taiwanese Opera has nurtured many prominent scenario tellers who have helped keep the old plays alive and create new ones. On certain occasions their leadership is not unlike that of a director. The present study, analyzing the scenario tellers of Taiwanese Opera, focuses on people. It first explores the process of nurturing a scenario teller, which often entails the guidance of predecessors, and stems from a family tradition. Then, based on field research, the study categorizes scenario tellers into three types: “the disseminator,” “the playwright” and “the director.” Prominent figures of each type, and their expertise, will be the focal point of this part. Lastly, by investigating the methods of certain scenario tellers, the study illustrates how, by ways of attitude, artistry and authority, a scenario teller profoundly influences the overall production. The ultimate goal is to reconstruct the essence of the “living plays” in Taiwanese Opera, especially the aspects of narrative techniques and concepts.