從歌單透視人生 — 港臺版《每一件美好的事》選曲分析

Abstract

戲劇表演中經常會採用音樂去營造氣氛。歌劇及音樂劇等結合戲劇與音樂的表演類型更會把臺詞變成歌詞，直接以歌曲敘事推進劇情。過往有關戲劇音樂的研究主要集中在原創，少有討論採用現成音樂的演出，忽略了音樂元素對於劇本創作的可能性。本論文以英國當代劇作家鄧肯・麥克米倫（Duncan Macmillan）於2015年寫成的獨角戲《每一件美好的事》（Every Brilliant Thing）作為研究個案，分析其劇本中主要以爵士樂貫穿劇情的文本創作手法。故事講述七歲的男孩面對患上憂鬱症的母親嘗試自殺後，開始建立一份「好事清單」，列出所有讓他認為值得活下去的美好事物。此劇以互動劇場的形式，邀請觀眾演繹敘事者生命片段中重要的人物。隨著主角踏入不同的人生階段，這份清單也持續增長。雖然最後母親依然選擇了結自己的生命，但清單卻成為了敘事者的救贖。

劇中的歌曲不但只用於轉場及加強氣氛，同時反映出角色的特質，並有連貫情節的作用。而劇作家在劇本中保留了很大的空間，讓搬演方可依照演出地所需來修改劇本。歌曲作為此劇的重要元素，當在華語地區搬演時，面對截然不同的語言及文化背景，香港及臺灣版均選用了在地的流行音樂去取代原文的曲目。本文會分析港臺版重新選曲為劇本敘事、角色建立及觀眾共鳴三方面帶來的變化，以證在文本中活用音樂元素可帶來的成果。Music is often used in drama performances to create the atmosphere. Opera and musical are performing art forms that combine drama and music, which turn lines into lyrics and use songs to deliver the plot. Past research on theatre music were mainly focused on original creation, while performances using released music are lack of discussion, thus neglected the possibility of using music elements in playwrighting.This thesis used Every Brilliant Thing as a case study, a solo play written by the British contemporary playwright Duncan Macmillan in 2015. Jazz is used as the main music genre throughout the play. The story tells a seven-year-old boy tries to ease his mother's depression by creating a list of "every brilliant thing" that makes him thinks life is worth living for. The narrator would interact with the audience and invite them to become some important person in his life. The list continues to grow with the narrator in different stages of his life. Although his mother still decided to end her life, the narrator learns how significance the list has on his own life.Songs in the play are not only used for scenes transition and enhancing the atmosphere, but also reflected the personality of different characters and linked up the whole story. The play should be adapted according to the location of the performance. The list of songs as an important element of the play, when it was performed in Asia, facing completely different language and cultural backgrounds, both the Hong Kong and Taiwan versions chose local pop music to replace the original jazz. This thesis will analyze the changes brought by the re-selection of music of the above versions in three aspects. It proven the use of music elements in playwrighting could serve the narration of the script, character creation and audience resonance.