中美戏剧交流史上的一桩公案

Was Thornton Wilder Influenced by Mei Lanfang?

1930年梅兰芳访美是中美戏剧交流史上的一件大事,由此引发的中国戏剧对美国戏剧的影响也成了研究者的一个重要论题。美国现代剧作家桑顿·怀尔德即被许多批评家视为因受益于梅兰芳的访美演出而进行了戏剧改革。这件事是几乎每部研究中美戏剧交流的著作中必须提到的。不过,说到确凿的证据,好像大家谁都没有,此事实则是中美戏剧交流史上的一则公案。

Mei Lanfang＇s visit to the U.S in 1930 was a big event in the history of Sino-U.S.communication and his influence on American theatre thereafter is also a significant topic for critics both in China and the U.S.Thornton Wilder was one of the greatest dramatists in the history of modern American drama whose fame lies among other things upon his theatrical innovation.But it was owing to the influence of Chinese drama Mei Lanfang＇s performance in particular that critics maintain Wilder had carried out his reformation.However critics seem have no hard evidence in support of this assumption.That makes it an unsettled issue in the history of Sino-U.S.drama communication.