As the apprentice of Jerzy Grotowski, Thomas Richards can be considered the successor to Grotowski’s artistic legacy, as well as one of the most important theatre artists in our age. With great expertise, he dedicated himself to the practical investigation of the infinite possibilities that a performer may achieve in a theatrical space and in other performative environments. With his team, his work and vision continually influence the environment of experimental theatre worldwide.
作为耶日·格罗托夫斯基的学徒，托马斯·理查兹可被看作是格罗托夫斯基艺术遗产的继承者，也是当代最重要的戏剧艺术家之一。他以精湛的专业知识，致力于以实践探索表演者在戏剧空间和其他表演环境中可能实现的无限可能性。他的工作和愿景与他的团队一起，不断影响着全世界的实验戏剧。
One of the contributions of Mr. Richards’ work is the development and concretisation of the practical performing arts research know as, Art as Vehicle, the last stage of the four phases of Grotowski's lifework, which are: Theatre of Performance, Paratheatre, Theatre of Sources, and Art as Vehicle.
理查兹先生工作的贡献之一是发展和具体化了被称为 “艺乘 ”的表演艺术实践性研究，这是格罗托夫斯基一生工作四个阶段的最后一个阶段，这四个阶段是：类戏剧、溯源剧场、客观戏剧、艺乘。
This profound theatre research finds itself among approaches which have been to a certain extent inspired by anthropological methodology: a part of their practice is based upon work on ancient songs of tradition stemming from various civilizations and ethnic communities, an approach through which Grotowski's lifelong intentions were achieved.
这种深刻的实践性戏剧研究，某种程度上格罗托夫斯基的毕生愿望通过它得到实现，在一定程度上受到人类学方法论的启发：其中部分工作基于对源自不同文明和民族社区的古老传统歌曲的挖掘。
Through this “work on song,” performers enter into contact with the deepest parts of themselves, from which immediate and potent inner resources start to awaken. With the appearance of this kind of spiritual transparency, a theatrical secular/divine takes shape in action, without relying on any specific religious faith as basis. Therefore, the performer, through his or her actions, establishes the possibility of communicating such depth, without utilising as principal means, verbal discourse or explicit narratives, or any other established conceptual boundary of theatre art. In this way, the performers affect the soul of the audience in a direct and, in my analysis, friendly way.
通过这种 “对歌曲的工作”，表演者接触到自身最深层的部分，从而直接而强大的内在源泉得到唤醒。随着这种精神性的透明性出现，戏剧性的世俗性/戏剧性的神性在行动中成型，而不依赖于任何特定的宗教信仰作为基础。因此，表演者通过他或她的行动，建立了传达这种深度能量的可能性，而不以口头语言、明确的叙事或任何其他既定的戏剧艺术概念界限为主要手段。通过这种方式，表演者以一种直接而友好的方式影响着观众的灵魂。
Years of Richards’, and today of Theatre No Theatre’s work, provides a view into a dynamic creative process that is structured and based on methodological detail free from the dependence on any one cultural tradition, fitting well with contemporary practitioners and audiences alike. One of the showcases, The Living Room, also performed in China, is one of the greatest theatre works in the past decades. It holds artistic and spiritual affinities with milestone works of Grotowski such as, Acropolis. The Living Room directed by Richards celebrates human identity with the performative symbol of hospitality while embodying spiritual encounters between the performers through song in a profoundly moving manner. In our time, the dominant trends of innovation in theatre making bear a hint of anti-craft and a certain sense of moralism. The Grotowski-Richards approach reminds us that robust training of performers which develops their ability to embody with authenticity is still necessary, even rare nowadays, and is in a real way, if not the only way, a means of intercultural dialogue.
理查兹多年来的探索，以及今天 “戏无界 ”的作品，让我们看到一个充满活力的创作过程，它结构严谨，方法细致，摆脱了对任何特定文化传统的依赖，非常适合当代的从业者和观众。以此方法创作，之前在中国上演的《客厅》是近几十年来最伟大的戏剧作品之一。它在艺术精神上与格罗托夫斯基的里程碑式作品《雅典卫城》有着异曲同工之妙。理查兹执导的《客厅》以好客作为表演性符号颂扬了人之为人的身份，通过歌曲具身体现了表演者之间的精神邂逅，感人至深。在我们的时代，戏剧创新的主流趋势多少带有反技巧和道德主义的色彩。格罗托夫斯基—理查兹的方法提醒我们，对表演者进行严格的训练，培养他们以本真性创作的能力，在当今虽然是较为稀少，但仍然是必要的方法。而且也是一种真实有效，如果不是唯一真实有效的跨文化对话方式。
With honor and pleasure we invite Thomas Richards and Theatre No Theatre to give a workshop in Nanjing University, and we accordingly announce a call for participation. Please be aware that the content of the workshop which will be held in Nanjing University might have alterations depending upon creative necessity.
我们荣幸地邀请到托马斯·理查兹和 “戏无界 ”剧团到南京大学举办工作坊，特此征集参加者。此外，在南京大学举办的工作坊内容可能会根据创作需要和此招募信息有所变动，敬请谅解。
本期编辑 聂天航
