立足本土 連結世界
 

一直以為紀錄劇場很難離開自身的文化土壤，所以雖然在歐洲早已發展，六十年代更是頂盛一時，但是在香港劇壇還是少有討論。我最初把紀錄劇場經典作品《同志少年虐殺事件》翻譯過來，只作演讀，便是因為真實事件發生在美國一個偏僻小鎮，恐怕沒有太多香港觀眾感興趣。
 

2018年3月在加拿大多倫多播放《回溯重構：1967》的舞台演出錄像，還有演讀《時代記錄者》，觀眾不少是曾經在香港生活的香港人，他們雖已移居在外地，但是仍然十分關心香港；還有這些香港人的下一代，與部份外籍人士。無論是哪一種背景，他們的反應都十分正面，表示這兩個演出令他們對香港了解更深，我因而反思，紀錄劇場的局限或許未必那麼大。
 

《同志少年虐殺事件》演讀完後，我決定正式搬演它，甚至繼續上演它的續集《重見真相—同志虐殺現場十年重訪》，因為那次演讀不少觀眾表示，即使故事的時空與香港相隔甚遠，但是只要適當引導，其實不難進入當中情景，反而因為知道真有其人其事，那震撼力比虛構的本地故事可能更大。
 

紀錄劇場的題材一般是當時當地重要的人物或事件，當刻的觀眾容易產生共鳴，即使是後來的或者異地的觀眾，也能藉著這創作了解一時一地，或者一個特定的議題。香港一向以國際大都會自居，但是進入廿一世紀，無論是我們自己的信心，還是別人的眼中，我們的國際地位似乎逐漸褪色，此刻紀錄劇場或許可以作出一點貢獻，為本土留下珍貴的紀錄，更可以作為一扇窗戶，既讓世界一窺本土，也可以讓本土聯繫世界，始終紀錄劇場在海外已發展了不少，有很多地方值得我借鏡學習。
 

今屆我們的主題便是「立足本土，連結世界」，繼續以本土不同議題或社群為研究對象，創作此時此地的紀錄劇場，也會藉考察、海外大師工作坊、讀劇等連結世界，更會出版紀錄劇場手冊及劇本集，為未來香港對這劇種有興趣的朋友提供材料。
 

有窗戶，還需人手來開啟，請您動手打開這一扇窗！

 

胡海輝
 

Connecting the World while Taking Root in Hong Kong
 

I used to think that documentary theatre is difficult to leave its particular cultural context. Thus, although it has developed for decades in Europe with its climax in the 1960s, it has been seldom discussed in Hong Kong. In 2013 when I introduced the documentary theatre masterpiece Laramie Project into Hong Kong, I just organized a staged reading. I was afraid that Hong Kong audience might find this real murder case in such a remote town in the US too distanced.
 

In Mar 2018 in Toronto, we have screened the video recording of our performance 1967: Rerun and put on a staged reading of On the Record. The audience was mainly composed of immigrants from Hong Kong. They are still concerned about Hong Kong. There were also the young generation of such ex-Hongkongers and some non-Chinese. Regardless of their ethnicity, their response was unanimously favourable. Both performances have given them an insight into Hong Kong. It has prompted me to rethink about the limitation of documentary theatre.
 

In 2015, I decided to put on a full-fledged production of Laramie Project followed by its sequel Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, because quite a number of audience members of the stage reading have reflected that despite the remoteness of the location, it was not difficult for them to relate to it as long as there was appropriate guidance. Its close relationship to the reality has added to its immense power.
 

Documentary theatre works were often based on a person or group of people or a certain event that is significant to a particular period of time or place. The audience in that community is easy to be related to the work. The documentary theatre work will also help the latter generation or foreigners to understand more about that particular place and time or issue. Hong Kong used to take pride on being an international metropolis. However, after the 21st century, our international standing seems to be dwindling, with regard to both our own confidence and in the view of outsiders. At such a critical moment, documentary theatre may be able to make some contribution by leaving behind a valuable record. Documentary theatre can also be a window for the world to have a sneak peek of Hong Kong and vice versa for Hong Kong to be connected with the world. Documentary theatre has developed for such a long time in the international stage. We have so much to learn.
 

“Connecting the world while taking root in Hong Kong” has therefore become the motto of the 2nd Documentary Theatre Festival. We will continue to create more original documentary theatre works by studying local issues or communities; we will also continue to connect the world by taking on study tours, inviting overseas masters to hold workshops in Hong Kong and having staged reading of foreign documentary theatre works; we will publish documentary theatre handbooks and collections of translated plays too, which will provide more materials for people who have interest in such a genre.
 

The window is there but we need an action to open it. Now, please take action!
 

Hoi-fai Wu