Edgy Entertainment: Fringe Festivals 艺穗节演出精彩的另类娱乐
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2004年10月11日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年7月29日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：423
课文朗读
课文讲解
We’ve all heard of music, film, folk, or food festivals, but what about “fringe” festivals? As the name implies, a fringe festival is on-the-edge – an “anything goes” event celebrating live theater and performance art from around the world.
大家都有听过音乐节、电影节、民俗节、和美食节这些活动，但是有听过艺穗节吗？正如其名所暗示，艺穗节是非主流的活动──几乎「什都都演」，有来自世界各地的现场剧场演出和各式各样的表演艺术。
For performers, fringe festivals are known for being uncensored and audition-free events. Any group or individual able to scrape together the entry fee can apply for a spot – so let the buyer beware! For spectators, a typical day of “fringing” might include tossing a few coins to a street performer known as the “Push-Up Guy” whose shtick is “push-ups-on-demand,” before continuing to a professional performance of Hamlet inside a parking garage transformed temporarily into a live theater!
对演出者而言，艺穗节以其不须送审、也无须试镜的演出而闻名。任何表演团体或个人只要攒够了入场费就能申请一个表演位置──所以有意购买的人请注意了！对观赏者而言，观看一天典型的艺穗节演出很可能包括赏几个铜板给在街上表演「伏地挺身的人」，而他表演的噱头就是应观众要求做伏地挺身给大家看，或是接着去一间室内停车场暂时改装成的剧场，观赏一场专业的《哈姆雷特》演出。
The fringe phenomenon began in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland, when eight acting companies – inspired by large crowds attending the Edinburgh International Festival – started a side, or “fringe” festival. Now bigger than its inspiration, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is also the world’s largest.
艺穗节演出始于1947年苏格兰的爱丁堡，当时有八家表演公司──眼见大批人潮参加爱丁堡国际艺术节而受到启发──开始从旁经营「另类」的艺术演出活动。如今这种表演规模比原先大多了，而爱丁堡国际艺穗节也成为全世界最大的艺穗节活动【注一】。
The success of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has given rise to many world-class entertainers, and has inspired an ever-growing number of fringe festivals in cities across North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The world’s second largest fringe festival takes place annually in Edmonton, Canada.
爱丁堡国际艺穗节的成功，造就了多位世界级的表演艺人，而且让北美、欧洲、澳洲和纽西兰很多城市都起而效尤主办愈来愈多的艺穗节活动。全世界第二大的艺穗节活动每年在加拿大爱德蒙顿举行。
【注一】2003年爱丁堡国际艺穗节共有688家公司参加，在207处场地进行，共演出超过1541个戏码，21594场表演。
Vocabulary
单词发音
fringe [frɪndʒ] n. 穗，缘饰; adj. 边缘的; 次要的;非主流的
on-the-edge 非主流的
performance art 综合多媒体的舞台表演艺术
uncensored [ʌnˋsɛnsɚd] adj. 未经审查的
audition [ɔˋdɪʃən] v. 进行试演[试唱]; n.（演员等发声的）试听
scrape [skrep] v.【口】（艰难地）凑集，积攒[（+up/together）]
spectator [ˋspɛkˌtetɚ] / [spɛkˋtetɚ] n.（比赛等的）观众；旁观者
shtick [ʃtɪk] n.【俚】滑稽场面；噱头；妙语；拿手好戏
give rise to 造成, 引起, 带来 to cause something to exist
Sentence of the Day
For some fringe festival performers presenting new shows, it can be either feast or famine.
对有些艺穗节演出新戏码的表演者而言，演出可能是一场视觉飨宴，有可能乏善可陈。
feast or famine 不是极好就是极差
课文讲解
Frank and Lorraine are looking over a program in the beer tent at the Edmonton Fringe Festival: 爱德蒙顿艺穗节期间，法兰克和萝伦在啤酒棚内看一张节目表：
F: Two hundred shows to choose from! Where to begin?
有两百场秀可以挑选！真不知从哪开始看起？
L: This one-man show by “master impressionist” Charles Ross sounds good. He performs the entire Lord of The Rings trilogy in one hour, playing all the characters “without the use of costume, set, or special effects.”
这个由「模仿天王」查尔士罗斯一人担纲演出的表演，好像很不错。他表演全部「魔戒」三部曲只用一小时，而且演出戏中所有的角色「不用戏服、布景、或是特效」。
F: What if it sucks? I saw a show last year where a woman just came on stage and tore pages out of a phone book. I was ripped off!
万一很烂呢？去年我看了一场秀，一名女子走上台去，表演把电话簿一页页撕掉，真是白白被骗钱了！
L: Tough luck, Frank. But that’s the fun of the Fringe Festival! Because the performance applications are uncensored, it’s a risk for the audience and the artists.
真衰，法兰克。但这就是艺穗节活动的乐趣所在！因为申请演出不须要先送审，对观众和表演艺术家来说，都算是一种冒险。
F: You know, the festival’s touring acts have to be good to survive. They do the entire North American fringe circuit, traveling from city to city, crashing with billets or in their camper vans.
妳知道，艺穗节的巡回表演一定要很精彩，才能维持下去。他们在北美作艺穗节的巡回演出，从一座城市旅行到下一座城市，住在扎营地或是自己的露营车里。
L: That’s stamina. I just read about this Mark Meer guy. Last year’s reigning “King of the Edmonton Fringe,” he was in over thirty-six performances!
就是要有这样的精神。我刚看到有关这个马克梅尔的报导。他是去年「爱德蒙顿艺穗节盟主」，他表演了超过三十六场的秀。
F: Crazy. (sees a street performer) Speaking of crazy, what’s that?
疯了。（瞧见一位街头艺人）讲到发疯，瞧那是什么？
L: Oh that’s just Gunsmoke, the cowboy on stilts. Careful, or he’ll douse us with his water pistols.
噢，那是快枪侠，表演西部牛仔踩高跷。要当心，不然他会用水枪把我们弄湿。
F: Let’s get to the show!
我们赶快去看这场秀吧！
－by Joel Finnestad
Vocabulary
单词发音
look over 仔细检查
impressionist [ɪmˋprɛʃənɪst] n. 模仿名人的滑稽演员
trilogy [ˋtrɪlədʒɪ] n.〔戏剧﹑图书﹑电影等的〕三部曲
suck [sʌk] v.【俚】烂；令人讨厌
rip off 【俚】剥削; 欺诈; 敲竹杠 to exploit, swindle, cheat, or defraud
tough luck (用以表示同情)真倒霉 an unfortunate state resulting from unfavorable outcomes
circuit [ˋsɝkɪt] n. （尤指工作时的）巡回线路，巡回，巡游
crash [kræʃ] v.【俚】（免费）宿夜；睡
billet [ˋbɪlɪt] n. 军队宿舍
camper van（配备诸如卧具、炉具、盥洗台等居家设施的）露营车
stamina [ˋstæmənə] n. 精力；耐力；韧劲
reigning [ˋrenɪŋ] adj.（体育竞赛项目冠军）本届的
stilt [stɪlt] n. 高跷
douse [daʊs] v.(把液体)浇（或洒、泼）在…上
Sentence of the Day
In true fringe fashion, Frank and Lorraine bought tickets for the play sight unseen.
法兰克和罗伦事先未知表演内容就买了票，正符合艺穗节的精神。
sight unseen 事前没有过目
Fringe Festival 2012 Edinburgh