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Feeling Free at the Fringe Festival 艺术界年度盛事：艺穗节

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繁體中文譯本

If you’re in the mood to experience something innovative and exciting in the world of performance art, one festival is guaranteed to keep you guessing. At this marathon three-week event, anything goes. For instance, you might catch a dance troupe performing an impromptu avant-garde ballet. Or, you could witness two men delivering a raucous comedy routine while simultaneously putting on a fencing display. You may even catch a collection of contemporary dancers, dressed in formal attire, wearing gas masks, and doing the twist. At Scotland’s world-famous Fringe Festival, you truly never know what you’re going to witness next.

如果你想体验表演艺术世界里创新刺激的事物，那么有一个节庆保证让你摸不着头绪下一刻会发生什么。在这场连续三周的马拉松式活动中，什么事都会发生。举例来说，你也许可以观赏一支舞团即兴前卫芭蕾的表演，或是看到两个人一边击剑一边表演喧闹的招牌喜剧。甚至可能目睹一群当代舞的舞者穿着正式的服装，头戴防毒面具，跳着扭扭舞。在这世界知名的苏格兰艺穗节活动中，你真的永远无法预料接下来会看见什么。

The concept for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival developed somewhat spontaneously in 1947 during another event called the Edinburgh International Festival. Eight theater groups, which were not scheduled to perform on the official bill, staged their own performances during the event. This started a trend as, in the following years, many other acts followed in their footsteps. These grassroots performances attracted so much attention that in 1959 an organization called the Festival Fringe Society was created to distribute information about these routines. The term “fringe” was selected because it referred to artists who were on the outside of society and did not seek mainstream success.

爱丁堡艺穗节的源起可以说是在1947年于另一个称为爱丁堡国际艺术节活动期间自然发展出来的，当时有8个未被列在官方排定表演名单中的团体，自行在爱丁堡国际艺术节中表演，这行径开始形成一股潮流，接下来的几年，许多其他的表演团体开始追随他们的脚步。这些由一般民众组成的团体表演是如此吸睛，以至于在1959年创立了一个名为Festival Fringe Society的组织，以便发送这些定期演出的讯息。选用Fringe一词是因为它指涉的是那些来自社会中、下阶层，不追逐主流成功的表演者。

In the end, members of the Fringe Society decided to put together their ownannual show in Edinburgh, Scotland, which permitted anyone to sign up and perform. From its humble early beginnings, Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival has attracted so many fans that it has become one of the biggest art festivals in the world.

最后，Fringe Society的成员们决定筹办他们自己在苏格兰爱丁堡一年一度的表演，任何人都能自由报名并演出。初创时不起眼的爱丁堡艺穗节，时至今日已成为吸引众多粉丝、全世界最盛大的艺术节之一。

Vocabulary

单词发音

guarantee [͵gærənˋti] v. 保证

marathon [ˋmærə͵θɑn] adj. 马拉松式的

troupe [trup] n.（演员等的）一团；一班

impromptu [ɪmˋprɑmptju] adj. 事先无准备的；即席的

avant-garde [ɑvɑŋˋgɑrd] adj. 前卫的

raucous [ˋrɔkəs] adj. 喧闹的

routine [ruˋtin] n.（经常表演的）固定剧目 a short theatrical performance that is part of a longer program

fencing [ˋfɛnsɪŋ] n. 剑术；击剑 the practice, art, or sport of fighting with swords, esp the sport of using foils, épées, or sabres under a set of rules to score points

contemporary [kənˋtɛmpə͵rɛrɪ] adj. 当代的

attire [əˋtaɪr] n. 服装

spontaneously [spɔnˋteniəslɪ] adj. 自发地

bill [bɪl] n. 节目单 a statement or list of particulars, such as a theater program or menu

grassroots [ˋgræsˋruts] adj. 来自民间的

refer to somebody/something 提到; 谈论 to mention or talk about someone or something

mainstream [ˋmen͵strim] n.〔思想或行为〕的主流

Idiom

keep you guessing 让某人捉摸不定 to cause you to be uncertain

anything go 什么都可以 anything is permissible or likely to be tolerated

put together 组成整体 to construct; create

课文朗读

课文讲解

The carefree spirit of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival proved to be contagious, as several other cities sought to replicate its success. With imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, cities such as Toronto, Melbourne, and New York started hosting their own Fringe Festivals. And in 2008, Taipei City also followed suit. This action was initiated by the Department of Cultural Affairs, as members wanted to provide talented local artists with a platform to express themselves freely to the public. Corporate sponsors also agreed to chip in and absorb some of the costs to promote their businesses and ensure that the artists could earn some money for their efforts.

爱丁堡艺穗节无忧无虑的精神结果证明是富感染力的，因世界各地其他城市试图复制其成功的模式。所谓「模仿是最真诚的恭维」，诸如多伦多、墨尔本、纽约等各大城市都开始举办自己的艺穗节，台北市也于2008年起而效尤。这个活动由台北市文化局发起，该单位成员希望提供一个平台，让本土有才华的艺术家们能向大众自由地展现自己的才能。企业赞助商也同意资助负担部分活动费用，在促销商品的同时也确保艺术家们能因本身的努力而获得一些金钱回馈。

At the Taipei Fringe Festival, you’ll have the chance to see independent artists show their skills in front of live audiences. Like the Edinburgh festival, the Taipei festival is open to all artists and no constrains are placed on performers. In the past three years, audiences have been treated to a wide variety of performances including music, theater, dance, music plays, and pantomime. In addition, exhibitions that showcased Chinese astrology and fortune-telling provided the festival with some local flavor.

在台北艺穗节的活动中，你将有机会亲眼见识到独立艺术工作者们当场展现其技艺。如同爱丁堡艺穗节，台北艺穗节也开放给所有艺术家们参加，对表演者的资格也没有任何限制。过去三届的活动中，阅听大众享受到各式各样的表演，包含音乐、戏剧、舞蹈、音乐剧以及哑剧。此外，展览中所展示的中国占星术以及算命也为这个节庆增添了几分地方色彩。

This year, the Taipei Fringe Festival is being held from August 27th to September 11th. It takes place at various venues including cafés, parks, plazas and art galleries. Collectively, these performances will give vibrant, young artists in Taipei a chance to perform. So, be sure to join in the festivities and celebrate the finest and most unusual performances that the art world has to offer.

今年，台北艺穗节于8月27日至9月11日举办。节庆活动会在各种不同的场地进行，包括咖啡厅、公园、露天广场及艺廊。整体来说，这些表演将给予身在台北蓄势待发的青年艺术家们崭露头角的机会。请务必躬逢其盛，一同欢庆艺术界所提供最棒、最不平凡的飨宴。

－by Jamie Blackler

Vocabulary

单词发音

carefree [ˋkɛr͵fri] adj. 无忧无虑的

contagious [kənˋtedʒəs] adj. 感染性的；会蔓延的

initiate [ɪˋnɪʃɪɪt] v. 开始；创始

constraint [kənˋstrent] n. 限制

pantomime [ˋpæntə͵maɪm] n. 哑剧

showcase [ˋʃo͵kes] v. 使展现；使亮相

astrology [əˋstrɑlədʒɪ] n. 占星术

fortune-telling [ˋfɔrtʃən͵tɛlɪŋ] n. 算命

gallery [ˋgælərɪ] n. 画廊

collectively [kəˋlɛktɪvlɪ] adv. 全体地

Idiom

imitation being the sincerest form of flattery 模仿是最真诚的恭维  copying someone is flattering because it shows you want to be like that person

follow suit  跟着做  to follow in the same pattern; to follow someone else's example

chip in 捐助 to contribute money or labor

Reading Questions

1.   How did the Edinburg Fringe Festival originate?

(A)  It was founded by a large corporation.

(B)  It took its name from another popular event.

(C)  It was a copy of another similar festival in NY.

(D)  It started during another famous festival.

2.   Which of the following statements about the Edinburg Fringe Festival is NOT true?

(A)  The event is less than 100 years old.

(B)  The performances are somewhat predictable.

(C)  It wasn’t well known at first, but over time, it gained popularity.

(D)  Many of the artists involved aren’t famous celebrities.

3.   How is the Taipei Fringe Festival different from the one in Edinburg?

(A)  Artists must meet certain requirements to perform.

(B)  It will feature some traditional Chinese arts like astrology.

(C)  More performers are expected to be at the Taipei event.

(D)  The Taipei Festival is expected to draw larger crowds.

4.   What would be the best title for this article?

(A)  The History of the Edinburg Fringe Festival

(B)  The Sudden Demise of the Fringe Festival

(C)  The Fringe Festival Goes Global

(D)  The Artists of the Fringe Festival Take the Stage

Best of Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Wassabaa ,The 4th Taipei Fringe Festival 2011

Answer