Transnationalism, translation and theatre: Gao Xingjian's plays

Since settling in France, Chinese-born playwright, director, novelist, painter and Nobel- prize winner, Gao Xingjian has written in both Chinese and French, sometimes with the help of translators and sometimes without, sometimes first writing in Chinese and sometimes first writing in French.

With the growing presence of transnational writers writing in a second language, or in Gao’s case in two languages it becomes imperative to ask questions of translation. This seminar will aim to explore the process of linguistic and cultural assimilation and alienation as embedded in the writing/translation, questioning whether the texts produced in both languages are the product and extension of cultural fluidity, which is part of these authors’ – in this case Gao- transnational artistic nature.

Equating transnationalism and writing/translation processes not only will help unveil the volatile nature of cultural and linguistic identity but also discard the binary between East and West. I chose to focus mainly on Gao’s theatre work - in particular one play Shensijie/Au borde de la vie/ Between Life and Death – because in theatre there is another level of translation, one of adaptation for the stage where the written words need to be considered in their performative function.