《香料之路》

內容簡介：

從兩千年前開始，香料交易是促進貫穿亞非歐的海上絲綢之路的關鍵元素，所以此路線依稱為「香料之路」。路上珍貴的香料、糧食、商品交易帶來文明互通，亦帶來了權力競爭、民族衝突，同時使思想、宗教、語言及藝術在碰撞中互相融和及創新，帶來人類文明，促進了全球化的發展。直至現在，一切看似理所當然地往前推進，無遠弗屆。但是，我們的資源並非取之不盡；我們都必須正視生態環境問題，繼而反思飲食習慣對這個世界所帶來的影響。十位同世代的藝術家聚在一起，攜手創作一場以食物為題的表演，並重新省視我們的《香料之路》。

社區文化發展中心聯同亞洲民眾戲劇節協會（香港）， Théâtre de l’Ordinaire（法國）， Sarwanam Theatre Group （尼泊爾）， Natya Chetana（印度）， Umuti Kreativ (Arts for Change Centre) （烏干達）， AFCA for Arts and Culture （埃及）， Theater GegenStand （德國）， TAE Perú （秘魯） ，策劃了一場藝術、文化和故事交流的國際劇場。劇場工作者將以他們真實的故事和經歷、揉合各地劇場風格，並嘗試對劇場，音樂和語言進行新的詮釋，從而編排一場劇場演出。以糧食作為題材、作為比喻，探討食物在個人之記憶、道德抉擇、社會和宗教，以及傳統習俗之間引發的議題：人口減少、經濟失衡、尊嚴等等。

突然間，一場席捲全球的疫情打斷了一切秩序，原本被打破的邊界被重新建立，世界的流動戛然而止；這些是否預言著，人類社會的大限將至？

在疫情之下，《香料之路》團隊看不到曙光，但他們沒有停下來，反而積極籌備演出。十位劇場藝術者失去了到劇場表演的自由，其活動和可表達自我的空間也受到限制。這將會是一場不受邊界局限、充滿無窮想像力的表演。

《香料之路》將通過表演者的自身經歷，向觀眾訴說故事，一個未完成的故事、一個世界被隔離的故事，一個想像未來可能性的故事。邀請大家一同改變未來，不再設限。

演出系列：

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計畫／藝術節：

靠邊站藝術節2021

藝術範疇：

戲劇

The Spice Road

Presented by: MA in Cultural Management Programme - Department of Cultural and Religious Studies - The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Produced by: Centre for Community Cultural Development, théâtre de l'ordinaire
Platform: Cloud Theatre

Synopsis: Since 2000 years ago, the Spice Road has become prominent when spices were treated as rare treasures that exist only in certain areas of the world. The trades of spices, goods, food also brought cultural exchanges, power and economic domination, conflicts and political struggles. Concepts, technology, religions, languages and arts were shared along the routes as the earliest form of globalisation. For centuries we thought that all these resources were Boundless. However, our resources are not inexhaustible, and the world today must face up to major ecological issues that call into question the way we eat. The idea was to bring together 10 artists from the same generation to create a show around the food and rethinking our own « spice-road ».

Based on the true stories and experiences of the artists sent by these groups, the team will create a theatre piece, fusing the art forms from all cultures to experiment with new interpretations of physical theatre, music and languages. The theme of the creation will focus on issues related to food, as materials and as metaphors, fusing personal stories of memories and ethical choices, social and religious decisions on food consumption, traditional practices that undermine certain populations, economic imbalance of corporate power and food producers, individual versus collective fight for dignity, and so on.

Now, for the first time in centuries a large part of humanity has found itself deprived of movement and of this ability to meet. Is it a harbinger that the world as we know it is not unlimited?

This “spice road” project, like many others, could not see the light of day. The team has however decided not to stop at the pandemic and to make this event a spectacle. Since food was considered essential unlike art in many countries in this strange period, let them assert themselves as essential. Imagine 10 artists deprived of their freedom to perform. Theater artists are limited in their movement and in their ability to express themselves. The idea will therefore be to create a form without worrying about the limits of these new borders because the power of the imagination is Boundless.

The Spice Road will therefore tell us this story. The story we are living right now through the eyes of these actors. The project will be the story of an unfinished project. It will be the story of a world at a standstill. And the possibility of thinking about the future. Think about the future to change it. No longer limit yourself. To be realistic and ask for Boundlessness.

Scheme/ Festival: Along the Edge Arts Festival 2021
Art Form: Drama

Director: Maxime Sechaud
Advisors / Dramaturgs: Mok Chiu Yu, Subodh Patnaik, Ashesh Malla
Producer: Mok Chiu Yu
Production Manager: Wan Wing Yan Tiffany
Technical Co-ordinator: Wong Kwong San Kelvin
Deputy Technical Manager: Chen Yi-ching
Performers: Benjamin Colin, Cristina Gutiérrez, Isra Abdulmawgod, Kathrin Goosses, Manoj Maharjan, Rogers Williams Mpaata Otako, Subodh Patnaik, Ng Man Kei Eric, Ng Yee Ki Kiki