[中] [ENG] 可持續發展中的舞台光影

文：陳一云 Amy Chan

《A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction》A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction

照片由巴比肯藝術中心網頁提供 Photo provided by the website of Barbican Centre

氣候變化、環保和可持續性已成為每人生活中經常面對的處境，也是表演藝術及舞台美學不能迴避的議題。提到環保節能，大眾最容易想起的就是電器的能源效益。在舞台美學中，燈具是較先轉化的一環。在各國的環保節能條例推動下，舞台燈具生產商緊隨步伐，由主力生產傳統大功率的鹵素燈及高強度氣體放電燈，逐漸轉型生產能源效益較高及功率較低的LED台燈；在劇院翻新時，LED台燈的使用比例也隨之提升。此外，國際大型舞台設備展銷亦設有獎項表揚具可持續性的台燈或舞台裝備。正如澳洲舞台美學家及生態設計師Tanja Beer博士在其2021年著作《Ecoscenography: An Introduction to Ecological Design for Performance》中所言，這些改用LED台燈的生態效率（eco-efficiency）手段確實有效減少能源損耗。然而，僅依賴這些手段，是否足以令舞台表演更具可持續性呢？

事實上，無論從本地的分享及觀察，或海外案例分析（Chan & Cheung，2022），都發現劇場表演普遍變得愈來愈亮，演出的平均光度愈來愈強。這現象的成因固然是多方面的，例如城巿生活中的強光（及光污染）如何潛移默化影響觀眾及舞台工作者對光度的渴求，但不可否認的是，當功率低、亮度大的LED台燈及LED屏幕變得唾手可得時，假如舞台燈光工作者不反思舞台表演的整體可持續性，便容易流於燈具環保但過度使用之困境，無法達至真正環保效果，甚至適得其反。

Ecoscenography by Tenja Beer

Beer在書中亦指出，生態效益模式的舞台設計雖是邁向可持續性的一步，但其目的只志在盡量減少消耗，卻未能從本質上反思當代社會的過度消費及消耗，以及動搖以人類為中心、藝術為重、生態為輕的牢固思想。要實現真正的可持續舞台設計，必須通過多樣的生態設計實踐，跳出只緩解資源損耗之思想限制。Beer提出了不同的實踐模式，其中的循環設計（circular design）以循環經濟（circular economy）和升級再造（upcycling）為基礎，強調再生能源的理念，正好可應用於舞台燈光設計。書中援引兩個例子：Prue Lang的舞蹈作品《Un réseau translucide》，以及編舞 William Yong和生態設計師Ian Garrett合作之作品《vox:lumen》，異曲同工地探索如何通過創新的舞台裝置將舞蹈動作的動能轉化為電能，為舞台燈光供電。這樣的裝置不僅實現了能源的循環再用，還影響了舞蹈動作本身，突破了純粹以概念及美學為主的創作模式，讓設計、表演美學及可持續性有機地相互影響，環保概念變成激發創作的來源之一，而非單純的限制。

在舞蹈以外，也能找到帶有循環設計理念的創作。英國著名劇場導演Katie Mitchell一直關注氣候變化並創作相關議題的劇場作品。2020年，她邀請瑞士洛桑劇院和編舞 Jérôme Bel合作，並得洛桑大學參與評估，研發減少碳足跡的巡迴演出模式。最終二人各自交出了作品，Bel 的作品正是今年在香港藝術節上演的《謝洛姆．貝爾》，而 Mitchell的就是劇場作品《A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction》（台譯名《寫給滅絕時代》）。《寫》劇不單通過文本探討女性生態主義，在製作模式上也盡量減少碳排放：Mitchell本人不會飛到巡演地點，而是提供詳盡的製作指引，在線上與當地藝術團隊合作，並賦予其藝術自主度。不過，每次巡演都必須遵守一些簡單的舞台設計規定：舞台上的燈光及音響必須僅由台上的發電單車供電，而全台只能使用150瓦的電力。究竟150瓦的燈光是個怎樣的概念？現在劇場常用的LED台燈，單獨一支都幾乎超過150瓦，而以一個可容納三百多觀眾的劇場為例，一般演出可用上二十多支類似的台燈，即是一個演出的燈光至少是150瓦的二十多倍。雖然筆者未曾親身觀看《寫》劇，但從網上演出圖片所見，不同的巡演版本的燈光設計都達到可見度和燈光設計美學雙贏。強光度的燈光設計不是必然或必須的，重點在於設計理念和美學。

從以上例子可見，可持續的舞台設計不僅僅是節能減碳，而是與演出意念和美學緊緊扣連，同時也挑戰既有的美學和製作模式。在創作舞台美學的同時考慮可持續性，表面上看似是一種限制，但實際上卻是對藝術工作者和觀眾的刺激，重新想像舞台設計和演出美學的無限可能性。

註：文中關於舞台燈具的討論承蒙燈光設計師崔婉芬及舞台燈光工作者林惠意的分享，特此鳴謝。

參考資料：

Beer, T. (2021). Ecoscenography: An Introduction to Ecological Design for Performance. 1st ed. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.

Chan, A., & Cheung, N. (2022, June 14). Reimagining Light, Technology and Spectatorship in Contemporary Theatre. Critical Stages/Scènes critiques. https://www.critical-stages.org/25/reimagining-light-technology-and-spectatorship-in-contemporary-theatre/

Cappelle, L. (2022, March 3). This Play Is Touring Europe. But No One’s Going Anywhere. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/theater/a-play-for-the-living-in-a-time-of-extinction.html

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陳一云

從事燈光藝術及劇場的創作及研究，探索光影之音樂性、關係性和物質性。 (www.amychan-light.com)

The Role of Stage Lighting in Sustainable Development

Author: Amy Chan

Translator: Laura Chan

Climate change, environmental protection, and sustainability have become challenging scenarios to navigate in our daily lives, and these are also issues that cannot be avoided in the performing arts, including stage aesthetics. When it comes to saving energy, the public often thinks of the energy efficiency of electrical appliances. In stage aesthetics, lighting was one of the first elements to undergo eco-friendly transformation. Driven by the energy conservation regulations in various countries, stage lighting manufacturers gradually shifted from producing traditional high-power halogen lamps and high-intensity gas discharge lamps to producing more energy efficient and lower power LED stage lights. The use of LED stage lights also increased in theatre renovations. Additionally, many international stage equipment exhibitions now present awards to recognise sustainable stage lighting or equipment. As Australian stage scenographer and ecological designer Dr Tanja Beer stated in her 2021 work Ecoscenography: An Introduction to Ecological Design for Performance, switching to LED stage lights did effectively reduce energy consumption. However, is it possible to make stage performances sufficiently sustainable by relying solely on these measures?

《謝洛姆·貝爾》| 照片由香港藝術節提供

Jérôme Bel | Photo provided by Hong Kong Art Festival

In fact, both local and overseas case studies (Chan & Cheung, 2022) reveal that lighting in theatre performances is generally becoming brighter, with the average luminosity growing stronger. There are many causes for this phenomenon, for example, the strong lighting (and light pollution) in cities has influenced the level of brightness audiences and stage workers demand. However, it is undeniable that when low-power, high-brightness LED stage lights and LED screens become easily available, stage lighting designers may overuse the seemingly eco-friendly lighting if they do not reflect on the overall sustainability of stage performances; in the end they may fail to achieve environmental protection and even contribute to creating the opposite effect.

Beer also stated in her book that while using ecological efficiency models in stage designs was a step towards sustainability, it could only minimise consumption but would not highlight contemporary society's over-consumption or uproot the entrenched mindset that prioritises people and art while ignoring the environment. To achieve truly sustainable stage design, it is essential to move beyond merely reducing consumption levels to embrace dynamic ecological designs. Beer proposed various models, such as circular design, which is based on the concepts of circular economy and upcycling. It emphasises the use of renewable energy, which is particularly applicable to stage lighting design. The book cited two examples: Prue Lang’s dance work Un réseau translucide, and the collaborative work between choreographer William Yong and ecological designer Ian Garrett, vox:lumen. Both works explored how innovative stage installations could convert kinetic energy in dance moves into electricity which could be supplied to power stage lighting. The installations did not only achieve energy recycling, but also impacted the dance movements themselves, as they were no longer created based solely on concepts and aesthetics. They allowed design, performance aesthetics, and sustainability to organically influence each other, and make environmental protection an inspiration rather than a limitation.

In addition to dance, there were other creations that incorporated the idea of circular design. Renowned British theatre director Katie Mitchell is concerned about climate change and has created theatre work relevant to this. In 2020, she invited the Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne and choreographer Jérôme Bel to collaborate, with evaluation support from the Université de Lausanne, on a touring model that reduced carbon footprint. Bel created his piece, Jérôme Bel, which was performed at the Hong Kong Arts Festival this year; while Mitchell created the theatre work, A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction, exploring ecofeminism while reducing carbon emission in its production. Mitchell did not fly to the tour locations and instead provided detailed production guidelines, collaborating online with local artistic teams and granting them autonomy in production. On the other hand, each tour had to adhere to certain stage design principles. The lighting and sound on stage had to be powered solely by a bicycle electric generator, and the total power usage was limited to 150 watts. What does 150 watts of lighting look like? A single typical LED stage light used in theatres often exceeds 150 watts by itself, and a theatre accommodating an audience of over 300 people would use more than twenty LED lights, thus exceeding  the limit twenty times. Although I have not personally seen Mitchell’s play, images online show that all the different tour versions were able to achieve visibility and artistic quality in their lighting design. It proved that high-intensity lighting was not a must; what mattered was design philosophy and aestheticism.

《vox:lumen》vox:lumen | 照片由Ian Garrett 個人網頁提供

《vox:lumen》vox:lumen | Photo provided by Ian Garrett's personal website

To conclude, sustainable stage design is not just about energy saving and carbon reduction; it is closely intertwined with performance concepts and aesthetics, while challenging existing aesthetic and production models. Taking sustainability into consideration might appear to be a limitation in creating designs, but in reality it encourages artists and audiences to reimagine the infinite possibilities of stage design and performance aesthetics.

Note: I would like to express my gratitude to lighting designer Psyche Chui and stage lighting professional Lam Wai-Yee for their generous sharing, which has made the discussion of stage lighting in this article possible.

Bibliography:

Beer, T. (2021). Ecoscenography: An Introduction to Ecological Design for Performance. 1st ed. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan.

Chan, A., & Cheung, N. (2022, June 14). Reimagining Light, Technology and Spectatorship in Contemporary Theatre. Critical Stages/Scènes critiques. https://www.critical-stages.org/25/reimagining-light-technology-and-spectatorship-in-contemporary-theatre/

Cappelle, L. (2022, March 3). This Play Is Touring Europe. But No One’s Going Anywhere. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/theater/a-play-for-the-living-in-a-time-of-extinction.html

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Amy Chan

Engaged in creation and research on theatre and lighting art, exploring the musicality, relationality, and materiality of light and shadow. (www.amychan-light.com)