我们认为中国话剧是上世纪末叶在时代变革的潮流中萌生的,这比之过去通常的说法要早若干年。一八四○年鸦片战争之后,帝国主义列强入侵,满清政府的反动统治日趋腐败,广大人民生活在水深火热之中,有志之士乃群起谋求救国救民之道。戏剧界中亦不乏有心人,他们响应着时代的召唤,对传统戏曲进行改革,编演了摆脱歌舞化的戏曲形态的“时事新戏”,无唱工,无做工,穿着时装,那就可以说是具有生活化的语言、动作形态的话剧的雏形了。稍后,上海学生受外国侨民和教会学校演戏的影响,模仿西方演剧 We think that Chinese drama started in the late twentieth century in the trend of the changing times, which is several years earlier than usual. After the Opium War of 1840, the imperialists invaded. The reactionary rule of the Manchu government became increasingly corrupt. The vast majority of the people lived in dire straits. People with lofty ideals set out to seek ways to save the country and save the people. There is no lack of people in the theater industry. In response to the call of the times, they have carried out reforms on traditional operas and arranged new episodes of “current affairs” that break away from song-and-dance drama. There is no singing, no work, and fashion, and it can be said to be With the language of life, the form of action drama prototype. Later, influenced by the acting of foreign nationals and church schools, Shanghai students imitated Western drama