芭芭與南管戲的碰撞與接觸是跨國、跨文化及跨領域的接觸。這樣的接觸是丹麥歐丁劇場與台灣江之翠劇場的接觸，是西方與東方劇場的接觸，也是現代實驗劇場與傳統戲曲的接觸。這樣的接觸除了開創了劇場的新視野與想像，也可說是台灣劇場界一件難得的盛事。但我們要質問，這樣的接觸對劇場界而言到底是屬於那一種類型的接觸？是表面膚淺的接觸？是趕流行彰顯異國情調的接觸？是所謂東方主義下的產物？是某種形式的第三類接觸嗎？又甚麼是第三類接觸？可以被歸屬於芭芭所謂的「第三劇場」或「歐亞劇場」嗎？又這樣的接觸與後殖民和後現代劇場的關係是甚麼？本論文的目的在探索、理解與分析芭芭與南管戲已進行兩次的第三類接觸。論文援引荷米‧巴巴的兩個概念──「混種」與「第三空間」──和芭芭自己的理論，特別是「第三劇場」與「歐亞劇場」概念，來討論所謂的第三類接觸。除此之外，劇場跨文化的協商溝通需要一種獨特的倫理學來理解在地劇場與文化他者的關係與互動。在此面向，本論文援引列維納斯「與他者遭遇」的理論與葛羅托斯基的劇場遭遇論，來作一步的闡釋與討論。再者，本論文也試圖整合各家跨文化表演理論，包括佛南多‧歐提茲所提出的「文化轉移」概念、克里斯多夫‧龐的「融合劇場」概念、派翠斯‧巴維斯的「沙漏時鐘」模式、賈克琳‧羅和海倫‧吉爾伯特所提出能夠突顯溝通折衝過程的「雙向交流」對話模式及勾梅茲－皮納所謂的「邊緣藝術」等理論，搭建一個理論平台，做為討論跨文化表演的對話基礎。

The theatrical encounter between Barba and Nanguan opera is a transnational, transcultural, trans-disciplinary event. It is at once an encounter between the Odin Teatret in Denmark and the Gang-a-tsui Theatre in Taiwan, and one between Western experimental theatre and Eastern traditional opera. This close encounter opens up our theatrical vision and imagination, and is considered a major event in Taiwan theatre circles. Certainly this theatrical encounter between Barba and nanguan opera is a contested event of constant negotiations. How do we come to terms with this kind of theatrical encounter. Is it just a trendy promotional event whose purpose is to sell exoticism? Is it an example of Orientalism which reflects Westerner’s interpretations of Eastern cultures and peoples? Is it really a “theatrical encounter of the third kind”? Can we ascribe it to what Barba calls “the third theatre” or “Eurasian theatre”? What is its relevance to postcolonial theatre or postmodern theatre? This paper examines the theatrical encounters between Barba and nanguan opera, attempting not only to trace, contextualize and map out the trailings of this theatrical event but also to provide it with a theoretical framework built on diverse theories and perspectives, such as Homi Bhabha’s notions of hybridity and the third space, and Barba’s performance theories, especially the concepts of the third theatre and Eurasian theatre. In addition, this paper uses Levinas’s and Grotowski’s theories of encounter as well as some theories of intercultural performance, including Fernado Ortiz’s notion of transculturation, Christopher Balme’s idea of Syncretic Theatre, Patrice Pavis’s hourglass model, Jacqueline Lo and Helen Gilbert’s interactive exchange model, Gómez-Peña’s concept of border arts, etc., to discuss intercultural human relationships and negotiations.