目前,书坛上出现了不景气。传统书目恢复演出后,老年听众反映质量不高,青年听众反映听不懂,不愿听,书场上座率低,有些书场干脆放电影,演滑稽戏。评弹该怎么办?关心评弹事业的人忧心忡忡,有人提出评弹要革新,不革新争取不到新听众。我也认为评弹是要革新,革新才是评弹艺术发展的道路,但“万变不能离其宗”,评弹的革新不能脱离评弹艺术的规律。就拿我说的一部《英烈》讲,所晓得的几位老前辈如叶声扬、许继祥、蒋一飞等就对《英烈》的说表、角色、噱、动作、演出作了不少革新,正是这样,一部《英烈》至今还受到听众的欢迎。但是,在革新的过程中还应注意“四性”,这也是我五十多年来摸索的一些肤浅体会。所谓“四性”,就是 At present, there has been a slump in the book market. After the traditional bureaus resume performance, the elderly audience reflect the quality is not high, young listeners do not understand, do not want to hear, bookstall attendance is low, some bookstores just put the film, play a funny show. Pingtan how to do? Concerned about the bombing cause people worried, it was suggested Pingxue to be innovative, not innovation to win no new audience. I also think that Pingtan is to be reformed, and innovation is the way of Pingtan art development. However, “change can not be divorced from reality” and the reform of Pingtan can not be separated from the law of Pingtan art. Take what I said of a “heroic” talk. Some old veterans whom I knew, such as Ye Shengyang, Xu Jixiang and Jiang Yifei, made a lot of innovations in talking and playing roles, gimmicks, movements and performances So, a “heroic” is still welcome by the audience. However, we should also pay attention to “four characteristics” in the course of reform and this is also some superficial experience that I have been exploring for more than 50 years. The so-called “four sexes” means