Theater takes the streets of Suwon
Seobook-gongshimdon, the northwestern observation tower of Hwaseong Fortress, was chosen to symbolize the 2016 Visit Suwon Hwaseong Year. [SUWON CITY GOVERNMENT]
The upcoming festival will be composed of various programs, including six performances staged by foreign participants and 18 plays by prominent Korean theater companies and local communities. The festival is also set to include play readings, an exhibition, martial arts demonstrations and a zone for kids. With indoor venues such as the Suwon SK Atrium and KBS Suwon Art Hall, visitors will be able to enjoy performances no matter the weather.
On the evening of May 5, the theater festival will kick off with “Kaosmos” by Spain’s Grupo Puja as they put on a dynamic show about the creation of the universe and the explosive forces that set the world into motion. Dating back to 1998, Kaosmos integrates theater, circus, dance, architecture, engineering and live music into one grand performance referred to as “aerial theater.” The piece has since been performed in over 20 countries in North America, the Middle East, South America and Asia. Featuring acrobatics performed at dizzying heights, it is sure to dazzle audiences gathered in the city’s Haenggung Square.
On May 6 and 8, visitors will be treated to “Fiers Á Cheval” by France’s La Compagnie des Quidams, a visually stunning performance where puppeteers in costumes animate glowing, inflatable horses. The show makes use of fog and the contrast between light and dark to create surreal, dream-like scenes. Illuminated equine figures strut and gallop in the dark, telling tales of faraway lands.
During the festival, Suwon will also host “Wanted” by Italian group Eventi Verticali, an acrobatic performance featuring a massive vertical screen on which images depicting 1980s video games will be projected. Suspended in mid-air, acrobats perform comedic stunts such as being chased by the police. The 2-D imagery changes to reflect the actions of the performers, sucking the audience into an animated world with 3-D elements.
Last year, “Prince Valiant” by the Spanish troupe Carros de Foc was staged for the first time during the Suwon Theater Festival. [SUWON CITY GOVERNMENT]
“The Budapest Marionettes” by Hungarian puppeteer Bence Sarkadi will be staged at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. every day of the festival. The one-man puppet show involves a range of different marionettes acting out short stories accompanied by music. Sarkadi started working with marionettes in 1999 and took his act around the world in 2007, performing on streets and stages across six continents. The 25-minute performances are entirely nonverbal, making them enjoyable for visitors of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
“Screen Man” by Spain’s El Teatre de L’home Dibuixat is another performance scheduled throughout the festival. In it, a single interpreter manipulates objects and puppets as original music plays in the background. An overhead projector displays fluid images on a screen with which the interpreter interacts. The audiovisual performance has received numerous accolades since its addition to the Valencia-based group’s list of theatrical productions.
In contrast, the festival’s 18 national programs include performances of traditional Korean music and folklore.
One such performance is “Assarabia ChunHyang,” a humorous take on “The Tale of Chunhyang,” one of the best-known Korean love stories. The comedic musical set in ancient times will be staged in Haenggung Square at 3 p.m. on May 5 and 6.
Similarly, the Nottle Theatre Company will add a Korean twist to one of Shakespeare’s best-known tragedies, “King Lear.” The outdoor play follows the story of a Korean King Lear, a Joseon ruler dethroned by his daughters and banished to Hwaseong Haenggung Palace. There, he is plagued by nightmares and sleepwalks through the palace grounds like a ghost. The play was designed to be performed at the actual palace, working around the historic building with strategically placed sound and light effects.
On May 7, visitors can experience the joy that is “Vaga & Bond,” a nonverbal comedy sketch by Project M.O.A. The performance consists of two actors pantomiming and transforming the stage into everything from a boxing ring to a ballet studio. The audience is invited to join in and interact with the actors, shaping the performance in unpredictable and fun ways. Visitors can catch “Vaga & Bond” in action at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Jidong Bridge at Namdaemun Market.
From April 29 through May 8, high school and university students majoring in the arts will participate in the “University Theater Festival,” a festival within a festival where young performers are given the opportunity to live out their dreams. Their plays and musicals will be held in three indoor theaters: KBS Suwon Art Hall, Suwon SK Artrium and Hannuri Art Hall at Jangan Community Center.
Suwon has also introduced programs to ensure that locals will be able to enjoy the festivities both as audience members and performers. Its play-reciting sessions allow citizens to become the main characters in their own stories, while the “Suwon Drama Festival For All” is an event for the city’s theater communities to showcase their own performances.
Through this year’s festival, Suwon hopes to get one step closer to becoming a cultural hub. For more information on the Suwon Theater Festival, visit www.suwontf.or.kr.
BY PARK HYE-MI [park.hyemi@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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