South
Korean theatre company Yohangza are full of enthusiasm and energy,
with unique Korean-style movements, facial expression and
vocalization.
The
best known section of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s
Dream’ is when the lovers Hermia and Lysander travel through the
forest to escape her fathers wrath, followed by her friend Helena
and Demetrius, her father’s preferred suitor. Whilst lost in the
night Oberon and the meddling Puck play with the humans lives.
Simultaneously Oberon angered by his queen Titania, places an
enchantment on her to fall in love with the first living thing she
sees.
The
Yohangza company show the fairies from Korean mythical folklore (Tokebi) having a big party,
Oberon becomes Dot played by Park Sun Hee, the Queen of the Tokebi.
Oberon is angry with Titanis now Kabi (Kwon Young Ho) because of
his philandering with every human woman he meets. Sending Puck now
called Duduri a particularly mischievous Tokebi who has been split
into twins (Jeon Jung Young and Chang Hyn Seok) after a foul
smelling plant which bewitches anyone to fall in love with the
next living thing they see.
Whilst
wandering through the forest Oberon sees Helena now Ik (Kim Eun
Hee) and Demetrius now Rue (Kim Jun Wan) and decides to help Ik in
her wooing of Rue. Mistakenly the Puck’s place the enchantment
on Lysander now Hang (Lee Seoung Hwan), who wakes to find Ik and
falls madly in love with her.
Hermia
now Byock (Kim Jee Young) wakens to find herself deserted. On
finding the others she is distraught to find everything has
changed.
Bottom
becomes Ajumi (Park So Young) and is an old woman wandering
looking for herbs she is turned into a pig, she becomes the first
living thing Dot sees and falls madly in love with.
Full of
amazing costumes, superb makeup, the performers all sing, dance
and play musical instruments.
Although only a few words of English are spoken the piece
is so well performed we don’t need any translations.
For
me this has been one of my Fringe highlights so far. See it if you
can.
*****
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