Seoul Shakespeare Company brings King Lear to Daehangno

Michael Downey, right, and Christopher Zaczek take part in a dress rehearsal for Seoul Shakespeare Company's "King Lear" production, set to premiere May 18. Courtesy of Robert Evans

By Hallie Bradley

Seoul Shakespeare Company will be presenting Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, "King Lear," every Saturday and Sunday from May 18 to June 2 at Theater Egg and Nucleus in the Daehangno district of Seoul.

"King Lear" is an entertaining play showing intense connections between people and their need for love, as it depicts a king who comes to the realization that he is actually not divine and is just a man suffering like the men beneath him. The production will be performed in English with Korean subtitles.

It is also the final production for artistic director and producer Lauren Ash-Morgan and stage director and actor Michael Downey. Ash-Morgan and Downey have been involved in Seoul Shakespeare Company since its 2011 inception, starting out as actors and eventually taking on more weighty positions.

"In the last four years, our goal has been to aspire to a high standard of artistic excellence; to produce shows that are fast, energetic and captivating, that use the skills we have amassed over the years as performers and theater practitioners, including ― and especially and most recently ― the wonderful experience we had learning from some of the best Shakespeare exponents in the world at Prague Shakespeare Company's 2018 Summer Shakespeare Intensive," Downey said.

For their final production with the experienced cast and some very talented newcomers that have joined this year, "King Lear," considered one of Shakespeare's greatest and most challenging plays, was chosen as the swan song for these two talented and passionate members.

Ash-Morgan explained, "One of the reasons I was initially drawn to King Lear is its sensibility that feels a lot like the Korean concept of han and lends itself well to the rough, earthy, cathartic sounds of gugak."

After training for years in traditional Korean music and dance (gugak), she has added subtle references to this tradition through choreography, costuming and design throughout the performances she has produced, but this is the first time she will be highlighting the Korean backdrop of a production.

"In this production, we're including a beginning and ending that make use of the fact that we are in Korea, in the 21st century, and that will help us to dive into the world of King Lear and then re-emerge from that world, having shared an experience together," Ash-Morgan explained.

Downey will also be making his return to the stage, playing King Lear. "I really enjoyed my time as stage director," he said. "It was great because I got to create the kind of shows that I'd want to be in as an actor. But now it's good to return to acting, and lovely to be directed by Lauren because although our temperaments as directors are different, her style and artistic taste is similar to mine, so it works really well."

Seoul Shakespeare Company is a not-for-profit all-volunteer theater company that has been producing engaging quality productions since 2011. The company seeks to produce high-caliber productions that allow local artists and actors to hone their craft. It produces one major show each spring and self-funds through an Indiegogo campaign, which is currently live, and via ticket sales for the show.

Though Ash-Morgan and Downey will be departing in the hopes of starting their own small theater company in the U.S., Seoul Shakespeare Company is anything but finished.

"It's important that we allow time for a smooth transition of Seoul Shakespeare Company to its new leadership, so although Michael and I will still be around for a while, we'll be transitioning away from Seoul Shakespeare Company after this year's production in order to allow our new artistic director and team to take on their new roles," Ash-Morgan said.

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