Daddy: Moving, Multimedia Show for Family
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
In time for Family Month, there are numerous cultural activities encouraging families to spend time together. Among them is ``Daddy, I Love You,'' perfect for Parents Day today. A heartwarming tale about a father and son, it's a small but memorable ― and visually striking ― play that will delight techno-savvy children and their parents throughout the summer.
While geared toward children, ``Daddy'' tugs at the heartstrings of everyone. At the premiere Saturday, more adults were seen tearing up during the heartfelt moments while children reacted strongly to the comedy.
Filled with cheerful music and dashes of friendly humor, it is a spectacle that keeps your attention. The smart production effectively utilizes the tight space and timeframe (one hour), like entertaining the audience with a glow-in-the-dark flower show during blackout scene changes. The flashy multimedia backdrops, including a stunning array of digital flower images, were eye-catching.
Based on an original script by the company, ``Daddy'' is about a young horse named Cici and his father Walker. Once a happy wild stallion, Walker is captured by an evil farmer and is forced to slave away on the farm. Other captured horses are sold as pets, racing horses and for the use of the cavalry.
Free-spirited Cici dreams of running free in vast green fields, and convinces his father and friends to escape. With the help of a fairy, the group succeeds. But freedom always comes with a price, especially as the farmer tenaciously tracks them down.
``While motherly love is widely noticed and appreciated, fatherly love is often overseen,'' actor Oh Min-young, who plays the part of Cici's friend, told The Korea Times. ``Fathers are usually away from home to work so he can nurture his family. But many children don't seem to appreciate that.
``You will notice in the play that both the father and son repeatedly say `thank you' and `I love you.' People don't seem say that enough, particularly children who take their parents' love for granted. I hope the play will inspire kids to thank their parents, especially their fathers,'' he said.
Yu In-chon, minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism minister and head of the theater company, was seen that day. ``It's the first day so the play is still rough around the edges. I think they'll improve as it goes on,'' he told The Korea Times.
A well-known TV personality and professor at Chungang Univ., Yu had also played a horse a few years ago for a theatrical performance of Tolstoy's ``Kholstomer: Story of a Horse.''
``It's funny how our theater group keeps staging stories about horses,'' he laughed. The plotline of ``Daddy'' is fairly simple with lovable characters that display colorful and unique personalities, including even the malicious but goofy farmer and his pet dog. At the same time, there are social messages about animal rights that have a ring of Tolstoy.
Tickets cost 25,000 won for adults and 15,000 won for children under 19. On weekday shows, fathers who attend the show with their children can attend for free while mothers are entitled to a 50 percent discount.
The play runs through June 29. There is one show at 2 p.m., Tuesdays to Fridays and two on the weekend, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. There are none on Mondays and May 13. There will be two shows, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., May 12 (Buddha's Birthday).
You Theater is located near exit 4 of Gangnamg-gu Office station on subway line 7. Call (02) 3444-0651.