Shakespeares Tempest Goes on Stage
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Shakespeare's ``The Tempest'' dramatized by playwright Bae Sam-sik and directed by Sohn Jin-chaek will go on stage at Seoul Arts Center Towol Theater from May 20 to June 6.
The classic play revolves around the banished sorcerer Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, who uses his magical powers to punish and forgive his enemies when he raises a tempest that drives them ashore. The entire play takes place on an island under his control whose native inhabitants, Ariel and Caliban, respectively aid or hinder his work.
The play is the only one of Shakespeare's plays which follows the neoclassical three unities ― the unity of action, place and time. Shakespeare's other plays rarely followed these, being set in separate locations miles apart and over several days or even years.
One of the distinguished characteristics of the upcoming play is a new interpretation by the director. This rendition reconstitutes fantasy, one of the most important elements of the original, into exact reality, transforming the romance into a grand epic.
Also, the director tries to revive the realistic and essential story of the original in the play-within-a-play as he believes that it functions as social enlightenment rather than entertainment, he said in a press release.
The 2009 ``Tempest'' is set in a nursing home for the homeless, which is recreated in the play-within-a-play. The homeless who are abandoned from families prepare for a performance of the play in the nursing center.
All the residents and staff participate in the performance. Among others, Chung, who directs the performance, and Choi, who will play a role of Prospero, practice every day, showing enthusiasm in their roles.
However, one day, Choi has to leave the center as his daughter wants them to live together. After Choi leaves, Chung takes the role of Prospero. And finally ``Tempest'' is staged and ends with great success.
After the performance, all the residents come back to the center but they find Choi lying on the bed in the center. Choi says that he came back to see his friends and promises to play the role of Prospero next time but then dies. He is put to rest in the cemetery for the homeless as they cannot contact his daughter. The curtain draws as Chung and other inmates repeat the last lines of Prospero.
Tickets cost from 21,000 won to 35,000 won. For more information, call (02) 580-1301.