Again, Edinburgh Fringe in Seoul
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Three Korean shows that went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August will be re-staged at Sachoom Theater in Insa-dong, central Seoul, Oct. 22-26.
``Again, Edinburgh Fringe 2008'' is designed to bring a slice of the atmosphere of the festival to Seoul through the successful works of ``Sachoom,'' ``The Angel and the Woodcutter'' and ``Drum Cat.'' As well as the shows, there will be street performances and parades and forums about Edinburgh.
Particularly, all of these shows are suitable for the foreign community in Korea as all are either non-verbal or performed with English subtitles.
``Sachoom,'' called ``dance-cal,'' is a performance without dialogue, expressing itself through dance and songs. It tells the fun story of a beautiful girl who is loved by two guys and how they all grow up to be the best dancers in the clubs.
The show breaks down the barriers between the actors and the audience, so that by the end of the show the audience is up on their feet and dancing along.
The show uses dance as a unique form of expression and its combination of cutting-edge artistic integrity and high entertainment value has delighted international audiences.
``The Angel and the Woodcutter'' presented by Cho-In Theater is based on a traditional Korean tale but adapted. The story is set a long time ago when people believed angels came down from the heavens to bathe. The tale revolves around an angel who falls in love with a woodcutter. In a striking new version, it is set amidst a terrible war, and where the angel should sacrifice everything for her family.
It is also a production performed entirely without words. The theater company tells the story using puppets, exquisite choreography and traditional music, giving a unique look into Korea's rich culture.
Last summer, it achieved great success at Edinburgh, receiving 5-star reviews from the major papers and prompting interest from many international producers. The theater company also tours around the world and produced ``Hotel Splendid'' in Korea in May.
``Drum Cat'' is a captivating percussion performance composed of five themes ― sexy, speedy, funny, powerful and wild.
It combines the high skill of traditional Korean drummers but with a totally modern sound.
Get swept away by a musical whirlwind tour as it plays all your favorites, from rock and jazz to techno, Latin and even classical.
The skill, speed and precision of the all-female drum group is dazzling. The show is full of energy and movement and is a visual as well as a musical treat.
It has wowed audiences around the world and received a major award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
The Edinburgh Fringe is the most famous performing arts festival in the world. It has 2,000 shows and an audience of 1.5 million people during the festival.
The festival will be held at Sachoom Theater in Insa-dong, central Seoul Oct. 22-26.
For more information, visit cafe.naver.com/aef2008. For English reservations, send an email to choin.theatre@gmail.com or mr4u@nate.com. Tickets cost 22,000 won.