By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
In Daehangno, Seoul's theater mecca, most plays and musicals are usually targeting young audience members with light-hearted comedy shows.
However, a new play, ``Old-Fashioned Comedy,'' written by Russian dramatist Alexey Nikolayevich Arbuzov, is set to beckon middle-aged audiences with calm and soothing romance.
Prominent actress Yoon Suk-hwa will play an ex-actress who comes to a nursing center, while translator and actor Chung Myung-chul will take the role of a doctor and head of the center.
The play depicts the middle-aged love between the former actress and doctor. At first, the two, who both have agonies and loneliness while experiencing the revolution and war endure each other before opening their minds and falling in love.
Known as a realist and socialist playwright, Arbuzov wrote the work late in his career, showing a change in style, from the strong socialist realism in his early work to romantic and light hearted work. His work has never been introduced in Korea because of its socialist content.
``I am very glad to return to a play written by a Russian master dramatist in Korea for the first time. It's very warm-hearted and touching. This work gave me hope when I was experiencing hard times. I want to tell the audience that life is tough but it is worth living, as the play tells,'' Yoon told reporters at a press conference, Monday.
The 55-year-old actress said that the show would reinvigorate life for the middle aged, usually void of drama. Also, she will dance and sing a song in the play.
``I have sympathy with the play and the character. It resembles my life to some degree. Also, I think it's quite easier and more comfortable for me to play, compared to my previous work, which was mostly heavy and centered on difficult themes,'' she said.
Yoon has performed in numerous plays and musicals, including, ``West Side Story,'' ``Agnes of God,'' ``Guys and Dolls'' and ``The Last Empress.'' She is currently the publisher of the Music & Performing Arts Journal ``Gaeksuk.''
Chung translated the work for Yoon when he first read it in London when he was studying abroad.
``When I first read the story, I thought it was meant for Yoon. I think the protagonist perfectly matches her. So I fled with this translated work to Hong Kong where Yoon was staying at the time,'' Chung said.
Chung, who was an actor with the Installation Theater Jungmiso 23 years ago, studied theatrical administration in New York and worked as an art administrator in the U.K. and also as a photographer. His performance as an actor is 20 years in the making.
``I left the stage because of hunger, but I thought I would be back on stage before turning 50. I'm happy to be back and honored to act with Yoon,'' he said.
Choi Woo-in, the director of the play, said that there is no dramatic tension but rather humorous and poetic portrayals of the characters' feelings. ``The play is full of the author's humor and wisdom and it will appeal to gray audience members, offering great comfort,'' he said.
The play will go on stage at the Installation Theater Jungmiso from May 7 to June 5. Performance will not be held Sundays. Tickets cost from 30,000 won to 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 3672-3001.