Top dance troupes collaborate on 'Crazy Hamlet'

Dancers perform a scene from Crazy Hamlet during a press rehearsal Friday at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul. / Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Ballet series celebrates 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth

By Yun Suh-young

"To go crazy or not to go crazy, that is the question."

The confused mentality of Prince Hamlet will be expressed in a modern day version of his character in "Crazy Hamlet," a locally created ballet performance, which premieres this Friday. The performance will be held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts' M Theater in Seoul from Nov. 4 through 6.

Crazy Hamlet, created by Seo Mi-sook of Seo Dance Company, is part of a series of ballet performances based on Shakespeare's works, "Shakespeare in Ballet," which will be held through Nov. 13. The Shakespeare in Ballet series is performed by five of the six member organizations of Ballet STP, an association of six private ballet groups _ Universal Ballet, Seoul Ballet Theatre, Seo Dance Company, Wise Ballet Theater, LeeWonKook Ballet, and Kim Ok Ryun Ballet.

The dance companies have been offering various Shakespeare pieces for the past couple of years, but the Crazy Hamlet performance is being held for the first time. This year’s event includes a gala performance, Crazy Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

"What is unique about this year's performance is that members of our dance companies cross-participate in different pieces, collaborating with dancers of other companies in one piece," said Kim In-hee, chairwoman of the Ballet STP association and general director of Seoul Ballet Theatre, during a press conference Friday.

"Never have five different ballet groups performed in one single piece together. I'm sure this is unique not only locally, but also globally."

Despite the number of groups participating, there has been great collaborative effort throughout, says Seo Mi-sook who directed Crazy Hamlet.

"When we work separately as private dance companies, it's very difficult on our own. But the collaboration between our groups has been fantastic. It's great to join forces and build our strength. I hope many other organizations can do the same," she said.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's birth and the "Shakespeare in Ballet" series is meant to commemorate the anniversary.

"Shakespeare is an important topic of performance this year for our center because it marks the 400th anniversary of his birth. This performance series is part of that big topic," said Lee Sung-yeop, president of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

"Autumn is the season for opera, ballet and dance. Our center has nine performing arts groups but we don't have a ballet group. So we decided to collaborate with Ballet STP this season."

In "A Midsummer Night's Dream" which will be held Nov. 11-13, Shakespeare appears as a narrator, and the piece ties in musical, theater, and film elements into the ballet. It is faithful to the original piece but with the added imagination of choreographer James Jeon of Seoul Ballet Theatre. Audiences may recognize the popular songs that are played during the performance including pieces by Mendelssohn as well as Mozart and Tchaikovsky.

The "Shakespeare in Ballet" will be held during the weekends of Nov. 4-6 and Nov. 11-13 from Friday through Sunday. Ticket prices range from 30,000 won to 70,000 won.