By J.R. Breen
Contributing Writer
Seoul's only expatriate acting troupe will hold one of its unique events this weekend, where actors create a performance in the space of a day.
Seoul Players are set to hold their 24-hour-theater program, in which participants are put into groups and sent off to prepare a performance.
Margret Whittum, onr of the organizers, said that with approximately 60 to 70 people participating, she expects the event to go well.
``It has been growing twice as big every year,'' she said. ``Also we have a much better venue this time around, there is a bigger stage, a bigger capacity for the audience. It is a step up from last year.''
``They are put in teams randomly, we ask people to give their experience level out of one to five, this is so we can create fair teams, so they are equally experienced,'' said Whittum.
Each group consists of a writer, director and two to four actors. A series of ``inspiration buckets'' will be available for the writers, which they must integrate into the story line. Categories can include a first line, a setting or a prop, from which writers are asked to choose at least two. Writers then have until 9 a.m. the following morning to create an original piece, between five and 10 minutes in length.
``We don't stipulate anything like it has to be comedy,'' Whittum said. ``But most end up being comedies.''
The program begins at 9 p.m. this Friday at Roofers Bar in Itaewon. At this session participants are welcomed to outline their interest for the show, including acting, directing, writing and tech work.
``The more interest, the better,'' said Seoul Players in a press release. ``In the morning, after the actors and directors have had a good night's sleep, the blood shot-eyed writer hands the script over to the director and actors, who rehearse until 8 p.m. Saturday.''
Each show is reviewed by Seoul Players to ensure content is appropriate and respectful for a general audience. Twenty-four hours later, the curtains open.
Seoul Players first introduced 24-Hour Theater in 2008 and last year saw more than 70 participants and 120 audience members.
Whittum is also involved with Seoul City Improv, a group of expatriate comedians who perform improvised sketches based on the hit US Television show ``Whose Line is it Anyway?''
The troupe is traveling to Taiwan next week, taking their show abroad for the first time. Last Saturday, they held a fundraising show at Roofers, Itaewon.