By Kim Young-jin
For those tired of sugar-coated romantic comedies that pull the heartstrings but only skim the surface of the complexities of love, the Probationary Theatre Company (PTC) has just the prescription.
Opening this Friday in Hyochang-dong, Seoul, the expat-run troupe will stage “Some Girl(s)” a comedy that takes an unflinching look at love in a postmodern world without falling into the sentimental mush so prevalent in mainstream culture.
The production will be staged for a three-week run at the newly-opened White Box Theatre near Hyochang Park station, the only venue in Seoul exclusively for English-language theatre.
Penned in 2005 by Neil LaBute, known for bold dissections of contemporary mores, the play tells the story of a young novelist who gets a case of cold feet and travels around the country meeting up with ex-girlfriends in a bid to find the perfect woman (who he may have already broken up with).
Often regarded as a brutally honest look at the mistakes young men make on the way to manhood, the play received critical acclaim another success for the provocative playwright.
Director Liam Mitchinson said the production was a refreshing alternative to the genre that has become all too predictable.
“A guy and a girl find themselves working together for some outside reason; they start off hating each other, and then eventually fall in love. I'm sure everyone can think of at least five movies that have that exact storyline,” he said.
“The subject of love is more complex than that and it's so refreshing to have a script that is truthful and really funny.”
The lead role will be played by Derek Orth, a veteran of the improv scene.
LaBute’s hard-hitting work falls in line with PTC’s vision of providing thought-provoking theater in English to the local masses. Founded in 2000, the troupe won several awards in Australia before moving base to Seoul.
The show runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June 24 to July 9. Performances will be held in English with a written Korean synopsis available to Korean patrons. Tickets are 15,000 won.
To get to White Box Theatre: Go out exit 2 of Hyochang Park station and walk towards Hyochang Stadium. Take the first right at Eco and Deco flower shop. The theater is on the right, in the basement of the building next to Cosmai Cafe. For more information, visit www.probationarytheatre.com.