The Collective presents Romeo and Juliet
Samia Mounts (right) and Heather Moore star as Romeo and Juliet in The Collective's production of the classic Shakespeare love story premiering on Friday Nov. 23 at Emu Artspace. Korea Times Photo by Celeste Kriel
By Celeste Kriel
Representation matters in Seoul's newest theater group The Collective's rendition of Romeo and Juliet. The company is bringing a unique take on the tragedy to Seoul, premiering this Friday. The founders say the production will showcase the classic story of impossible love “by displaying it in an alternative reality, reaching the same heights of love and power,?but this time in a matriarchal society.”
Founded in January by Seoul-based theater makers Kim Schroeder from South Africa, Ray Salcedo from the U.S. and Alameen Saidu from Nigeria, The Collective was birthed from a desire to?bring underrepresented artists from different fields together and give life to their work in the spirit of intersectional collaboration and community-building.
In keeping with the spirit of “representation matters” and telling stories that are often underrepresented in the arts, the theater group flipped the classic Shakespeare script, renouncing the patriarchal norm and using a matriarchal society as the backdrop of the universal story of impossible love.
Salcedo, co-founder of the company and executive producer and director of the show, said his aim was not only to merely pass the Bechdel test ― a measure of how women are represented in the arts ― but, also to highlight people of color and LGBTQ voices by choosing a diverse cast and making unique character choices ― Romeo and Juliet are both played by women, and the Nurse and Lady Capulet are played by men.
“Part of our vision is to pass the Bechdel test, which shows the underrepresentation in theater and arts that takes away women's voices in a way that matters, and in a way that's real, versus the way it's mostly portrayed by male writers, producers and directors,” Salcedo told The Korea Times.
“On top of that of course we wanted to look at people of color, marginalized communities. Whether it's about class, communities or sexuality, we are trying to give voice to those narratives that don't often get the chance to be voiced,” he added.
They chose the tragedy of “Romeo and Juliet” as it tells a universal story, but the context lends itself to be played out in different ways. Salcedo, who is?an award-winning director and playwright and?has served on the board of directors for Seoul Shakespeare Company, has tried to make the classic play as accessible and relevant as possible, while challenging audiences to question the status quo to deliver a Shakespeare play in a way Seoul hasn't seen before.
“It's a 400-year-old story and we are making it relevant, and that's a challenge already. The actors ― the way they're delivering their characters and their lines … and the way we have chosen to do some of them, it's fresh!” Salcedo said.
“We want to ask, 'What does it mean to be a female head of a household, what does it mean to be a female head of a religion, what does it mean to be powerful women in a matriarchy? What does it mean to be a queer woman of color to negotiate this world?'”
It will premiere Friday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. at Emu Artspace near Gwanghwamun. The unique space also boasts a gallery, live club hall, a book cafe, rooftop and an intimate outdoor garden stage, often bringing together various art mediums such as theater, live music, visual art and film. It is most known in the foreign community for screening Korean films with English subtitles, and this time the play will be in English with Korean subtitles.
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