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Review: Lear by National Changgeuk Company of Korea, Barbican Centre

The Barbican hosts the 2024 K-Music Festival and opens with Lear a re-staging of the Shakespearean tragic saga and is presented in the form of Pansori (traditional Korean folk opera). Adapted by Korean playwright Pai Sam-shik and both directed and choreographed by Jung Young-doo, the twenty eight strong company features a live orchestra who play traditional and modern instruments to accompany the show. Lear tells the story of an aging king who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. The division is contingent upon each daughter’s declaration of love for her father. When one daughter responds candidly,…

Summary

Rating

Excellent

Beautiful, epic and arresting. This re-telling of Shakespeare’s King Lear is enchantingly captivating from beginning to end

The Barbican hosts the 2024 K-Music Festival and opens with Lear a re-staging of the Shakespearean tragic saga and is presented in the form of Pansori (traditional Korean folk opera). Adapted by Korean playwright Pai Sam-shik and both directed and choreographed by Jung Young-doo, the twenty eight strong company features a live orchestra who play traditional and modern instruments to accompany the show.

Lear tells the story of an aging king who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. The division is contingent upon each daughter’s declaration of love for her father. When one daughter responds candidly, the displeased King banishes her, unaware of the misfortunes he’s set in motion.

Western stagings of Shakespeare tend to adopt a more realistic tone to reflect the ‘universal themes’ to a contemporary audience. This style is hit and miss as they’re often unable to effectively reconcile the deeply problematic themes within some Shakespearean texts. Instead, most opt to ignore these societal conflicts (e.g. the antisemitism in The Merchant Of Venice) in favour of staging a grand production. In contrast the National Changgeuk Company of Korea (NCCK) approach from the opposite perspective. The performance style of Pansori and its adapted contemporary art form of Changgeuk is consciously exaggerated and suits the melodrama of the narrative perfectly. Lear is meticulously cultivated to feel cinematic and its epic structure is reminiscent of classic Korean Sageuk films. The heightened state of emotions may seem over the top, yet in a play full of outlandish plot twists, irrational life choices and a rather high body count, it’s this element that lends a deeper authenticity to the tragedy; validating the extremes of human nature portrayed because everything is so high stakes. This can’t be achieved in the same way with naturalistic theatre.

The set design by Lee Tae-sup (which incorporates a shallow lake running across the stage) has a muted colour palate and is intricate without being cluttered or distracting. The aesthetic mirrors the landscape of a bygone era; haunting and ghost-like as though the stage itself is in mourning. Led by Kim Jun-su as Lear, the outstanding cast totally commits to the impassioned out-pour their roles demand. Jun-su demonstrates great vocal strength and versatility, manipulating his voice to sound booming and then diminutive in an instant. Each time the chorus enters it’s utterly transporting to hear their panoramic voices echo around the auditorium alongside the entrancing music of Han Seung-seok and Jung Jae-il.

Surtitles for the show are provided above the stage – so far above, in fact, that it’s not possible to read and watch the action simultaneously. Whether a technical error or the natural speed of the native language, the captions are either delayed (appearing long past a characters speech) or too fast to read. Vital dialogue is missed as a result and though it doesn’t impede the overall enjoyment of the show, it does make the plot harder to follow. 

Shakespeare is quite a divisive topic. The plays, though often inspired by history, are not factual biographies therefore open to interpretation (though some may strongly believe otherwise). As the push for more inclusion continues, as does the push back to keep Shakespeare ‘pure’ (who can forget the RSC’s Romeo and Juliet being colourfully described as ‘garishly diverse’?) NCCK’s production skilfully accentuates Shakespeare’s work and is a great adaptation for those hesitant to sit through one of his plays.

Shakespeare understandably isn’t to everyone’s taste but it should be open for all to access and enjoy. Lear illuminates that interpretation is a necessary part of Shakespeare’s theatrical longevity and is an integral asset to his legacy and the arts.


Directed and Choreographed by: Jung Young-doo
Written by: Pai Sam-shik
Pansori Composed and Music Director: Han Seung-seok
Composed by: Jung Jae-il
Set Design by: Lee Tae-sup
Lighting Design by: Ma Sun-young
Sound Design by: Ji Young
Costume Design by: Jung Min-sun

Lear plays at The Barbican until 6 October. Further information available here.

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