 |
|
|
|||
|
Interviews
|
|||
|
|
Jung-Ung Yang - Dream from the East Rivka Jacobson talks to Jung-Ung Yang, Korean director of A Misdummer Night's Dream from the East. He understands some English, but dare not speak it. He looks to the interpreter to convey his replies and communicate the questions. We met at back stage and continued the conversation at the Barbican's open balcony after the show. His warm smile and the sparkle in his eyes removed the language barrier and the interview felt as if we spoke the same language. Mr. Jung-Ung Yang was born in Seoul in 1968 where he studied creative writing at the Institute of Arts there. In 1997 he set up the Yohangza Theatre Company. He explains that Yohangza means 'Travellers'. "Life is a journey and through the journey of life we meet a lot of people". The company has travelled and performed not only at Edinburgh and the Barbican but also in Poland, Colombia, Ecuador, China and Japan to name but a few countries. His production of Eugène Ionesco's The Chairs, followed by the success of his own play Daughters of the Earth, established his reputation in Korea. Daughters of the Earth is a play without a narrative. It is a collage of eleven scenes dealing with women's life. In 2003 at the 15th Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre, his production of Karma placed him on the world stage. In this play there are four main themes: Death, Wedding, Growing-up and Birth, in this order. Once again there is no narrative. We moved on to talk about his production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mr.Yang explained that the stage is a living room. The original concept was of a shrine for the audience, in the Korean tradition of hospitality. Members of the audience are beckoned into the living room, hence the open space. The frame behind creates the impression of another room in the house. Pinewood was chosen for the frame because it is a natural material and gives an authentic image of an oriental house. When asked about the meaning of the colours used in the costumes, Jung-Ung explained that the white and off-white costumes dominate the dream because white is the most popular colour in Korea, which represents assimilation with nature in Korean-Buddhist culture. He pointed out that when the lovers approach the forest, before and after the dream, each is dressed in a different coloured top. A Korean audience would have appreciated the meaning of that. The reverse of roles between Oberon and Titania is consistent with Korean outlook on male and female roles. The woman is the embodiment of wit and sensibility. She ensures the home and family are kept together. Men have inclination to go off track and it is the woman's role to show them sense. I asked as to the meaning of their names, and Mr. Yang explained that Dot means fire and Gabi means a father, but join the words together - Dotgabi = Goblins (in Korean that is)! He chose to have Bottom replaced by an old woman to ensure that it is more plausible to his Korean audience. "Young women will not go to the forest by themselves at the dead of night," he says. "Old herb collectors may do". The old woman, who was out collecting herbs, is metamorphosis into a pig rather than into any other animal because in Korea a pig is synonymous with stupidity and fortune. Yes, if you dream of a pig or see a pig in your dreams, rush next morning to buy a lottery ticket as you are bound to win! The herb collector, turned into a pig by the Duduri (Puck), awakes from her 'dream' to finds her fortune in a form of Sansam, a very rare hundred-year-old ginseng, the herb she was searching for all her life. In this production she cries out loud in English: "At last I hit the jackpot". For those unfamiliar with Korean folklore, this utterance is amusing but they would not immediately link the pig to good fortune. One more element Mr.Yang adds, the goblins always reward those who assist them. In this case the old lady was instrumental in Dot's plan to teach her husband a lesson. She was therefore rewarded at the end with the wish of her dreams, namely 'finding' a ginseng plant. The throwing of the florescent rings to the audience is to be understood in a similar way. It is a gift to the audience. It is the way of the Korean actors saying thank you to the audience for their attendance. It is in the Korean's tradition to give the audience a small token of appreciation. It is a way of creating a unity between cast and audience. In Korea, before the show, the audience is invited to share with the cast a morsel of food and drinks prepared by the cast. It is a small gesture but one that is central to the concept of gratitude and appreciation embedded in Korean culture. It also explains why the front of the stage, where events take place, resembles the living room. The music in this production has a central role in the show, as it accompanies the movements, the songs and dances. Mr. Yang explains that he combined traditional Korean music which is based on using Samulnori (four) instruments: these are kwaengwari, jing, janggu, buk. That is, a drum, a gong, a small gong and an hour-glass drum. These percussion instruments are used to wake up the creatures: those on earth and in heaven, human beings, and sea creatures. In this production, they are complemented by the muktah, a wooden xylophone-like instrument used to accentuate a movement or gesture, representing a statement. Yang explains that all the instruments in Korean music originate from those used by the Buddhist monks. However he emphasises that western music has been incorporated to create some special effects. To my question why did he choose a play by Shakespeare, he replied, "Shakespeare is my favourite playwright. His plays involve a relatively large cast and offer lots of drama and profundity." The choice of A Midsummer Night's Dream as the basis of this production is simply because "It is a very romantic play and I am very romantic person," he says with a broad captivating smile.
|
||
|
|
