South Korea goes large on Fringe

The Scotsman – United Kingdom;
Mar 10, 2005

Tim Cornwell Arts Correspondent

SOUTH Korea has formed an unlikely bond with the Edinburgh Festival
Fringe that will see four shows make the long journey from Asia this
year – including a Korean version of Shakespeare, The Scotsman can
reveal.

Audiences at the festival will this year have the choice of a show
that mixes Korean martial arts and comic mayhem – entitled Jump – as
well as an alternative version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The new connection with South Korea goes well beyond just another
chapter in the Fringe’s far-flung line-up, however.

Paul Gudgin, the Fringe director, travelled to Seoul in December at
the invitation of the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation. The trip
saw nearly 200 performers turn up to hear him speak and put him on
the front pages of the national press. The Fringe is now planning a
live video conference for Korean acts hoping to get to Edinburgh,
while the Seoul foundation has helped out by translating the Fringe’s
guide in full for performers.

“There are no direct flights. I don’t believe South Korea has any
embassy in Edinburgh. But this extraordinary connection has grown and
will continue to grow,” Mr Gudgin said.

“Loads of people running Korean cultural institutions have been
coming to study us. Their two main television stations come to the
Fringe.”

South Korea’s interest in the Fringe grew out of a single show,
Cooking, which came to Edinburgh in 1999.

The show, set in a kitchen, was an energetic mix of rhythm and comedy
using cooking tools, and proved such a hit with audiences that it is
currently showing on Broadway.

“We think the success of that performance is a great model for us.
Many presenters in Korea realise that we need to build up a market in
Europe,” said Hyuncha Kim, the foundation’s deputy manager for
international exchange.

“If we can join with the festival in Edinburgh, it could be a great
chance to show our talent in the world market. We believe the
Edinburgh festival is an essential pass to go to the rest of the
world,” said Ms Kim.

The Koreans now hope to emulate Cooking’s success this year with
Jump. The show, with about ten performers, mixes traditional Korean
martial arts and comedy in a story centred on a single family.

“It is one family of strange characters,” said Ms Kim. “They fight
each other but later they find their real enemy and are unified.”

Also on the slate is Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The
Koreans have already showcased the work in festivals in Armenia and
Cairo. It is in Korean but relies heavily on gesture, mime and
costumes.
From: Baghdasarian