Presented by Sadari Theatre Company and the OzAsia Festival
Reviewed Monday 20th September 2010
http://www.ozasiafestival.com.au
Venue: Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: 11am Tuesday 21st September
Duration: 45mins
The Sadari Theatre Company, from South Korea, specialise in theatre for young people and this award winning piece, dating back to 2004, was inspired by the book I Dream of Peace: Images of War by the Children of the Former Yugoslavia, written by Maurice Sendak, edited by UNICEF and translated by Kim Yeongmu, Biryongso Publications. The writings and pictures drawn by these children have been transformed into a narrative that begins with a couple marrying, he placing a ring on her finger and she giving him a wristwatch. They are almost immediately separated, as he joins the army and she is left alone to fend for herself, and we follow their journeys and experiences as they struggle to survive in the face of the horrors and insanity of war. Writer and director Min Jung Kim has created a powerful piece of theatre that is a sensitive and all-embracing plea for an end to war.
Before the play begins, however, one of the performers moves through the audience showing a large pair of cupped hands in which are humans, flora and fauna, a picture of peace and harmony amongst all living things, protected by humanity, the most powerful species on the planet, capable of both great good and total destruction. We are shown hope for the future.
Masks are worn, based on the children’s drawings, and the performance takes place in a small area. By reducing the scale of war down to an intimate view of its effects on just a few people, plants and animals and containing it in such a small space the impact is more strongly felt than viewing images of wholesale carnage. It becomes more personal as we get to know this soldier, who cannot kill, and his wife, who offers others what little shelter and safety is within her power. What happens to them affects the audience as we are drawn into this gentle and moving story.
Visual imagery and symbolism abound. A simple door frame is enough to let us see two opposing soldiers stalking one other through the ruins, a long strip of blue material becomes a river and a torrent of coriander seeds under red lighting represents a stream of blood.
The performances are superb, as Woo Cheol Im and Joo Won Lee as the Bridegroom and Bride, Jung Hwa Lee as the Boy and Hyun Ah Koo in a range of smaller roles, use a range of skills to bring their characters to life and engage us with their travels and trials.
Although aimed at children the mostly adult audience was equally entranced by this superb performance and eagerly joined in with the children at the end of the production when asked to go on stage and engage with a symbolic rebirth of the tree of life.
It is a shame that there were only two performances of this wonderful production. Everybody should see it.
Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Arts Editor, Glam Adelaide.
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