HAMLET
A Korean adaptation of “Hamlet” (c. 1599-1601) opened Friday at the Myeongdong Theater in Jung District, central Seoul.
But it was not just a translation of the classic Shakespearean tragedy. This time, the main character is female. And there’s also a surprisingly large amount of water consumption on stage.
Played by actress LEE BONG RYEON, Hamlet is a princess and former naval officer who plots revenge against her uncle Claudius, who killed his father to seize the throne and marries his mother, Gertrude. Hamlet’s lover, Ophelia, has been transformed into a man.
Many other characters, including Guildenstern, Horatio, and Marcellus, were also transformed into female roles.
The idea of transforming Hamlet into a woman does not arise from a grandiose objective aimed at radically transforming the scenario. Rather, director BU SAE ROM and playwright JEONG JIN SAE felt that this was the best way to get rid of the misogynistic elements of the original play and adapt the story to modern times.
“There was a lot of concern about how we were going to change the uncomfortable aspects that today are considered sexist,” BU SAE ROM said during a press conference at the theater on Monday.
“We had the option of leaving Ophelia as a woman and telling a same-sex love story, but we realized the story would become much more complicated than it already is. The ultimate goal was to get rid of of any constraints that a certain character had to be male or female, which is why we chose to distribute the roles fluidly.” she declared
The updated “Hamlet” goes beyond the gender dichotomy, but also the theme of good and evil, unlike the original. The adaptation aims to justify each character’s behaviors by showing how they had no choice but to follow their self-interest in an attempt to encourage the audience to contemplate the essence of human nature.
“Hamlet” was originally scheduled to be presented in 2020, as part of the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the National Theater Company of Korea, but due to the pandemic, it was only broadcast online. LEE BONG RYEON won the Best Theater Actress award at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards for her role in “Hamlet” in 2021.
The production and storyline haven’t changed much since then, BU SAE ROM said, but it’s certainly more touching now that it’s finally on stage in front of the audience.
When asked why there was no intermission for the 135-minute play, BU SAE ROM simply replied: “We didn’t see the need for it.“
“Hamlet” plays every day except Tuesday until July 29. On weekdays, shows start at 7:30 p.m. and on weekends, at 3 p.m. English subtitles are provided on Thursdays and Sundays, except July 21. Tickets are sold starting Monday.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: National theatre of korea
