BRUSH by Theatre Haddangse (South Korea)
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014
C Venue
Pleasantly surprised
I really like shows from Korea. There is always some sort of delicacy in them. In the show for young audiences Brush, actors’ commitment to the storytelling and their own craft is impressive. Respect for their audience can be almost touched. The show directed by Kil Jun Lee is abundant in highly imaginative concepts of the use of recyclable materials to create a world in which five actors portray multiple characters. They paint the set gracefully for almost every scene. The show is dynamic and the movement choreographed meticulously. A live musician (Sangkon Seo) plays six instruments throughout the show mesmerizing the audience with various sounds and beautiful, originally composed music. My three-year old daughter was intrigued by sounds coming out of golden accordion that sparkled. I was most amazed by three flats with painted tree on them that suddenly became a moving peacock. The story line was sometimes difficult to follow due to the performance being in Korean. There were some English key words, which helped a bit. Nevertheless, the show can understood and enjoyed as there is a lot of non verbal action. And here is a thing that struck me when I was watching this show: All the magic was created in front of us. There was very little mystery but that’s a good thing in this case as it sends an important message to children: you can create excellent theatre using simple, everyday objects, paint the world of your story, use your old xylophone or drum-it’s only a matter of your imagination. The children leave the theatre empowered, inspired and confident, because they've seen how the show’s done. And to be able to share one’s imagination so generously and openly with the audience is an art in itself.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014
C Venue
Pleasantly surprised
I really like shows from Korea. There is always some sort of delicacy in them. In the show for young audiences Brush, actors’ commitment to the storytelling and their own craft is impressive. Respect for their audience can be almost touched. The show directed by Kil Jun Lee is abundant in highly imaginative concepts of the use of recyclable materials to create a world in which five actors portray multiple characters. They paint the set gracefully for almost every scene. The show is dynamic and the movement choreographed meticulously. A live musician (Sangkon Seo) plays six instruments throughout the show mesmerizing the audience with various sounds and beautiful, originally composed music. My three-year old daughter was intrigued by sounds coming out of golden accordion that sparkled. I was most amazed by three flats with painted tree on them that suddenly became a moving peacock. The story line was sometimes difficult to follow due to the performance being in Korean. There were some English key words, which helped a bit. Nevertheless, the show can understood and enjoyed as there is a lot of non verbal action. And here is a thing that struck me when I was watching this show: All the magic was created in front of us. There was very little mystery but that’s a good thing in this case as it sends an important message to children: you can create excellent theatre using simple, everyday objects, paint the world of your story, use your old xylophone or drum-it’s only a matter of your imagination. The children leave the theatre empowered, inspired and confident, because they've seen how the show’s done. And to be able to share one’s imagination so generously and openly with the audience is an art in itself.