A Midsummer Night's Dream

'The course of true love never did run smooth.'

Part of the 2012 Globe to Globe Festival.

Performed in Korean by Yohangza Theatre Company, from Seoul, South Korea.

Yohangza means 'voyager', and this groundbreaking company has travelled all over the world since its inception in 1997. Their performance combines music, mime, song and dance to create an exhilarating adaptation of Shakespeare's inventive and glittering comedy. Focusing on the story of the four mortal lovers and the spirits of the east Asian forest, Shakespeare's characters burst onto the stage with a fresh, eastern vibrancy.

Synopsis

On a midsummer night, the Dokkebi are throwing a party. The Korean fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, are introduced. Bottom is turned into a woman wandering for herbs, and Puck splits into twins. The mythical Korean fairies, the Dokkebi, bring this compelling and fresh mix of energetic dance, voice and percussion to life.

Hang has fallen in love with Byock, but Byock’s father is forcing her to marry Rue. After Hang and Byock decide to elope, Byock accidentally gives the plan away to her best friend, Eeck, who is inlove with Rue. Eeck lets Rue in on the secret, hoping that he will lose his love for Byock. But the story gets more and more twisted. Finally, Rue runs after his love. Along the way, the fairy king Oberon is constantly chasing women and his wife has a plan to fix him.

Running time: 94 mins