National Theater Company of KOREA

NTCK works with international directors, designers, and playwrights who share their artistic passion and love of theater with the global community, in order to challenge and stimulate the Korean theater. NTCK hopes to be an international center for theater where various exciting collaborations and co-productions are created and attract international acclaim.

·   The Orphan of Zhao: Seeds of Revenge (toured)

The Orphan of Zhao: Seeds of Revenge (toured)
  • Based onThe Orphan of Zhao by Junxiang Ji
  • Translated byOh Soo-kyung
  • Adapted byKoh Sun-woong
  • Directed byKoh Sun-woong
  • Produced byNTCK

“It won the hearts of Chinese audiences with a Chinese story at a Chinese theater!”

- Yang Shen (Chinese playwright & director)

 

Premiered in 2015, The Orphan of Zhao: Seeds of Revenge raked in numerous prestigious theater awards in Korea, and quickly became part of NTCK’s main repertoire. In 2016, it was invited to the National Theatre of China. In the country of the original playwright, the grand narrative was presented with a particular focus on human suffering. The intriguing combination of tension and humor, coupled with the cast’s brilliant ensemble performance, drew a standing ovation from the audience of 1,300, thereby marking the birth of a timeless masterpiece.

 

toured at The National Theater of China (China)

·   Orange Polar Bear

Orange Polar Bear
  • ByEvan Placey, Ko Sun-duck
  • Translated byRyoo Hye-ryun
  • Directed byYeo Shin-dong, Peter Wynne-Willson
  • Produced byTYA Research Center of NTCK

This production marked the halfway point of Korea-UK TYA Project, launched as part of the 2014 Young Artists’ Exploration and designed to promote collaboration between Korean and British playwrights. In 2016, a Korea-UK co-production was staged with a Korean cast. Orange Polar Bear is at once a portrait of adolescents drifting aimlessly and an odyssey for teenagers. The play constantly intersects the journeys of two teenagers ‘each holding onto a piece of ice’ in search of their own identity. Although the two protagonists—a British boy and a Korean girl—never meet each other, they appear on the stage together and reflect each other like mirror images. As the son of immigrants, the boy lacks a sense of belonging, and thus struggles to find his own identity in the world. Meanwhile, Jiyoung is left in the care of her grandmother by her divorced parents. Having managed her first period without her mother, Jiyoung keeps comparing herself to the class ‘goddess’ Taehee, and hides in the womb of her absent mother. Ko Sun-duck’s poetic descriptions of psychology and Evan Placey’s keen sensibilities came together to depict in detail such fierce moments in the lives of the two protagonists. Director Peter Wynne-Wilson worked closely with the innovative scenographer Yeo Shin-dong on this delicate work and created a brilliant acting ensemble.

·   THE WINTER’S TALE

THE WINTER’S TALE
  • ByWilliam Shakespeare
  • Directed byRobert Alfoldi
  • Produced byNTCK

Robert Alfoldi became the youngest ever artistic director of the Hungarian National Theatre in 2008. He is also a renowned actor and was starred in the legendary Hungarian production of Angels in America. His collaboration with NTCK starts with The Winter's Tale celebrating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Alfoldi is known for his innovative contemporisation of classics with an emphasis on critical remarks about contemporary society. The tale of jealousy, betrayal and revenge will be retold mirroring our own images despite of the distance between the old Sicilia and the world we live in.

·   THE EMPIRE OF LIGHT

THE EMPIRE OF LIGHT
  • Based onthe same titled novel by Kim Young Ha
  • Translated byKil Hai-yon
  • Adapted byValérie Mréjen
  • Directed byArthur Nauzyciel
  • Produced byNTCK, Theatre National de Bretagne (France)

The internationally renowned Korean novelist, Kim Young-ha’s The Empire of Light is adapted for stage as a Korea-France collaboration. The French director Arthur Nauzyciel, critically acclaimed for his cinematic mise en scène works with the French writer Valérie Mréjen to retell the fascinating story of a North Korean agent who has lived in South Korea, the land of his enemy. Providing a unique perspective on the relations of two Koreas in the past twenty years, the story poetically presents the tragedy of divided nations. Joined by an internationally acclaimed creative team, which includes French fashion designer, Gaspard Yurkievich and Broadway set designer, Riccardo Hernandez, this production is one of the official programs for France-Korea Season celebrating the 130th anniversary of Korean-French diplomatic relations.

·   THE SEAGULL

THE SEAGULL
  • ByAnton Chekhov
  • Translated byOh Jong-woo
  • Embellished byPark Choon-keun
  • Directed byFelix Alexa
  • Produced byNTCK

After the critically acclaimed production of Richard II for Korean audiences in 2014, Felix Alexa returns to challenge the Chekhov’s masterpiece, The Seagull. He worked as Peter Brook’s assistant director at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in 1992-1993. Many of his works have been presented in major European stages such as Avignon Festival, the Edinburgh International Festival, Fabbrica Europa, and Baltic House. He has worked at the Romanian National Theatre Company in Bucharest since 1993, and is now recognized as one of European young theater masters for his innovative reinterpretations of the classics. He is especially adept at portraying subtle dimensions of complex human psychology. Thus, the delicate tensions among the Chekhovian characters are expected to be even more dramatic under the master’s direction.

·   ROBERTO ZUCCO

ROBERTO ZUCCO
  • ByBernard-Marie Koltès
  • Translated byLiu Hyo-sook
  • Embellished byKim Min-jeong
  • Directed byJean Lambert-wild, Lorenzo Malaguerra
  • Produced byNTCK

Jean Lambert-wild profoundly believes that theatre is an art form that is ‘multi-medium’, and that the stage is the place where every other art form can find expression and create meaning. For each of the projects he initiates, Jean Lambert-wild gathers around him several individuals with strong identities to compose what he calls a creative community. Thanks to these improbable encounters, Jean Lambert-wild’s work constantly disrupts and reinvents codes of narration and representation, and extends the limits of every art form . This upcoming production of Bernard-Marie Koltès’ controversial play, Roberto Zucco is more than just a collaboration between two countries. It is a meaningful theatrical project between France and Korea, involved learning and understanding of each other’s culture.

·   Miss Julie

Miss Julie
  • ByAugust Strindberg
  • Translated byHong Jae-woong
  • Embellished byYoon Seong-ho
  • Directed byFelix Alexa
  • Produced byNTCK

Director Felix Alexa presented August Stringberg’s provocative work Miss Julie on the Korean stage. While Alexa’s directing kept the audience on the edge of their seat from start to finish, Carmencita Brojboiu’s exquisite stage design and costumes transported all to Sweden in the 19th century. Before the Korean version was produced, the work had caused quite a sensation in Romania, France and the UK. On Midsummer’s Eve, the Count’s daughter Julie invites her servant Jean to dance with her. Although he is engaged to be married, Jean becomes overwhelmed with the subtle tension between sexual desires and morality. The cast of three—Yoon Jung-sub, Hwang Sun-hwa and Kim Jung Eun—maintains the critical tension for 100 minutes.

·   Richard III

Richard III
  • Based onRichard III by William Shakespeare
  • Adapted byLuo Dajun
  • Directed byWang Xiaoying
  • Produced byNational Theater of China (China)

Shakespeare imbued with Chinese sentiments arrived in Seoul after touring in New York, London and Taipei! To mark the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death, the National Theater Company of China produced a new version of Richard III. This quintessentially Chinese Shakespeare struck a chord with audiences worldwide, and was invited to the Globe Theater in the UK in 2015. As a national First-Class Director and a State-level Specialist with a special State allowance, he entered the first group of “Four Groups Talent Project” launched by China Publicity and Culture System. He was awarded “Excellent Drama Artist” and “Outstanding Director of the New Century”. Richard III, the most popular Shakespearean history, was reborn as a Beijing opera replete with the unique sense of rhythm found in the Chinese language.

·   I, Malvolio

I, Malvolio
  • Based onThe Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
  • ByTim Crouch
  • Directed byAndy Smith, Karl James
  • Produced byTim Crouch Theatre (the UK)

“This is a treasure, an hour to remember." - The Times (U.K.)

 

In The Twelfth Night, the stubborn Puritan Malvolio is tricked into pursuing a relationship with Olivia, only to be humiliated in public. At the end of the play, Malvolio vows, “I'll be reveng’d on the whole pack of you.” Indeed, he makes an ambitious return with his own mono-drama this time, ready to share his side of the story for the first time. By putting ourselves in his shoes, we finally understand the perspective of the villain! He thus reappears before those who shaped him into a villain. As Malvolio takes center stage and jumps at the chance to take revenge, will he have the last laugh? British experimental actor and director Tim Crouch brought his I, Shakespeare series to Korea—innovative modern adaptations of Shakespearean classics. Crouch brought down the house with his quintessential humor and sharp perspectives on life.