The National Theater of Korea will screen three plays in February and March as part of “NTOK Live+,” a program introducing prominent overseas theatrical performances.
Three classic plays -- Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” Moliere’s “Le Tartuffe ou l'Hypocrite” and Arthur Schnitzler’s “Professor Bernhardi” -- have been reinterpreted by the National Theatre in London, La Comedie Francaise in Paris and the International Theater Amsterdam, respectively.
The three plays will be screened in their original language with Korean subtitles from Feb. 24 to March 5 at the Haeoreum Grand Theater in Jung-gu, Seoul.
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Lyndsey Turner’s production of Arthur Miller’s classic play “The Crucible” (Johan Persson/NTK) |
Director Lyndsey Turner’s production of Arthur Miller’s classic play, “The Crucible,” premiered at the National Theatre in London from September to November 2022.
Based on the play of the same title by American playwright Arthur Miller, the story centers on the witch trials that took place in Salem, Massachusetts, in the 17th century. The play vividly depicts how a collective frenzy can destroy individuals and society.
Erin Doherty, best known for portraying Princess Anne in the Netflix series “The Crown,” plays Abigail, whose past affair with a local farmer leads her to stoke fears about witchcraft.
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Ivo van Hove’s production of Moliere's “Le Tartuffe ou l'Hypocrite” (Jan Versweyveld/NTK) |
Belgian director Ivo van Hove’s production of “Le Tartuffe ou l'Hypocrite” is the original version of the play by French playwright Moliere, which has been lost in history since its premiere in 1664.
In 1664, the play was severely criticized by the church and banned by King Louis XIV because the story boldly criticized the corruption and hypocrisy of the clergy. Moliere then revised and changed the play to avoid censorship in 1669.
In celebration of the 400th anniversary of Moliere's birth, Hove restored the original play which had been performed only once. Hove produced the play based on the 1664 version of “Tartuffe” recreated by French playwright Georges Forestier.
The play revolves around Tartuffe who is disguised as a faithful priest. Tartuffe breaks up a bourgeois family who sincerely believes in him.
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Robert Icke's “The Doctor” (Dim Balsem/NTK) |
“The Doctor,” directed by Robert Icke, reinterprets Viennese dramatist Arthur Schnitzler’s “Professor Bernhardi.”
While maintaining the frame of the original story, which dealt with an anti-Semitic incident surrounding a Jewish doctor, Icke moved the setting to the present day and changed the protagonist to a woman.
The play begins with a confrontation between a priest who tries to anoint a girl who is dying from sepsis following a botched abortion, and a doctor who opposes this. The debate explores religion and science, and extends to conflicts of gender, ethnicity, race and class.
The detailed screening schedule is available on NTK's official website.
