A Korean Farcical Reconstruction of Hamlet’s Story: Hamlet Cantabile

Abstract

In 2015, The Asian Shakespeare Intercultural Archive was established. The archive is supported by several government and academic institutions, as well as contributions from East and Southeast Asian theatre companies. The purpose of the archive is to provide educational and research resources for intercultural and Shakespeare performances. The Asian Shakespeare Intercultural Archive website currently provides information on over 62 productions in East and Southeast Asia, with plans to add productions in the future. The initiatives sponsored by the Asian Shakespeare Intercultural Archive are directed by teams of international scholars, practitioners, translators, and technical staff. Hamlet Cantabile is among the productions archived on the website for the Asian Shakespeare Intercultural Archive. The project emphasizes the production and the educational resources available on the website for the Asian Shakespeare Intercultural Archive. The production centered on a Korean adaptation of Hamlet by Willliam Shakespeare written and performed by director Bae Yosup and the Tuida Performance Group. As the term cantabile suggests, Tuida’s Hamlet Cantabile presented a novel interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy as a najang or farcical tale told by comedians in an easy-flowing manner. This study focuses on the Korean nanjang style of storytelling employed by a troupe of clowns contemplating the tragic events of Hamlet’s life. The distinct acting style of Performance Group Tuida using movement as mediation (communication), voice work (using full voice), uncanny melodies, puppets, and masks, brings the familiar Shakespeare tragedy with a Korean flavor. This study examines how Tuida incorporated past and present Korean culture into the Shakespeare inspired production by concentrating on the highlights from the production and the educational resources available on the website for the Asian Shakespeare Intercultural Archive. Spirituality, nanjang, and puppetry are the three most prominent topics highlighted.