National Theater Company’s new youth play… Directed by Shin Yeon-dong, Music by Oh Hyuk of ‘Hyukoh Band’ “But I have a question: What is loved?
“What do you think it means?”
An unknown voice begins to speak to the five people who have gathered to explore beyond the door with the word ‘Caution’ written on it.
Those preparing for the expedition in their own way try to ignore the voice, but as the questions continue, they begin to have a conversation with the voice.
However, as questions that cannot be answered easily continue to persist, the hearts of the five people about to explore begin to boil over.
The National Theater Company’s youth play ‘Tank; 0-24’ asks questions that are difficult for anyone in the theater to readily answer.
Sometimes the voice speaks kindly like a counselor, and sometimes it spits out blunt words like a person trying to hurt someone’s heart.
The voice that asks when you feel like you are loved by your mother soon asks if you think your mother may not love you.
Even those who courageously share their thoughts or those who sit down and think about their answers will find themselves momentarily speechless and in tears while answering the questions.
The words that come out in tears when asked a question that pricks my delicate heart contain my inner feelings that I usually don’t reveal on the outside.
Shin Shin-dong, who used to be a stage artist and directed youth dramas such as ‘Delinquent Boy KW4839’, planned ‘an exploration into one’s inner self’ in this work.
He directed the process of teenagers discovering their inner self through conversations between actors and voices on stage.
The five adult actors who answer the questions vividly reproduce the speech patterns of teenagers who pretend to be indifferent to hide their true feelings.
The calm answer, “If you don’t do what you need to do well, you will fail,” hides the burden in your heart, “If you want to be loved, you must do it well.”
Although there is no clear logic or certainty, the lines that convey honesty and sincerity make the audience look into the soft corners of their hearts.
The work conveys comfort with the message that not only teenagers but everyone lives their daily lives with anxiety.
In the part where the five people go on a full-scale exploration after a conversation with the voice, visual elements such as the use of lighting stand out.
The continuous conversation between the characters in the first half turns into silence, and the characters move from a space littered with objects to an empty stage.
The sight of an actor moving forward on a pitch-black stage, relying on a ray of light, maximizes anxiety.
The scene of creating a spectrum of colors using colored lighting caught the eye by creating a mysterious atmosphere in contrast to the darkness.
Director Shin Yeon-dong said, “The depths of our hearts may be unfamiliar and strange, or they may be more beautiful than we thought,” and added, “I hope this performance will serve as a guide for all audiences to delve deep into their own ‘tank.’”
The sound and music of the work were handled by Oh Hyuk of ‘Hyukoh Band’.
His music effectively conveyed the emotion of the work, expressing the confusion ahead of the exploration through irregular rhythmic percussion instruments.
In each performance, one of the youth working at the National Theater Company’s Children and Youth Theater Institute makes a special appearance.
Youth actors exchange jokey lines with adult actors, adding to the fun of the play.
The performance will continue at the National Theater Company’s Myeongdong Arts Theater in Seoul until the 19th.
/yunhap news