• Journal of Korean Theatre Studies Association
• /
• no.48
• /
• pp.421-446
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this paper is to shed light onto the historical significance and limitations of the Tsukiji Little Theater's modern performances. The Tsukiji Little Theater holds a position of great importance to the history of both Japanese and Korean modern theater. Some, however, are under the completely opposite impression. There are also mixed opinions about whether the Tsukiji Little Theater is a "model example" of the modern theatrical movement or a "bad example". Based on this controversy, we look into the definitive characteristics of the Tsukiji Little Theater based mostly on "the controversy over translated foreign plays", "the controversy of foreign plays versus original plays", "the value of kabuki" and "Shinpa as a rival". This paper looked into the differences in controversy over translated foreign plays in the Tsukiji Little Theater and the controversy in existing translated foreign plays. It mostly looks at the "casuistry of foreign plays" and the "cultural engineering theory of foreign plays"to get a grasp on the controversy surrounding existing translated foreign plays. Meanwhile, the "internally critical meaning" towards the original plays of renowned writers was strong in the controversy of foreign plays in the Tsukiji Little Theater. Kaoru Osanai defined the 1920s as a dark period, and persisted that because of the activity of the Shingeki movement, foreign plays were needed instead of low-level original plays. This study examines the characteristics of original plays and foreign plays publicly performed at the Tsukiji Little Theater to analyze the "controversy of translated foreign plays versus original plays". The Tsukiji Little Theater mostly put on shows with a strong sense of resistance or that defied the old times. This caused there to be a lot of emphasis put on the rebellious mindset towards old conventions and ideologies for most of the plays, both foreign and original, and the problem arises that little mind was paid to the integrity or beauty of the works. In looking at the "value of kabuki", this paper looked into Kaoru Osanai, who was deeply involved in kabuki actors. He evaluated traditional Japanese arts highly not because of the literary value of their scripts, but because he recognized the value of how they were performed. In order to create a new spectacle, music, dance and mime was taken in from countries around the world, and kabuki was regarded highly as a means of expression on stage. Finally, we also examine the recognized reasons for treating Shinpa as a rival. There is a relationship between these reasons and a complex about the audiences they drew. The Shinpa performances always had many spectators and were successful, but those at the Tsukiji Little Theater were so unpopular with the public that it was hard for them to financially run their theater group. The empty seats in their theater constantly made the modern intellectuals in the Shingeki movement feel inferior.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.38
• /
• pp.115-144
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study is to look into the support activities of the 17th century spanish plays which had been taken in various paths in terms of responses of the then-public who had been enthusiastic about great plays and artworks. Such a phenomenon clearly appeared in the open-air theater 'corral' where 'Teatro nacional' was performed at that time. Therefore, this study tries to investigate the functional relation between the public's responses and the prosperity of then-plays from the concrete standpoint of Lope's public-oriented plays. Although Lope's plays basically include system-protection ideology, they are thoroughly based on the public's support and popularity. In short, at that time, Lope's dramatic reform and entailing remarkable hit and success were made possible through thorough compliance with the public's preference and thereby the public's absolute support and affection. The tendency of his public-oriented plays appears in two aspects. One is the common people persecuted and punishment of a wicked man of power. The typical plays in point are Lope's Perib??ez y el comendador de Oca?a and El mejor alcalde, el rey. Through the plays, the playwright Lope not only implemented praise of absolute monarch very effectively, but soothed the wounded heart of the common people who had suffered pains due to their unfair and lowly social status. In this way, his plays might give senses of reliefs and satisfaction to most viewers who identified with the common people in the plays. The other one is the decisive raise of status of an exemplary commoner, the subject matter which had been used by Lope as one of useful means to show the public-oriented tendency of his plays. The cases in point are Los Tellos de Meneses and its succeeding work Valor, fortuna y lealtad. The two-part work of Lope is about the hard journey, ups and downs, and ascent to the nobility of Tello, an exemplary and rich farmer, and hits young son Tello. Through the two-part play, Lope demonstrated how an exemplary and good-mannered commoner rose to the nobility and thereby gave vicarious satisfaction to the then-public and received a lot of praise from them. As mentioned earlier, through his public-oriented plays, Lope not only satisfied the public's desires and achieved his realistic goal of big success. Not all Lope's plays are public-oriented. Nevertheless, the popular success of 'Teatro nacional' made by Lope and his followers is based on the public's preference and the plays' dramatic responses to their desires, and the strategic elaboration to comfort the public suffering lot of pains in daily life.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.43-52
• /
• 2006

This study has been conducted to find out the characteristics of the form and the color of make-up in Oriental traditional plays by comparing the characteristics of Hahoe masque, which is one of Koran traditional plays with those of Chinese Peking Opera and Japanese Noh plays. The object of the study was confined to the make-up of women players. The distinguished characteristics of women make-up of oriental traditional plays are as followings. First, the make-up of woman players in Korean Hahoe masque adopts mask make-up and expresses the mental state of players very realistically. Second, the women players in Chinese Peking Opera wear face make-up and it is beautifully expressed but not exaggerated. Third, most of Japanese Noh players wear face make-up. However, only women players wear mask make-up so that they might express non-realistic mood. Overall, the women players in Korean Ha-hoe masque adopt mask make-up, Chinese Peking Opera face make-up, and Japanese Noh both mask and face make-up.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.25
• /
• pp.291-312
• /
• 2011

The academic world in Korea demands internationally competitive researches at the moment. However, there is a lack of understanding on research trends of Western countries. This research aims to understand how discussions on early modern Japanese plays are developed in Western countries such as America. Also, it aims to consider and compare the present situation of researches on early modern Japanese plays in Western countries, Japan and Korea. In Western countries, modern Japanese plays such as Kabuki and Joruri is accepted and enjoyed as universal plays of the world. It is not only because there is a background of enjoying plays such as Shakespeare's but also researches and translations are accumulated continuously from the early 20th century. In the early 20th century, the main theme of researches was about Kabuki actors in Ukiyoe which was collected because of an interest in orientalism. After 1930s, Japanese arts and handcrafts were sent to art museums in America in order to promote Japanese culture. Also, many Japanese books were donated to university libraries in order to form institutes of Japanology. The war was started when the foundation of Japanology was about to be laid. Students who were interested in Japan were mobilized to the war as agents to understand Japan. After the war, those students started to do researches on Japan on a full scale. There were researchers such as Donald Keen who did researches on Kabuki and Joruri. In western countries, there are researches on patterns of behavior and thoughts of Japanese people, comparison with Shakespeare's plays, dramaturgie, theatricalism as well as censorship of Kabuki during the war and mobilization of Kabuki to the war. It is necessary to understand where my researches are positioned in those research trends. It is also necessary to break away from overlapped and repeated researches of the same point of view and find out new research paradigms.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
• /
• no.4
• /
• pp.285-305
• /
• 1998

In order to scrutinize what realism really means, this paper is to analyze and compare the major realistic plays of Yun Jo-byeong of Korea with the earlier realistic ones of Bernard Shaw of England. As all the scholars concerned admit, Shaw offered reality in all of his plays: social, political, economic, religious. He was a didact, a preacher who readily acknowledged that the stage was his pulpit. Though he preached socialism, creative evolution. the abolition of prisons, real equality for women, and railed against the insincerity of motives for war, he did so as a jester in some of the finest comedy ever written. Shaw brought serious themes back to the trivialized English stage, creating a body of drama that left him second to none among twentieth century dramatists. Today, evolution and creationism and Shaw's ideas on creative evolution and the Life Force remain timely issues. As for Yun Jo-byeong who has written many realistic plays lately, he is known as a major realist in Korea. But his realistic plays are more symbolic, poetic, and private than Shaw's. As a result, Korean realism has not been so flourished in Korea as in England. Therefore, we Korean playwrights who want to write really realistic plays should try to study Shaw's realism more closely than ever.

• American Studies
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.135-160
• /
• 2019

This paper gives a feminist reading of Suzanne Alexander in The Alexander Plays by focusing on her performances as active reconstitutions of history and memory. A compilation of four of Adrienne Kennedy's more recent plays, The Alexander Plays revolves around a central protagonist who, behind windows and within the closed spaces of the home, waits for her missing husband to return home. Yet, the plot of the waiting wife seems to mask the hidden and more dangerous desires for political transgressions of the play. By analyzing Suzanne's interaction with various literary and historical figures, memories and events, this paper argues that her seeming approval of domesticity, femininity and intimacy serves as a cover for her more political altercations with history, race and gender.

• Journal of Korean Theatre Studies Association
• /
• no.48
• /
• pp.51-84
• /
• 2012

In Korea, historical plays took an epoch-making turn from the previous historical plays in terms of approaches to topic and material and methods of rewriting history in the 1990s. Historical plays became dehistoricized with individual, everyday life, and faction emerging as major codes of historical plays according to mistrust in history and grand narrative as the original and disappearance of trust in the growth and totality of history. A new trend became dominant of presenting fictionality prominent instead of reproduction of history and freely playing with history outside the context. While modern historical plays were subject to the content of history, post-modern historical plays sought after new history writing to tell a new story on history within a framework of fiction. Focusing on some of the trends in post-modern historical plays since the 1990s, which include play with history, daily life-style history writing, and reproduction patterns of colonial modernity, this study examined the goals, representations, and text strategies of new history writing in three historical plays, Generation After Generation(2000) by Park Geunhyung, The Mercenaries(2000) by Park Sujin, and Chosun Detective Hong Yunshik(2007) by Sung Giwoong. In Generation After Generation, the author adopts a plot of starting with the present and tracing back to the past, breaking down the myth of racially homogeneous nation. At the same time, he discloses that the colonial history is not just by the oppressive force of Japan but also by the voluntary cooperation of Korean people. That is, we are also accountable for the colonial history of the nation. The Mercenaries contrasts the independence movement during the colonial period against the modern history developed after Liberation, thus highlighting the still continuing coloniality, namely post-colonial present. The past is presented as the "phantom of history" making its appearance according to the request of the present hoping for salvation. The author politicizes history and grants political wishes to history by summoning the history by personal memories such as fictional diaries and letters with Messiah-like images opposed to the present of collapse and catastrophe. In Chosun Detective Hong Yunshik, the author makes an attempt at the microscopic reproduction of daily life by approaching the 1930s as the modern period when capitalist daily life started to take root. The lists of signs comprising daily life in colonial Gyeongseong are divided between civilization and savagery and between modern and premodern. With the progress of narrative, however, they become mixed together and reversed in the representation system in which the latter overwhelms the former.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
• /
• v.64 no.3
• /
• pp.361-381
• /
• 2018

Shakespeare reflects/refracts the controversial spirit of his age in the epistemological and political skepticism of his Roman plays: Titus Andronicus, Julius Caesar, Coriolanus, and Antony and Cleopatra. Skepticism doubts all received truth and suspends judgment, and it often takes the form of mental jousting on both sides of a question. Renaissance skepticism was strengthened by rhetorical education. Arguing on both sides of the question (in utramquem partem) was a practice taught in Shakespeare's grammar school in order to enhance students' mental abilities in logic and dialectic. This rhetorical exercise seldom leads to a third-term resolution: it just reveals all the apparent and hidden aspects of a problem at issue. Shakespeare's Roman plays, especially his Julius Caesar, demonstrate this skeptical attitude, leaving the judgment to the audience.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.153-162
• /
• 2004

Influenced by Constructivism Art, Constructivism theatre projected the future with the help of participating artists and the development of new technologies. Therefore, this thesis studied the stage costumes in the plays of Meyerhold who represented Constructivism Play and showed its characteristics. The stage costumes in Meyerhold's plays followed the rules of Constructivism Play and showed several unique characteristics, such as the Bio-mechanic as a characteristic in his plays, functionality that facilitated the movement based on Taylorism, simple shapes, and easy cutting. Constructive artists saw the stage of constructive plays as a laboratory where they can display their designs, directly portraying future life forms through stage costumes and props. Stage costumes were no more a supporting tool that had described the play. Following the new concept of stage costumes, working costumes and stage costumes came to be regarded as the same. In turn, this led to new models and special costumes such as sportswear or specialized garments. Constructivism artists foresaw the future through the plays, with their fundamental basis for stage costumes shown in the later works of ordinary costumes.

• Journal of Korean Theatre Studies Association
• /
• no.48
• /
• pp.359-384
• /
• 2012

The purpose of this study was to explore the theatrical aesthetics of the performances which was produced by the theater director, Yang Jung-Ung. Yang has been one of the most influential directors working in Korea in the last 15 years. He has put up performances all over the world with the theater members from his company called Yohangza, which was founded by him in 1997, and working as the director, portrayed his style of the theatrical aesthetics through the works of its plays and musical products. In 2012, this company performed A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. A Midsummer Night's Dream was invited to be staged at the Barbican Center in 2006. In the same year, it received the grand prize and the Audience Choice award at the Gdansk International Shakespeare Festival in Poland. The musical products like A Good Woman from Seoul and the modern Opera Wozeck are representative works of Yohangza, which are known for a unique way of exploring the meaning of life. The 2009 plays Hamlet and Peer Gynt represent Yohangza's simpler yet more insightful theatrical style. Peer Gynt, which debuted at the LG Art Center, made headlines for its innovative staging. It received the grand prix, Best Director and Best Stage Art awards at the 2009 Korea Theater Awards. Yohangza's plays show two-side "image-based" works. The company drastically reduced verbal lines and enriched the plays with Korean sentiment and aesthetics, but their scripts contained many poetic lines full of overtones. They showed a theatrical mise-en-scene of images, energetic dance, songs in chorus and percussion. For example, Korean sentiments were subtly blended into the two Shakespeare's plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Nights. Their performance combines music, mime, song and dance to create an exhilarating adaptation of Shakespeare's inventive and glittering comedy. In addition, the style of Yohangza Theatre Company is a collision of the past and the present: a reworking of existing Korean styles and themes infused with contemporary elements and full of unique exploration in the plays.