[On Stage] Embracing Aging... The Story of 'Me' Wanting to Become a Better Person

Musical Rebecca's 'Na' Role Park Ji-yeon "Different Situation but Feels Like My Story"
British Mansion Manderley, Could It Be a Space That Condenses a Slice of Our Lives?

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] In the musical Rebecca, the events take place at the grand English mansion Manderley. The protagonist, 'I', is the only one unfamiliar with Manderley in Rebecca. 'I' meet several new people and face trials at Manderley. After meeting actress Park Ji-yeon, who plays 'I' in Rebecca, I thought that the Manderley mansion might be a space that encapsulates a facet of our lives.

Park Ji-yeon said, "Simply put, it's the story of 'I' entering Manderley mansion and eventually leaving it. But I think it could also represent the image of someone over a long period of time."

'I' meet the English gentleman Maxim de Winter at a hotel in Monte Carlo, Monaco. They fall in love at first sight and get married. Manderley is Maxim's grand English mansion. Becoming the mistress of Manderley... 'I' head to Manderley in ecstasy, believing that having Maxim is all that matters. However, many characters in Manderley cannot forget the former mistress, Rebecca. Especially Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, believes that Manderley will forever belong to Rebecca. Naturally, she does not recognize 'I' as the mistress. Mrs. Danvers' fanatical obsession with the deceased Rebecca is chilling. Even Maxim shows signs of not having overcome the trauma caused by Rebecca's death, whom he loved. The dreamed ecstasy shatters instantly, and 'I' become isolated in desperate loneliness.

Park Ji-yeon said she empathized a lot because her past self relied heavily on others like 'I'. While preparing for the interview, I read an interview article from when Park Ji-yeon was in her late twenties. In that interview, she said, "I look forward to my thirties." When asked about past interview content, people often do not remember, but Park Ji-yeon clearly recalled the interview where she said she looked forward to her thirties.

"Because I was expressing a thought I always had. Looking back now, I feel embarrassed and ashamed of my twenties. Isn't everyone like that? I don't want to go back to my twenties. I like the present very much. Although I still have shortcomings, I was much more immature in my twenties, so I hurt many people around me and was hurt a lot as well. I admit I was a fragile being. Now, I think I love the slightly improved version of myself."

Currently thirty-two years old. She debuted in 2010 as 'Sophie' in Mamma Mia and secured the lead role in the major musical Rebecca in her early thirties, thus running a successful course as a musical actress. It seemed she could not simply say she was ashamed of her twenties. Park Ji-yeon also acknowledged that she had many things to be thankful for as a musical actress.

"When I was young, I did it simply because I liked it, but now I have a sense of responsibility and a much broader perspective. I continue to look forward to aging. I like the way I am becoming a more autonomous and independent person. Now, I feel my thoughts are becoming clearer."

This is how 'I' in Rebecca is. Trusting only Maxim, she steps into Manderley and soon experiences harsh reality and changes. 'I' gradually mature and become strong, standing up to Mrs. Danvers and supporting Maxim, who suffers from memories of his wife. Park Ji-yeon explained about Rebecca, "'I' meet many people, are influenced by them, and ultimately grow."

She said that through Rebecca, she reconsidered love. "There is the kind of love Mrs. Danvers shows and the love 'I' show, and when thinking about which is better for us, I believe the love 'I' show is right. While acting as 'I', I try very hard not to hate any character in this performance. No matter how much Mrs. Danvers torments 'I', I hope 'I's emotions are not expressed as mere anger toward Danvers. The reason is that I feel 'I' is full of a heart that wants to love humans. It seems everyone becomes selfish in front of love, but 'I' am not like that. That has been a great lesson for me. I felt the need to rethink love and mature, and in that sense, Rebecca holds great meaning for me."

Was the life of Park Ji-yeon in her thirties as she expected?

"Not everyone lives as they expect. I think, 'I have to live day by day.' Life's problems don't get solved all at once, so you have to keep thinking and living through each one as it arises. Ultimately, I think it's about moment-to-moment issues. Even if I think, 'I will live happily from now on,' living happily as I wish is not easy. It's about how you live every day. I had expectations about how I would change by thirty, and some things happened, some didn't. In the end, I realized that how I am now is important. I don't have big expectations. I just want to be a slightly better person."

Rebecca is based on the novel of the same name written in 1938 by British author Daphne du Maurier. The novel became a bestseller immediately after publication. Film master Alfred Hitchcock made a movie of the same name in 1940 based on the novel. It was Hitchcock's first film made after moving to the United States. Hitchcock also adapted three of du Maurier's novels into films: Jamaica Inn (1939) and The Birds (1963). Rebecca is the only Hitchcock film to win an Academy Award, receiving Best Picture and Cinematography in 1941. It was also the opening film of the 1st Berlin International Film Festival in 1951.

German musical writer Michael Kunze collaborated with Hungarian composer Sylvester Levay to produce the musical in 2006, premiering in Vienna, Austria.

A proven masterpiece. Park Ji-yeon felt even greater charm while participating in the production. "I only thought of it as scary, glamorous, and intense, but I didn't think of it as a work with drama. When life as we live it is expressed, I think it becomes an attractive work. The charm of this work is that anyone can relate Rebecca to their own life. In Park Ji-yeon's life, there were many Danvers who made me tense just thinking about them, and there was also Rebecca. There were people like Beatrice and Frank who were reassuring and supportive. I have also experienced love like the one poured out to Maxim. Although the situations differ, I felt it was my story."

Considering her 11 years of experience, Park Ji-yeon has not appeared in many productions. She said, "I tend to focus on one production. Since there are regional performances, I plan to concentrate on Rebecca performances until June."