Musical 'Brothers Karamazov' Directed by Oh Se-hyeok "A Work Created with 10 Years of Thought"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The musical 'Brothers Karamazov,' which opened on the 7th at Jayu Theater in Daehangno, Seoul, is based on the novel 'The Brothers Karamazov' by Russia's great writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. 'The Brothers Karamazov' is the last novel Dostoevsky left behind. Dostoevsky completed 'The Brothers Karamazov' in 1880 and passed away in February the following year. It is a work that can be considered the essence of Dostoevsky's literature.

Director Oh Se-hyeok, who had to bring such a novel to the stage, must have had deep concerns. At the press call for 'Brothers Karamazov' held on the 25th at Jayu Theater, director Oh Se-hyeok said the work was created with a vision spanning 10 years.

"'The Brothers Karamazov' is a novel that sums up everything Dostoevsky experienced and thought about throughout his life with his whole body. As such, its content is vast, intense, and profound. I thought it would be difficult to include all the content in a 100-minute musical performance. From the first production, the staff and actors agreed to create a work with a 10-year perspective."

'Brothers Karamazov' premiered in February 2018 and was revived on stage after two years.

Director Oh Se-hyeok said, "While the focus during the premiere was on creating the grammar and story of 'Brothers Karamazov,' for the revival, I considered how much energy we could give the audience within the 100-minute runtime." He added, "Individuals seem increasingly isolated, and times are getting tougher. I thought about how much energy actors and audiences could exchange, and I hope the audience leaving the theater will feel even a little empowered."

Actor Ahn Jae-hyung, who plays the second son Ivan in both the premiere and revival, said, "Because the vast content was condensed into less than two hours, there are many symbolic parts, and much of the interpretation is left to the audience. I think it is absolutely difficult to fully and clearly contain everything within a 100-minute performance. Therefore, all the actors read a lot of books and studied extensively, deeply considering which parts to bring to the stage."

Musical 'Brothers Karamazov' Press Call Demonstration Scene
Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In the center of the stage lies the coffin of the father Fyodor, and the play begins with the death of Fyodor.

Kim Ju-ho, who plays Fyodor in both the premiere and revival, said, "This is a work I have waited for so much. For the revival, I thought a lot about the boundary between the dead and the living. There are moments when Fyodor appears as a spirit and moments when he recalls the past as a living person, and I tried to express the ambiguous nature at that boundary."

The three brothers Dmitri, Ivan, and Alyosha, who are thought to be servants, and the half-brother Smerdyakov, who is actually a half-sibling, do not leave the stage but remain in their respective spaces at the edge of the stage, reacting and expressing emotions around the coffin of their father Fyodor.

Director Oh Se-hyeok explained that four separate spaces for the brothers were arranged at the four edges of the stage, and the overall stage is shaped like a large prison containing smaller prisons.

"During the premiere, I told stage design director Kim Dae-han that I wanted the stage to feel like Fyodor's funeral hall, yet also like a sacred cathedral where holy events occur, and like a catacomb where secret prayers are held. I also said that each of the four brothers should have their own space that could be their personal cave."

Dmitri's space is designed as a prison, Ivan's as a study, Alyosha's as a monastery, and Smerdyakov's as a gloomy underground-like place.

On the walls forming the stage, letters are written chaotically. Director Oh Se-hyeok explained that they are in Russian. "Stage design director Kim Dae-han wrote inspiring words in Russian while reading the script and novel. The writings differ between the premiere and this revival."