National Theater NT Live Screening of 'Cyrano de Bergerac' and 'Yerma'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The National Theater will screen NT Live's "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "Yerma" at Daloreum Theater from October 14 to 18.

NT Live, first introduced by the UK's National Theatre (NT) in 2009, is a program that films acclaimed plays from the English-speaking theater world and screens them in theaters and cinemas worldwide. In Korea, the National Theater first adopted it in March 2014 and has presented a total of 20 works, about 4 to 5 per season. The two works screened in October are modern reinterpretations of classic plays.

"Cyrano de Bergerac" is the latest production that premiered at London's Playhouse from November last year to February this year, and it is being introduced in Korea for the first time by the National Theater. The original play is by French writer Edmond Rostand (1868?1918) and is a romantic love story depicting the pure love of Cyrano, a poet and swordsman who cannot express his feelings of love due to a complex about his unusually large nose. "Cyrano de Bergerac" has been reborn in various genres such as films and musicals.

Adapted by Martin Crimp and directed by Jamie Lloyd, this production maintains the original 1640s French setting but presents language, stage, and costumes in a modern way. The large fake nose and lace-trimmed costumes, which were considered essential for the actor playing Cyrano, have all been removed. On a simple stage using only a stand microphone and chairs, the actors deliver their lines like a rap battle, expressing emotions about love and friendship. James McAvoy, famous for films like "Wanted" and the "X-Men" series, stars as the lead. "Cyrano de Bergerac" will be screened four times from October 14 to 17.

"Yerma" is a work previously screened by the National Theater in 2018. At that time, it received great acclaim for its fast-paced direction and the captivating performance of Billie Piper. The original is one of the tragic trilogy plays by Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garc?a Lorca (1898?1936), depicting a woman frustrated by her inability to have children, clashing with her husband who represents a closed society. The version being screened this time premiered in 2016 and was revived in 2017, with director Simon Stone relocating the setting to modern London and newly adapting the play while keeping only the original plot. Unlike the poetic development of the original, this work uses everyday language instead of poetry and songs to tell the story straightforwardly. Billie Piper won the 2017 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress for this role. "Yerma" will be screened three times from October 16 to 18.