[On Stage] Actors Breaking Through the Stage, Audience Seats Turned Stage... Break the Prejudice

Musical 'The Great Comet'

Musical 'The Great Comet' stage view. (Photo by Shownote)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] I was so focused on following the actors darting across the stage that I was completely absorbed. Suddenly, I sensed a presence on my right. Assuming it was a moving actor, I didn’t shift my gaze. Then, from behind, I heard several laughs directed this way. A male supporting actor on the right was staring intently at me from less than a meter away. When I shyly met his eyes, he winked and then disappeared.

During the 160-minute musical The Great Comet, there are occasional moments when you can make eye contact with the actors. If the seat next to you is empty, don’t be surprised. Sometimes actors come and sit there. In the theater, the boundary between stage and audience, actors and spectators, is hardly felt. It’s like partying with friends in a Seoul club decorated in 19th-century European style.

The Great Comet focuses mainly on about 70 pages from Volume 2, Part 5 of the Russian literary giant Lev Tolstoy’s (1828?1910) novel War and Peace. The setting is Moscow just before Napoleon’s 1812 invasion. The story revolves around a love triangle between the wealthy nobleman Pierre, Natasha, who falls in love easily (“geumsappa”), and the decadent soldier Anatole. The musical is performed in a “sung-through” style, with no spoken dialogue, only songs. It premiered Off-Broadway in New York in 2012. This year marks its Korean premiere under license.

The Great Comet stands out from other musicals starting with its stage design. At the center of the venue is a round, donut-shaped stage symbolizing the orbit of a comet. Six other stages of the same shape surround the center 360 degrees. Orchestras are positioned on both sides of the central stage. The remaining space is occupied by “Comet seats,” which are interactive audience seats that require fierce ticket competition to secure. You won’t find the typical musical setup with a curtained rectangular stage here.

Jung Eun-ji, who played the role of Natasha in the musical 'The Great Comet'.

Since the songs run continuously from start to finish, there are 27 numbers in total. The musical features a diverse range of genres including pop, electronic, classical, rock, and hip-hop, leaving no room for boredom. The lead actors don’t just act; when out of the spotlight, they join the ensemble playing accordion, piano, or drums, adding excitement to the performance. Music director Kim Moon-jung said the production was “a challenge for all of us” and expressed “gratitude and respect to the actor-musicians and musician-actors who handled all the parts.”

The most impressive scene is early in Act 2, where Anatole (Ko Eun-sung) conspires with his close friend Dolokhov (Choi Ho-jung) and coachman Balaga (Kim Dae-ho) to elope with Natasha (Jung Eun-ji). The numbers “Preparation,” “Balaga,” and “The Abduction” run for about 15 minutes, with around 10 principal and supporting actors and 20 ensemble members roaming the entire venue. It’s a grand festival. The rapid footsteps climbing stairs, the heavy breathing, and the sweat-drenched actors convey their passion and energy vividly.

Hong Kwang-ho, who played the role of Pierre in the musical 'The Great Comet'.

There are some drawbacks. Due to the sung-through format, the story can only be understood through the lyrics, but except for a few actors like Hong Kwang-ho (Pierre) with strong vocal power and projection, the lyrics were often drowned out by the music. As a result, many times the audience is left wondering what is happening in the plot.

Also, the frequent use of four-character Chinese idioms in the lyrics, perhaps to convey meaning concisely, felt out of place with the setting of the play. This was a common critique in audience reviews. Familiarizing yourself with the general storyline and character relationships beforehand can help alleviate some of the confusion.

Nonetheless, The Great Comet has ample appeal for its rare boldness and innovation. Considering this is the premiere and it already delivers this level of energy and explosiveness, the future of this production looks very promising.