The First Love Who Came as a Mermaid... National Theater Company's Surrealist Play 'Gan and Gang'

From September 27 to October 19 at Myeongdong Art Theater
Dongihyang Author... 2020 Chabeomseok Playwriting Award Winner

The National Theater Company will perform the surreal new play 'Gan and Gang' at the Myeongdong Arts Theater from September 27 to October 19.

'Gan and Gang' is the winner of the 14th Cha Beom-seok Playwright Award in 2020 and will be staged for the first time through a National Theater Company production.

The protagonist of the play is L, who lives with her husband O in an old villa overlooking the Han River. The setting is unique. One day, a huge hole appears in the floor of the house, with no end in sight and an immeasurable depth, and L looks down into the hole exchanging frivolous jokes. At the subway platform, there is an apocalyptic prophet shouting, "Are you ready to accept the end of the world as a zombie?" A boy whom L meets by chance talks about L’s first love, whom she cannot remember, and the first love that L barely recalls appears as a mermaid with a strange appearance.

[Photo by National Theater Company of Korea]

Writer Dong Ihyang explained, "'Gan and Gang' is a fable about the 'emptiness' within us trapped without an exit in the time called the future. Are we truly knowing, feeling, and sensing properly? Is humanity making a wrong choice in evolution or change? The strangeness and unfamiliarity we feel moment by moment in this world might be signals of that."

The judging panel of the Cha Beom-seok Playwright Award commented on 'Gan and Gang,' saying, "The writer’s intuition is profound, and the inward gaze has a delicate emotional texture. The virtue of short sentences and the variation of language stand out."

The role of the protagonist L is played by actor Song In-seong, known for works such as 'Conservation Scientist.' The role of husband O is played by National Theater Company season member Kang Hyun-woo, the boy is played by Choi Jung-woo of 'The History Boys' and 'Bangya,' and the first love V is played by Sung Won-i of 'Woyzeck' and 'Scapin.'

Director Lee In-su said, "This work contains surreal elements within a fairly realistic daily life. Therefore, it is important to receive it through senses and intuition rather than reason." He added, "If viewers who are N (Intuitive) and F (Feeling) types according to the popular MBTI watch it, they will be able to enjoy the hidden elements throughout the work more richly."

Tickets will be available for reservation from 2 PM on the 28th via the National Theater Company website and Interpark. Paid members of the National Theater Company can participate in early reservations two days earlier through the National Theater Company website. The performances from October 12 to 14 will be accessibility performances, offering audio description, Korean sign language interpretation, Korean subtitle explanation, and mobility support. English subtitles will be provided every Thursday and Sunday, and Korean subtitles on Mondays and Fridays. After the performance on September 29, a talk with the playwright/director and three main cast members will be held.