[On Stage] Bringing the Confession "The Moon Is Beautiful, Isn't It?" to the Stage

Original Musical "Behind the Moon" at Chungmu Arts Center
Exploring the Life of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins
Collins's Humanity Shines Through in a Richly Textured Portrait

Natsume Soseki, author of works such as "I Am a Cat," "Botchan," and "Kokoro," is revered as the father of modern Japanese literature. Even Yasunari Kawabata, the first Japanese Nobel laureate in literature known for "Snow Country," is said to fall short of Natsume's stature. In a 2000 Asahi Shimbun survey on the greatest Japanese writers of the past 1,000 years, Natsume ranked first, while Kawabata was ninth.

There is a legendary anecdote related to Natsume involving the phrase "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" During an English literature class, when a student translated "I love you" as "I love you" in Japanese, Natsume suggested it would be better to express it as "The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" This is interpreted as meaning that love is more beautiful when expressed with restraint and leaving a lingering feeling, rather than being stated outright.

The opening scene of the original musical "Behind the Moon" is intriguing as it evokes Natsume's anecdote. "Behind the Moon" is a one-man play that tells the life story of astronaut Michael Collins, who flew on Apollo 11 alongside Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Creative Musical 'Behind the Moon' Yoo Junsang Performance Photo [Photo by Company Yeonjak]

The play begins with the first date between Collins and his wife Patricia. As they drink chamomile tea together, Collins is quite shy. He cannot bring himself to tell Patricia that she is beautiful. Instead, he says that although he is now an Air Force fighter pilot, he originally dreamed of becoming an astronaut because he loves the moon, and he subtly asks if she finds the moon beautiful as well.

Before boarding Apollo 11, Collins and his fellow astronauts leave letters for their families. Video messages from their families are delivered to Collins and his crewmates aboard Apollo 11. In her video message, Patricia recalls that on their first date, all Collins said was that the moon was beautiful, and she reveals that she understood this as his way of saying he liked her. Collins replies to Patricia that he will be like the moon for her-neither shining ostentatiously like the sun nor disappearing like a twinkling star, but quietly remaining by her side.

At home, Collins is a sincere husband and a loving father, and at work, he is an outstanding colleague.

During the Apollo 11 mission, only two astronauts-Armstrong and Aldrin-left footprints on the lunar surface aboard the lunar module "Eagle." Collins was the only one of the three who did not set foot on the moon. As the command module "Columbia" pilot, he was responsible for the return and docking of the Eagle. In the play, Collins is overjoyed when Commander Armstrong invites him to join Apollo 11, but he is soon disappointed to learn that he will be the command module pilot. However, after a brief moment, Collins accepts Armstrong's offer and willingly embraces his supporting role.

Creative Musical 'Behind the Moon' Go Sangho Performance Photo [Photo by Company Yeonjak]

While his colleagues explored the lunar surface, Collins orbited the moon in Columbia and became the first human to see the far side of the moon. Collins is portrayed as a man who steps into the darkness to let others shine, even if he is not the protagonist. In reality, Collins, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 90, was known for his strong sense of responsibility and for putting his team before himself, earning deep trust from his colleagues.

Kim Hansol, the playwright of "Behind the Moon," originally wrote the script as a five-person play but revised it into a one-man show to focus on Collins. As a result, the play highlights Collins's diverse human qualities and emerges as a work rich in color and texture. The story with Patricia unfolds as a sweet melodrama, the scenes of playing with his children are warm family drama, and the moments where he puts his colleagues before himself to make history together are portrayed as human drama.

Yoo Junsang, Jung Moonseong, Ko Hoonjung, and Ko Sangho all deliver passionate performances as Collins. "Behind the Moon" will be performed at the Chungmu Art Center Black Theater until February 8.