ED2015 4/5 Reviews ED2015 Theatre Reviews

Cherry Orchard – Beyond The Truth (Theatre Margot, Korea)

By Patrick Galbraith | Published on Saturday 15 August 2015

Theatre Margot’s masterfully choreographed production of Anton Chekhov’s final play, reduces its seventeen original cast members to three and almost dispenses with dialogue. But it succeeds in tenderly conveying the trembling vulnerability of the aristocratic Gayev family on the eve of the Bolshevik revolution. Despite its stark minimalism, Park Yeon Joo’s reimagining creates complex emotional conflict; any empathy is countered by a sense of puerile absurdity, evoked by the physically farcical movement of Ranevskaya and her two daughters. Due to the sparse dialogue often being unintelligibly accented, the audience is forced to rely almost exclusively upon the intensely expressive choreography, which gives the production a spirit of raw honesty. It suggests that whilst our language lies, our movements give the truth away.

C Nova, until 31 Aug.
tw rating 4/5 | [Patrick Galbraith]