A Midsummer Night's Dream - reviewed in poetry

Yohangza Extravaganza by Linh

Upon a midsummer night's dreaming, I hear a
troop of performers from Korea's Yohangza Theatre,
will bring forth a production of laughs and magic,
combined with physical theatrics and tribal percussion music.

They'll stage a Shakesepeare play with a refreshing and delightful twist
of Korean names and character traits that are new and mixed.
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is spellbinding and spontaneous fun
with roles reversed, star crossed lovers, and two Pucks in place of one.

Titania and Oberon are roles reversed, as a vengeful Queen
punishes her King Gabi, the philandering majestic love machine.
Sun-Hee Park is Dot the Queen who brilliantly portrays a schemer
also adding wit and flair to a character with an affable demeanour.

Jun-Ho Kim is Gabi, the most amorous and flirtatious of all Kings,
who, under a love potion, falls in love with a pig of all things!
Kim exudes charm and grace combining a comical edge to Gabi
and has highlights with the ravenous porcine Ajumi.

Ajumi replaces the character Bottom, however she comes out on top.
She's a dithering herb collector who becomes a pig that eats non-stop.
So-Young Park brings an earthy and wholesome quality to Ajumi
making her scenes with Gabi captivating and delightfully funny.

The character Puck has become Duduri the twins of mischief and fun.
The dynamic duo's acrobatics and rhythmic dancing enthralls everyone.
Jin Lee and Seong-Yong Han play Duduri and can raise the excitement,
while succeeding to bemuse and evoke bewilderment.

Young-A Kim is passionate and persistent as love lorn Ik
who is the woeful Helena character; pitifully love-sick.
Loo is the object of her affections and is the Demetrius role
played by Jeong-Sun Lee as a tolerant and forgiving soul.

Seoung-Hwan Lee is Hang, or Lysander in the original,
playing the role with bravado and tenderness as a signal
of love for his beloved girlfriend Byeok,the pretty one,
which Jee-Young Kim portrays with fiery and feisty fun.

A round of applause and standing ovation to the cast and crew
who work hard to bring a production of elements old and new.
A refreshing and innovative adaptation of a Shakespeare classic
has been magical, enchanting and utterly fantastic.