By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter

''The Island,'' written by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona in 1974, told the true story of apartheid-era race relations in a prison on South Africa's notorious Robben Island.

Now, the drama's 2009 version, adapted by actor-turned-director Lim Chul-hyung and musical stars Cho Jung-seok and Yang Jun-mo, is set in the near future, in which freedom of assembly and speech are strictly suppressed and two inmates' lives are controlled in an igloo-shaped prison.

Against the backdrop of the futuristic stage designs, such as the actors' metallic costumes and the simple but the igloo-shaped cell, the two inmates ― John, played by Cho, and Winston by Yang ― are constantly monitored by cameras.

The play first appeared on stage in Korea in 1977, directed by Yun Ho-jin under the day's iron-fisted rule, but this year's rendition was adapted to present needs to better touch the hearts of 21st century audiences. Two men are serving life sentences. Winston says he's in jail solely because he went to a street where a protest was taking place to pick up his wife and daughter.

Everything said in the prison is strictly monitored and screened by officials and if rules are broken, prisoners are forced into repetitive, meaningless labor.

One day, they are asked to prepare a performance. John chooses Sophocles' ''Antigone'' as a presentation for his fellow inmates, but they quarrel over roles. Winston is supposed to take the role of Antigone, who defies the laws of the state to bury her brother, while John takes the part of her uncle Creon, who sentences her to die for her crime.

The drama highlights the parallels between Antigone's situation and the prisoners, incarcerated for political reasons.

However, tensions escalate as Winston learns that he has won an early release and the men's friendship is put to the test. They finally perform ''Antigone'' for their fellow inmates to reveal the true meaning of the law and the role of the nation in maintaining order and control.

The two actors' performances were good enough to revive the first '70s drama into the present one. However, the description of the conflicts between the two prisoners over the role of ''Antigone'' was too long and the play within a play was too short, making it difficult to fully deliver their message.

''I want to make a drama with a social message. I adapted the drama into a universal piece rather than a racial and political polemic in order to help more people understand the theme,'' said Lim.

''So we've changed the racial issue into a controlled society deprived of the freedoms of speech and assembly to better appeal to the present audience. It could have been the society we now live in. We're not free from invisible oppression, so this drama will resonate with many modern people and strongly inspire them,'' he said.

Cho has appeared in numerous musicals, such as ''Hedwig,'' ''Evil Dead,'' ''All Shook Up,'' and ''Grease.''

''I'm very happy to appear in this great piece. It's a new experience for me to appear in a drama without singing but it's great to experience the essence of the acting,'' said Cho.

Yang is also renowned for the musicals ''Last Five Years,'' ''Evil Dead'' and ''Claws of Angel.''

The play will run through April 5 at SM Art Hall in Daehangno, central Seoul. Tickets cost from 25,000 to 35,000 won. For more information, call (02) 764-8760.

chungay@koreatimes.co.kr