British actor Emily Carding of the Brite Theatre performs in "Richard III: A One-Person Show" at the 14th Daejeon International Play Festival in Daejeon, Sept. 14. Courtesy of Theatre Association of Daejeon Metropolitan City

The Theatre Association of Daejeon Metropolitan City presented domestic and international talent in its 14th Daejeon International Play Festival (DIPFE) from Sept. 8 to 26 in various Daejeon playhouses and an outdoor stage in a public park. The festival featured highly awarded talent from around the world.

Plays were chosen by open call as well as recommendations. "Because many theatrical productions applied, it was difficult to select only a few of the good ones," Kim Seok-Kyu, head of the operation team of Daejeon Theatre Association, said in a statement translated from Korean to The Korea Times.

The theme of the festival was "Beyond the Horizon," selected to reference overcoming fear within the pandemic era. The theme was also intended to promote exchanges with poorer countries that have barriers to overcome and that have not previously been represented in the festival.

Shows by international talent included subtitles in Korean and English and Q&A sessions conducted in Korean and English.

The play "Fragile Balance" was performed solo by actor Mircea Silaghi with the Tony Bulandra Theatre from Romania.

"It is my fifth time in Korea and the third time in Daejeon," Silaghi said. "And it gets better every time. We have a beautiful relationship as a theatre with the Korean Theatre Association and hopefully we will go on with this collaboration."

His one-man show was based upon a poem written by the famed French writer Jean Genet to his deceased lover. Although the text of the play purports to be about acrobatics and was performed on a set resembling a circus ring, the underlying message is about art, the risks that artists must take and, ultimately, love.

Actor Mircea Silaghi performs solo in the play "Fragile Balance" at the 14th Daejeon International Play Festival in Daejeon, Sept. 16. Courtesy of Theatre Association of Daejeon Metropolitan City

Silaghi, who has performed the play in French, Romanian and English, finds inspiration in the memory of Francois Jacob, the director who originally introduced the script to him and who has since passed away. "I think of him before every show," he said. "You have to enjoy every moment. Not even tragedy should be played having the cemetery in our hearts."

A tragedy of Shakespeare's was reimagined inventively by British actor Emily Carding of the Brite Theatre in "Richard III: A One-Person Show." After collaborating with director Kolbrun Bjort Sigfusdottir on a previous Shakespearean adaptation, the two secured a residency at Tjanarbio Theatre in Reykjavik, Iceland, where they workshopped the piece.

The five-act play was adapted to be performed solely by the titular character who continuously breaks the fourth wall by inviting audience members to stand in silently for the play's other characters. They are then systematically slain by Richard III, who affixes stickers that read "DEAD" to them.

The play premiered at Prague Fringe, where it won every available award. Since then, Carding has performed the show in Italy, the U.S., Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia and Romania. "It's a powerful show with elements that seem to translate well across cultures and language gaps and also an easy show to travel with," Carding told The Korea Times. "I think it's my strongest work and after touring with it to so many different places around the world, I was confident that I could bring something exciting and different in Shakespearean performance that people would not have experienced before, and that they would hopefully enjoy."

The Iraqi play "Amal," performed in Arabic, also brought prestigious award-winning talent into Daejeon. It won in three categories of the 41st Fajr International theatre Festival in Tehran, including best director and best play, and received two honorable mentions. In the play, a couple who fell in love in college, sharing a mutual appreciation of poetry, descend into mental chaos as a result of living in an environment steeped in violence, destruction and death. The wife, Amal, is in the process of seeking an abortion as the couple confronts the complexities of raising a child in their brutal environment. After the performance in a Q&A with the audience, the cast and crew explained through their tearful translator that "Amal" means "hope" in Arabic and that despite the play's darkness, their artistic vision is to ignite hope for future generations.

A scene from the Iraqi play "Amal" performed at the 14th Daejeon International Play Festival in Daejeon, Sept. 18. Courtesy of Theatre Association of Daejeon Metropolitan City

Other international plays included "Ala" from Iran, "Amy Winehouse" from Turkey, "The Scavenger" from Indonesia and "Hold my Hand Rovin" from Turkey.

The plays were well-received by members of the international community. After attending the festival, Dr. John Riley, who teaches drama classes at SolBridge International School of Business in Daejeon and creates English-language community theatrical productions, said, "It shows there's still an appetite for art that's challenging yet accessible at the same time. Festivals like this one have the potential to get different groups of interested and talented people coming together."

James Knaack, a local resident who saw "Ala," declared that it was "a revelation" that he felt fortunate to experience and that actor Shima Tafarzaden gave "an electrifying performance." He also said, "I'd welcome more chances for festivals of this kind in the future."

Although domestic plays were in Korean only, members of the Daejeon Theatre Association said they want to have subtitles for English-speaking audiences starting next year. They hope overseas tourists will attend future festivals.

Monica Nickolai is a writer and artist. Her text-based artwork has appeared at exhibitions in the U.S., Europe and Korea. She currently lives in Daejeon and teaches at Hongik University's Sejong Campus. Visit monicanickolai.com for more information.