PETER BROOK IN SEOUL

It’s 9:30 p.m. Sunday (June 20) here in Seoul and I’m abandoning the chronological principle. At least a week is unaccounted for, but we’re just home from a fine afternoon and evening—under Nancy’s guidance of course—that’s filling my mind.

At 2:30, in the company of two of the other folks teaching here for the summer, Carrie Paff and Jeremy Sabol, we headed to the Metro and our longest subway journey so far, a combination of 2 lines and about 10 stations. We were to meet Nancy at the LG Arts Center, south of the Hangang, for the closing performance of 11 and 12, directed by the legendary Peter Brook.

With 7 actors (of various colours and ethnicities), some large pieces of fabric, and a few props, Brook told a true story of the escalation of conflict growing out of insignificant differences. The actors created more than a single character each, using their bodies with such skill—shifts in stance or ways of moving that were subtle but breathtaking in their effect. Music by Japanese composer Toshi Tsuchitori drew an emotional thread throughout. I was engrossed by the performances and the powerful moving story. Such luck, to see it!

Brook creates a space on stage that is somehow both indeterminate and specific, where stories unfold. Watching this play, and remembering his Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, I found myself thinking of Winnicott’s transitional space, what I think of as a middle ground in which both the personality and art are formed. Perhaps that space is what we designate by "imagination".

We left the theatre full of excitement and wandered out into an area known as The Wall Street of Seoul. The air was soft, the garden beside the building a patchwork of large hydrangeas. Because it was Sunday there wasn’t a lot of activity on the streets and most of the restaurants were closed. But we found a Nolboo open and enjoyed a fine meal of Bossam—small slices of pork served with various kimchees that you wrap in a lettuce leaf to eat. Of course assorted side dishes came along with it, including soup and a large bowl of cold buckwheat noodles mixed with lettuce and egg. We washed it all down with ginseng rice wine—very good and very good for you…

Carrie, Jeremy, Nancy, Peter, Maureen at the Nolboo --thanks to our server who took the photo.

Bossam dinner -- 3 kimchees beside the port. Photo by Peter Harris

For a review of 11 and 12 that gives a good outline of it see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2010/feb/11/11-and-12-review

For an interview with Brook and some images of the play see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB-6WuDVEB0