Special Planning Enjoy 'Festivals' amid the Fresh May Greenery in Suwon

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] The Suwon Theater Festival, where visitors can enjoy a party in the forest while savoring the fresh May greenery, is coming to citizens. Held at Gyeonggi Sangsang Campus on May 20-21, the festival will offer abundant sights and experiences for citizens. Showcasing the essence of street art and delivering vibrant energy to the community, the festival will feature renowned overseas productions as well as acclaimed domestic works. In particular, a total of 12 theatrical works will greet audiences, including invited productions and selected public competition works showcasing diverse artistic attempts. All performances are free for Suwon citizens. Anyone interested in performance art or wanting to enjoy a pleasant May outing is welcome. Various eco-friendly experiential activities are also prepared to enjoy alongside theater performances. Simply bring an open mind to enjoy the festival and come along. We previewed the festivals that will present wonderful May memories to Suwon citizens. (Editor's Note)

◇Thrilling 'Aerial Performance' Among Invited International Works Catches Eyes

The 2023 Suwon Theater Festival brings works from overseas theater companies, offering spectacular sights to citizens. Two international invited works and one multinational collaborative production have been prepared.

This is the first time in four years that international works have been invited. During this period, the Suwon Theater Festival was unable to showcase international works due to the pandemic, and now it can again demonstrate its character as an international theater festival.

The flagship international invited work is 'Boala Station,' which will unfold a spectacular performance against the night sky. From 8:30 p.m., the Spanish theater company Boala Project will perform aerial circus at a height of 30 meters suspended from a crane for 45 minutes at Meditation Hill.

The story encompasses people who have missed the last train experiencing a journey from mundane life into a world of freedom and fantasy.

The thrilling movements of performers suspended from a large crane ascending and descending are expected to captivate audiences. The second invited international work is 'Stroking the Head.'

It is a mixed duet by Spanish theater company Cia Du'K'tO, combining circus and dance. To the accompaniment of sometimes soft and sometimes passionate guitar melodies, the performers question relationships through their respective gestures of leaning, pushing, and relying on one another again.

It can be seen from 4 p.m. for 30 minutes in front of Saengsaeng 1990. A planned work created through collaboration by multiple theater companies of different nationalities also draws attention as it will premiere at this theater festival.

Starting at 4:30 p.m. in the lobby and kitchen of the first floor of Space 1986 is 'MA-PI-KO.' It is a discussion theater created by the Fake News Project, a collaboration between Korean theater company Green Pig and artists from Malaysia and the Philippines.

Setting up a fictional scenario where three countries integrate to establish an allied nation, the piece explores the mechanisms of fake news in the process of electing the leader of the new nation.

◇'Colorful' Street Theater Circus Mobile Performances Raise Expectations for Domestic Works

Domestic invited works and public competition selections of the Suwon Theater Festival are expected to widely promote the enjoyment of theater. Diverse performance formats have been prepared, including outdoor street theater, circus, and dance, as well as mobile performances.

The flagship domestic invited work is 'Darkness Poomba,' in the contemporary dance genre. At 6 p.m. at Meditation Hill, male dancers from Theater Modern Table emit powerful energy through intense and dynamic dance moves in darkness.

A reinterpretation of Poomba or Korean traditional ballad singing, it is an opportunity to witness a renowned work that harmonizes traditional and contemporary dance up close.

'Suicidal Clown' is also an invited work. A one-person play featuring actress Kim Ye-eun's spirited 30-minute performance that releases energy. It is structured as a story of a frustrated clown attempting suicide through ingenious yet absurd methods, failing each time thanks to sympathetic neighbors.

Through death, a story about life unfolds, leading audiences to reflect on their own worth, the beauty of relationships, and gratitude for life. Performance begins at 7 p.m. in front of Saengsaeng 1990.

There are a total of seven public competition selections: △'El Niño in a Suspicious Country' (Universe Mind Project, street theater, behind Gyoyuk 1964, 3 p.m.) △'Purpose' (Retitle, contemporary dance & street theater, between Cheongnyon-dong and Gongjak-dong, 3:30 p.m.) △'Urban Bird Guide' (Concon, circus & object theater, grassy area behind Cheongnyon 1981, 4:30 p.m.) △'Standing Before the Wall' (Kim Young-joo, circus, in front of Space 1986, 5:30 p.m.) △'Hundul Hundul' (231 and Seonam Jae, circus, in front of Cheongnyon 1981, 5:30 p.m.) △'Left Behind, Remaining' (Kim Hyun-gi, street theater, behind Saenghwal 1980, 7 p.m.) △'Umbrella of Conscience' (Visual Art Play, mobile sand art, in front of Cheongnyon 1981, 7:30 p.m.) and other diverse works await.

Music marks the finale. A musical performance held at 9:20 p.m. in front of Saengsaeng 1990 signals the end of the festival.

Saturday will feature 'Suni Invites,' concluding with jazz arrangements of brass versions of various music including Korean pop and pop, while Sunday will feature 'Cinnamon Sisters' with world music reinterpreting sounds from global folk instruments, expanding the artistic spectrum and adorning the festival's grand finale.

Art Director Im Su-taek, who directed the Suwon Theater Festival, said, "We prepared for citizens to have culturally enriching experiences by focusing on street art with good psychological accessibility," and added, "It will be an opportunity to find comfort in life, which is sometimes dry and sometimes intense with fierce competition."

◇Throughout the Festival Grounds 'Sights, Entertainment, and Experiences' - No Time to Rest!

During the two days of the Suwon Theater Festival at Gyeonggi Sangsang Campus, aside from theater performances, the venue will be filled with diverse entertainment activities.

Upcycling experiences themed around the environment, linked programs allowing visitors to experience creative activities with local artists, and flea markets selling handmade goods will all be held.

First, experiential programs conducted by the Suwon Cultural Foundation on May 20-21 will be set up on the grassy field in front of Gongjak 1967. Upcycling experiential programs that continue the thread of the Suwon Theater Festival, which has focused on ecology and environment, will form the main offerings.

Visitors can make pencil cases, card holders, and pouches using milk cartons, or create calendars and experience kits using discarded leather, fabric, and paper while reflecting on environmental issues.

It is also possible to challenge oneself in raising companion plants by planting air-purifying plants in upcycled planters. The experiential program 'Art Playground in the Forest,' linked with Suwon artists, provides creative activity experiences.

Activities include book binding production with patterns inspired by Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, drawing that explores subjects anew, illustrating everyday life with unique materials, stop-motion fused with video, and creating pencil holder frames using natural materials—all conducted under the guidance of working artists.

On May 20, four artists residing at Jidong Art Samter will participate, and on May 21, four artists from Pureun Jida Creative Samter will be on hand.

Experiences are held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., so visiting before theater performances begin is a good way to enjoy the outing atmosphere.

The 'Foray Market' hosted by Gyeonggi Sangsang Campus also runs alongside the Suwon Theater Festival, adding to the venue's abundance. Twenty organizations, including groups residing at Sangsang Campus and regional living culture clubs, will participate.

Cute design goods, handmade accessories, pet products, and upcycled crafts are set to please visitors' eyes.

◇Party in the Forest - There Are Ways to Enjoy It More Than You Can Imagine.

The Suwon Theater Festival, where visitors can enjoy warm spring days without masks, offers convenient access via public transportation. Parking difficulties are expected due to expected crowds.

Suwon City will operate temporary parking lots and run shuttle buses to minimize inconvenience. Parking lots at Suwon Top-dong Citizens Farm, Top-dong Baseball Stadium, Suwon Youth Hostel, and Seoho Middle School are relatively close to the venue.

Seoul National University Startup Support Center parking lot has been designated as a disabled parking area. Additionally, Daham Park and the National Institute of Crop Science Central Region Crop Department will be utilized as temporary parking lots with shuttle buses for users.

Shuttle buses running on two routes operate from noon to 10 p.m. The shuttle bus departing from Daham Park entrance circulates at 30-minute intervals.

Residents of the Homae-sil district can also use the shuttle bus conveniently. A shuttle bus connecting Suwon Grace Church ~ LG Village 1 Complex ~ Homae-sil Station Seohee Star Hills Apartments ~ Home Plus Seo-Suwon Branch ~ Gyeonggi Sangsang Campus is available at one-hour intervals.

Food trucks will also be in operation, so dining concerns are eased. A variety of food options have been arranged, from full meal menus such as fried rice, sweet and sour pork, and steak, to snacks like soft tteok-soft tteok, tornado potatoes, and grilled chicken skewers, as well as ice cream and beverages.

A Suwon City official said, "The Suwon Theater Festival is the best event to enjoy performance art with relaxation in the forest during May, the month of family," and added, "We have prepared a festival where artists, audiences, and nature communicate, and we hope many citizens will visit and enjoy it."