arirang.txt

http://www.nightnews.net/fringe2008.htm#arirang

InvAsian Festival: Arirang Party - So Ri Institution
venue :: club WEST @ Quincentenary Hall, The Royal College of Surgeons
see links :: http://www.choisori.com Warning: visiting this site downloads a flash promotional movie.
category :: Dance & Physical Theatre
Reviewed date :: 23 08 08

Review: 'Arirang Party' represented a unique fusion and presentation
of traditional Korean martial arts, dance and percussion in one of
Club Wests most visually stunning and dynamic shows in this, its
inaugural year. The production is directed by and punctuated with
amazing percussion performance by Choi Sori together with Byun Jai
-Young and Kim Mi-So. The percussion parts of the show incorporated
some very unusual staging, mixing lighting effects with pyrotechnics,
fire and water drumming displays. Most aspects of this production 
astounded, amazed and not only won over the appreciative audience 
but pretty much bludgeoned them into submission as one flawless 
set piece followed another to hypnotic, percussive beats. Expectation
was certainly high among a packed audience as this show has been 
rated highly as it has moved around the world. Billed as an 'extreme
and powerful performance,' the show is generally compelling and a 
pleasure to watch. Petite, smiling Korean dancers Seo Song-l, Shin
Young-Joo and Kim La-Jung are not only pretty and skilled but seem
to be genuinely enjoying their performances creating further empathy
with an already well-disposed audience. The martial arts displays
by Kang Heung-Jin, Lee Kyu-Hoon and Kim Doo-Hong are certainly 
powerful, spectacular, as well as being a little bit terrifying 
and the whole troupe works well together when it comes to combining
the various art forms. There is an audience participation scene 
which breaks the pace of the show and provides some needed light
relief about mid way. This last seems obligatory in martial arts
displays, though it is still questionable in the context of a 
combined performance production. Eventually the fierce tempo of 
the show is restored with elegant and stylish dance, dexterous, 
skilled and unusual drumming, spectacular swordsmanship, swirling
fabric and the very high production values of the brilliant 
staging. The show is pretty much perfect, the action furious,
the whole becomes a constant flow of dramatic moments, both 
in performances and staging, that amaze and delight throughout.
At the end, the cast distribute souvenirs and presents among the
audience and line up to meet them as they exit Club West. The 
'feel-good' factor in this show is certainly emphasised and taken
to its maximum until the very end. Its a show that has been rated
'off the scale' by some reviewers overseas and it is certainly one
of the best of its genre at the Fringe in 2008.
5 gold bats

by John C Vassallo