March 28, 2014: yesterday, on World Theater Day, Director of
Taganrog Chekhov Drama Theater Sergey Gert and South-Korean director Tea-Sik Kang met with the press regarding the upcoming premiere of the new production based on
Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull". The premiere of the new play "The Superfluous Man" will be held on stage of
Taganrog Theater on March 30, 2014.
This is not the first time Tea-Sik Kang produces a
Chekhov's play. In 2013, the South-Korean director presented "The Seagull" in Korean language within the framework of
the International Theater Festival "In the Home City of Anton Chekhov", which was held in Taganrog in 2013.
His first address to
Anton Chekhov's literary heritage was made years ago, when being postgraduate student at Russian Academy of Theater Arts - GITIS, Mr. Kang staged "The Seagull" with students. "I've read "The Seagull" over and over again, and I guess now time has come to try a modern interpretation of the classic play. In the new production I am trying to find an answer to the question who the superfluous man is and why. Maybe I am superfluous or we all are? It's been more than 100 years since Chekhov wrote the play and things have changed, but we are all the same inside. I hope the audience likes my new cooperation with actors of Taganrog Chekhov Drama Theater".
Sergey Gert, Director of
Taganrog Chekhov Drama Theater considers the new international project an experiment: "The text of the play belongs to
Anton Chekhov though it has been abridged. "The Superfluous Man" is how the producer from Seoul understands the playwright's idea. It's been very interesting to see how he considers Chekhov in terms of his own culture, traditions and mentality. The result is not "The Seagull" as we know it, but a theatrical fantasy based on the classic play. The theater must experiment! We need discussions, opinions and mental pabulum. The theater exists not only to amuse and entertain, but also to give cause for reflection".
Mr. Gert also told about the plans of international touring throughout Israel in late April: Taganrog artists will be performing in the following Israeli cities:
April 29, 2014 in Ma'alot-Tarshiha;
May 1, 2014 in Rishon LeZion;
