'Tripitaka' universal in appeal
| • | Korean celebration under way |
By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer
It's not so hard for an American to understand, and not only because the translation is displayed on a digital readout above the stage.
Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser
"Tripitaka Koreana," a musical production by Hyundae Theatre Company, played yesterday afternoon and evening in the Neal Blaisdell Concert Hall as the Seoul troupe made a brief visit coinciding with the ongoing Korean Centennial celebration.
South Korean performers retell the tale of a woodcarver's love for a generalâs daughter.
On the surface, the show derives much of its musical style and dance presentation from the Big Apple: Hyundae has produced many Broadway hits. Choreographer Byung-goo Seo has staged Western shows such as "Jesus Christ Superstar" as well as Korean dramas, and American dance-music arranger Joseph Baker (Broadway's "Footloose") handled arrangements here.
But at its heart, "Tripitaka" is the story of the country's devotion to, and inspiration from, its carved-woodblock repository of Buddhist scriptures. And it is bound fast to the Korean spirit. Like "Superstar," this is a latter-day retelling of an ancient story, but performed in a far more reverential style, one that a Buddhist monk could appreciate (at yesterday's 4:30 p.m. show, several of them did).
The story is based on the defense of the Koryo Dynasty against Genghis Khan and the Mongol invaders of the 13th century. Details of the central love story vary from the historical account, but only slightly: The woodcarver Bisu (Kwang-won Hyun) is commissioned by the king to head the re-creation of the Tripitaka, more than 81,000 blocks destroyed by the Mongols. He falls hopelessly in love with the general's daughter (Dug-nam Seo). Their ill-fated romance is channeled into a heroic effort to save the new Tripitaka and, thus, the Buddhist soul of the nation.
The songs, at least as translated, seem a little flowery for Western tastes, but the solo voices (and those of the whole company) are superb. There are traditional dance sequences blended with the Broadway-esque, and a highlight is Kyu-hung Kim's thrilling drumming between scenes.
Overall, "Tripitaka Koreana" offers a fascinating glimpse of how religion and warfare intersect — and nothing could be more universal than that.
