Youth Play 'XXL Leotard Anna Sui Hand Mirror' Reperformance on 21-22

At the Arko Arts Theater Small Theater in Daehangno

'XXL Leotard Anna Sui Hand Mirror' 2019 Daejeon Arts Center Performance Scene
Photo by Dolpagu Theater Company

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Theater company Dolpagoo will reprise the youth play "XXL Leotard Anna Sui Hand Mirror (written by Park Chan-gyu, directed by Jeon In-cheol)" on June 21-22 at the Arko Arts Theater Small Theater in Daehak-ro.

"XXL Leotard Anna Sui Hand Mirror" is a collaboration between playwright Park Chan-gyu, known for "Iron Bag Pursuit Operation" and "Changsin-dong," and director Jeon In-cheol, known for "I Am a Murderer" and "Mokran Sister." Since its premiere at the Ansan Cultural Foundation ASAC B Seongnyeon Festival in 2015, the play has been praised for comforting the lives of teenagers and has been steadily reprised in Seoul, Ansan, Daejeon, and other locations.

The protagonist Junho endures the anxiety and nervousness of college entrance exam competition with a unique hobby of wearing women's leotards and taking photos. One day, a photo of Junho wearing a leotard, with his face pixelated, is posted on the school's homepage bulletin board. Junho discovers that the person who posted the photo is Hee-ju, who is being bullied at school.

The creative team explained that the harsh world of children caught in the infinite competition of entrance exams and the desperate world of adults struggling for survival in society are not different, and the play conveys the meaning that if one falls, all fall.

The work deeply addresses the daily lives and realistic concerns of teenagers who must follow adults without complaint despite different environments and unfair competition. At the time of the premiere, the creative team focused on "how parents' desires affect their children."

Preparing for this reprise, the production focused on the changed Korean society and youth, different from the original theme. Since May, for about six months, they conducted studies and special lectures on youth, gender, minorities, labor, and human rights related to the script, posing new questions about the play's themes and aiming to reflect contemporary social awareness. Although it is a reprise, the production will meet the audience with changes in casting, altered themes, and a new performance format different from the premiere.

Meanwhile, "XXL Leotard Anna Sui Hand Mirror" can also be seen in the short-form content "PLAY CLIPS," launched on June 1 at the Seoul Arts Center. PLAY CLIPS is "theater seen through clips," composed and produced as several short video clips (about 5-6 minutes each) to communicate with the younger generation who enjoy "short-form" content lightly. The original work, which ran about 90 minutes on stage, was newly adapted and condensed to about 40 minutes, consisting of a total of five clips. The first clip was released on the YouTube SAC ON SCREEN channel, and subsequent clips will be released sequentially every Tuesday starting from the 10th.

"XXL Leotard Anna Sui Hand Mirror" will be performed with a "distanced seating system" to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Tickets can be reserved on the Arko and Daehak-ro Arts Theater websites.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.