[On Stage] Even Within Cold Iron Bars, Flowers Will Bloom

A Story of a Recently Released Woman, the Play 'Getting Out'
Leaving a Strong Impression While Reconciling with Her Past Self

"I took a pansy flower in a plastic pot slightly smaller than a water cup and placed it on the workshop windowsill."

This is a passage from the late Professor Shin Young-bok of Sungkonghoe University (1941?2016) in his book Thoughts from Prison. Professor Shin served over 20 years in prison. It is difficult to even see flowers while incarcerated. So how precious must that single pansy flower he once obtained have been? Naturally, he would have carefully placed it on the windowsill.

The final scene of the play Getting Out, currently performed at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, evokes the flower pot that Professor Shin placed on the windowsill. The contrast between the iron bars symbolizing the prison and the flower pot stands out. The left half of the stage is filled with iron bars representing the prison, with the protagonist, a young woman named Allin, who has just been released. When the play ends and the stage goes dark, the iron bars on the left disappear into the darkness. Then, a spotlight shines on the flower pot placed on the windowsill at the right end of the stage, making it shine alone. In this play filled with numerous trials faced by Allin, this ending symbolizes a hope for the last glimmer of optimism.

Lee Kyung-mi at Allin Station [Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts]

Allin has just been released after serving eight years in prison. Her former name was Ali. She committed various crimes including fraud, prostitution, and even murder. Allin changed her name from Ali, vowing to live a new life after release. The play depicts Allin’s first day out of prison. The structure of the play is built around the visits of prison officer Benny, Allin’s mother, Allin’s ex-boyfriend Carl, and neighbor Ruby from the upstairs apartment, and the conversations they have with Allin.

Although Allin is hopeful upon release, reality is harsh. Through the characters who visit her, the play reveals the ongoing challenges Allin faces.

Benny, the prison officer who brings Allin to her new home in a shabby apartment, reveals ulterior motives by suggesting they live together. Allin’s mother shows a cold attitude rather than welcoming her daughter. When Allin brings her daughter Joy, born during her incarceration, and says she wants to live with her, her mother opposes it, arguing that Allin cannot earn enough money to raise a child. As a criminal, the best jobs Allin can get are menial tasks like dishwashing. Carl, her ex-boyfriend and former pimp, tempts Allin to return to prostitution to make money. Ruby, who lives upstairs and also served time for crimes similar to Allin’s past, understands Allin’s situation with a sense of shared hardship.

Allin wants to cover her window with flower pots because she does not want to see the iron bars surrounding it. Although the security bars are meant to protect Allin from intruders like thieves or robbers, to her they only remind her of the prison that confined her.

Getting Out employs a unique method where Allin and Ali appear on stage simultaneously. Like a film that cross-edits the protagonist’s past and present, Ali and Allin alternate on stage, blending past and present stories as the play unfolds. The stage is divided into two spaces. The right side of the stage is split between the shabby apartment on the first floor and the prison on the second floor. The first floor is the space of present-day Allin, and the second floor is the space of past Ali. However, Ali often intrudes into the first-floor apartment space where Allin lives. This happens when Allin recalls her past self. Whenever Ali appears in Allin’s apartment, Allin tries to hide and conceal him because he represents a past she wants to erase.

Lee Kyung-mi as Alrin and Yoo Yoo-jin as Ali at Alrin Station
Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

Because she wants to erase the past and the present and future seem bleak, Allin’s expression remains tense and sensitive throughout the performance. It is only near the end of the play that Allin smiles once. Rather than through a dramatic event, Allin regains her smile through reconciliation with her past self, Ali. Having previously rejected Ali and thus unable to accept reality, Allin finally embraces Ali and gains the strength to overcome the harsh reality. Therefore, the otherwise gloomy play ends by discovering a ray of hope. The spotlight on the flower pot covering the iron bars at the end symbolizes this hope.

In some ways, the play gives a simple impression. The biggest event?the story of a woman freshly released from prison?is revealed early in the play, and there are no significant incidents afterward. However, the alternating scenes of the protagonist’s past and present create theatrical interest, and by showing the protagonist’s inner growth at the end, the play delivers a strong emotional impact.

Director Ko Sun-woong also praised the final scene as very impressive. He said, "It’s been about 20 years since I read the Getting Out script and saw the play. The very last scene was very impressive and good."

Actress Lee Kyung-mi, who plays Allin, said this was the most emotionally challenging performance she has done. However, she also said she saw hope that Allin could be happy at the end of the play. "In my view, Allin will still have to live through hardships and adversity, but I think there will be nothing harder than what she has already endured. I believe she will endure it very happily and well. I hope Allin will be very happy from now on."

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