"'Master of Absurd Drama' Harold Pinter's Play 'The Collection' Opens in December"

2005 Nobel Literature Laureate, British Absurdist Drama Master
Critiquing Confirmation Bias Through the Search for Truth in the Infidelities of Four Men and Women

Harry and Bill, a gay couple, and James and Stella, a married couple, are all fashion designers working in the fashion industry. One day, James and Harry find out about the affair between Stella and Bill that occurred during a business trip, and as the two men and women give conflicting accounts of the infidelity, the truth becomes lost in a maze of contradictions.

Seoul City Theater Troupe Play 'Collection'
[Photo provided by Sejong Center]

The Seoul City Theater Company announced on the 26th that the play "Collection" will be performed at the Sejong Center S Theater from December 1 to 10.

The work is by British playwright Harold Pinter, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2005. Pinter's style, often described by the term "Pinteresque," is renowned for its straightforward dialogue and provocative settings that unflinchingly portray absurdity. "Collection," first released in 1961, is a mystery play that explores the absurdity that becomes clear through the conflicting relationships and testimonies of four men and women, and their search for the truth beyond it.

Centered on the affair between Stella and Bill, the four characters give different testimonies about a single incident, causing the truth to become increasingly ambiguous and their relationships to become entangled. Through this series of events, the playwright critiques the confirmation bias of modern society, where people see and think only what they want to.

The play is directed by Byeon Yoo-jung, who directed "Jeon Myeong-chul's Biography," "Bernarda Alba," and won the Korea Theater Award in 2020 for "That Day, On That Day." Director Byeon said, "The 'Collection' created by the four actors will be a work that looks into the depths of human nature and brings out the mysterious silences between you and me hidden in everyday conversations."

James is cast with Kang Shin-gu, Harry with Kim Shin-gi, Bill with Jung Won-jo, and Stella with Choi Na-ra. Tickets will be available starting on the 31st.

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