[On Stage] In the End, Only the Scattered Swords Remain in "KarloMakbeth"

When the play begins, no actors are visible; only a sword case sits alone at center stage. Somewhere, the whistling of the theme from the film "A Fistful of Dollars" can be heard. Next, the central door of the metallic stage structure opens, and a group of people appears. They are those who desire to wield the sword. Each person draws a sword from the case, splits into two sides, and glares at each other. As the tension escalates, the metallic structure in the background evokes the image of a UFC octagon. Scenes reminiscent of the gladiatorial battles in the film "Gladiator" also come to mind. Fittingly, the Haneul Theater at the National Theater, where the play is staged, features an arena-style seating arrangement that encircles the stage.

At the center, an elderly monk explains the situation to the confused audience. As his explanation drags on, one of the group members interrupts: "Just get to the point and start fighting!" Soon, a life-or-death battle erupts between the two groups. Amid the ensuing chaos, the leaders from each side face off. The victor of this duel is none other than the protagonist of the play, Macbeth.

The play "Karlo Macbeth" is a reinterpretation of "Macbeth," one of William Shakespeare's four great tragedies. In the original, Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis in Scotland, murders King Duncan—whom he trusted—to seize the throne. Wracked with guilt, Macbeth ultimately meets a tragic end.

Theater performance scene from "Carlo Macbeth." Yellowbomb

Shakespeare's plays are the most frequently performed works in theaters worldwide. It is no exaggeration to say that, at any given moment, a Shakespeare play is being staged somewhere in the world. However, some audience members find the familiar stories and Shakespeare's famously verbose rhetoric tedious.

Director Ko Sunwoong of "Karlo Macbeth" boldly strips away the verbosity of the original. With his trademark style of concise and witty dialogue, he elicits constant laughter while intuitively highlighting the brutality and futility of power struggles. The gladiator-like setting efficiently serves this intent.

The play is set in the distant future, where prisoners overflow in a fictional place called "Serengeti Bay." With limited facilities and no more tax money to spend, the space is designed so that prisoners are naturally culled through struggle. Within this environment, the prisoners divide territories, establish hierarchies, and fight for power. The title "Karlo Macbeth" is a play on words meaning "cut down with a sword," representing a world of survival of the fittest, where killing and dying for power is the norm. The name "Serengeti" symbolizes a world where power struggles reduce humans to the level of beasts. In essence, it is a cynical commentary on a society where humans engage in animal-like battles for power.

In the original, Macbeth becomes consumed by ambition after hearing a prophecy from witches that he will one day become king of Scotland. In "Karlo Macbeth," a blind shaman replaces the witches and foretells Macbeth's fate, serving as a satire of humans blinded by power. Macbeth's friend Banker (Banquo in the original) mutters, "The old blind woman could see the future after all."

Stage scene from the play Calomacbeth. Yellowbomb

"Karlo Macbeth" closely follows the narrative of "Macbeth," ending with the grim downfall of Macbeth, who seizes the throne by murdering the king. Malcolm, the son of King Duncan—who escaped Macbeth—reclaims the Scottish throne. This is where the original story concludes.

However, "Karlo Macbeth" introduces one more character at the very end: Fleance, the son of Banker. In the original, the witches prophesy that Banquo's (Banker's) descendants will inherit the Scottish throne, yet Fleance's fate is left unexplored in the latter part of the play. In "Karlo Macbeth," Fleance makes a surprise appearance from the audience at the climax. After reclaiming the throne with a powerful weapon, Fleance massacres Malcolm's cohort, bringing the play to a close. As in the play's opening, the actors vanish from the stage, leaving only swords behind. Unlike the beginning, however, the swords that were once gathered in a single case are now scattered haphazardly across the stage.

"Karlo Macbeth" marks the return of director Ko Sunwoong, former head of Seoul Metropolitan Theatre, and commemorates the 20th anniversary of the founding of his theater company, Mabangjin. The production is being staged for the first time in 16 years. When it premiered in 2010, it received the Dong-A Theatre Award for Best Play and Best Director. The play will run at the Haneul Theater in the National Theater until the 15th.

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