The History of Korean Western Theatre
Jaha Koo/CAMPO (South Korea/Belgium)
- Thu Jan 23 7:30PM
- Fri Jan 24 7:30PM
What happens when a nation’s artistic spirit is undermined by the weight of Western influence? This question drives Jaha Koo’s visionary documentary theatre performance, which examines how the suppression of local culture under Western assimilation has shaped Korean theatre—and by extension the national identity of South Korea.
Koo returns to PuSh by critical acclaim with the final act of his Hamartia Trilogy (hamartia meaning ‘tragic error’ in Greek), following the much-celebrated works Lolling and Rolling and Cuckoo. In this concluding piece, he examines the far-reaching repercussions of imperialism—past and present—while uncovering subtle ruptures in the Confucian moral framework of South Korea and its intergenerational relationships.
Through a visually striking patchwork of archival materials and vibrant, cutting-edge projections, Koo interweaves personal narratives with historical and socio-political analysis, reflecting on the colonial history and identity of East Asia. He breaks from traditions of self-censorship to offer a deeply authentic perspective on the past and defiantly imagines a future free from cultural erasure.
Explore similar shows
Artist Bio
Jaha Koo (South Korea / Belgium)
Jaha Koo is a South Korean composer and theatre artist. Working in the realm where disciplines overlap, he incorporates video, music, text and installation into his works of performance. Jaha Koo’s key achievements include the Hamartia Trilogy, of which Lolling and Rolling is a part, and the EP Copper and Oyster.
CAMPO
CAMPO is a Belgium based arts centre with a diverse programme, ranging from theatre, dance and performance to festivals, neighbourhood kitchens and debates. They create performances which tour internationally, and support artists throughout their artistic process. CAMPO is like a toolbox for artists, a house that covers the whole spectrum of performing arts: research & development, production, touring & presentation.
Partners
Venue
Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
Showtimes
- January 23: 7:30PM
- January 24: 7:30PM
Post-show talkback: Jan 23
Tickets
Single tickets: $39
Buy Tickets
Seeing multiple shows? Buy a PuSh Pass before you book tickets to save up to 25%, and get free access to Club PuSh. Shop Passes
Access
In Korean with English surtitles.
Credits
Concept, text, direction, music & video Jaha Koo Performance Jaha Koo, Seri & Toad dramaturgy Dries Douibi Scenography & drawing Eunkyung Jeong Artistic Advisor Pol Heyvaert Technical Korneel Coessens, Jan Berckmans, Bart Huybrechts, Koen Goossens (& Jonas Castelijns) Hardware Hacking Idella Craddock research Eunkyung Jeong & Jaha Koo Research Assistance Sang Ok Kim interview Jooyoung Koh, Kiran Kim & Kyungmi Lee Production CAMPO Co-produced by Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels), Münchner Kammerspiele, Frascati Producties (Amsterdam), Veem House for Performance (Amsterdam), SPRING performing arts festival (Utrecht), Zürcher Theaterspektakel, Black Box teater (Oslo), International Summer Festival Kampnagel (Hamburg), Tanzquartier Wien, wpZimmer (Antwerp), Théâtre de la Bastille (Paris) & Festival d’Automne à Paris residencies Kunstencentrum BUDA (Kortrijk), wpZimmer (Antwerp), Decoratelier Jozef Wouters (Brussels), Doosan Art Center (Seoul) with the support of Beursschouwburg, Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie & Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst