Choon-Hyang: True Love

EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL 2007 REVIEW

Choon-Hyang: True Love

Theater Seoul, Korea (www.smusical.com)

C Venue 34, Chambers Street

August 10^th-27^th 11:30hrs  Tickets: £7.50-£9.50 (Concessions £6.50 - £8.50; Children £4.50-£6.50)

CHOON-HYANG is an old Korean folk tale, passed down the centuries through an oral tradition. It tells the story of a noble young lady Choon-Hyang who falls in love with a young nobleman, Mong-Ryong. They're helped in getting together by her maid and his manservant who also develop feelings for one another.

Mong-Ryong has to leave the area with his father and exchanges love tokens with Choon-Hyang. In his absence a cruel local ruler locks her up because she refuses to break her pledge of love for Mong-Ryong and marry him.

That's the basic story but it scarcely does credit to this wonderfully told enchanting production.  The   traditional Korean music and dance add to the story.  These Korean children – acting in English, their second language – throw themselves totally into the story.  There's not a bum note, not a fault in this heartwarming show. The audience at the show I attended jumped to their feet in enthusiastic applause and many queued up to buy programmes and CDs of the musical soundtrack at the end.

It's a real feel-good happy production.  The lovely girl gets her man and the evil plotter gets his comeuppance.  It's cheerful and endearing and a real antidote to some of the more depressing productions on at the Fringe.  This is the second year in succession that Choon-Hyang has come to the Fringe and I'm not surprised.  If it was on at the London West End it could run for years. Don't miss it.