First Korean Production Staged in English in Major Theater District

Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Korean original musical “Marie Curie” will debut on London’s West End on Saturday, marking the first time a Korean production is staged in English in one of the two major international theater districts, alongside New York’s Broadway. The musical will be performed at the 265-seat Charing Cross Theatre until July 28.

The Culture Ministry plans to promote the show through media talks with the cast on June 7 and joint concerts by Korean and UK actors on June 10. The cast features 11 British actors.

Produced by LIVE Corp. President Kang Byung-won, the musical involves a British creative team led by director Sarah Meadows, music director Emma Fraser, and choreographer Joanna Goodwin. Tom Ramsay and Ahreumbi Rew handled the English book adaptation and literal translation, respectively.
 

▲ Poster for “Marie Curie” / Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and TourismThe decision to stage the musical about the Polish-born French physicist on the West End followed its showcase at The Other Place in London in November last year, which assessed local audience reactions. The musical was initially produced by LIVE in 2020 with financial support from the government-run Arts Council Korea, which contributed 310 million won ($224,000).

“Marie Curie” has received multiple accolades, including five awards at the Korea Musical Awards in 2021 and the “Golden Watering Can” award at Poland’s Music Gardens Festival in 2022.

A Culture Ministry official indicated optimism about the two-month West End run, suggesting it could lead to an extended performance period or a move to a larger venue. A successful run may pave the way for a Broadway debut, the official added.

The ministry is currently revising funding rules to ensure all government-supported musicals are created with potential international showcases in mind. The changes could be implemented as early as next year.

Sayart

Joy, nunimbos@gmail.com