Orange Polar Bear - a cross-cultural performance piece for teenagers in Seoul and Birmingham

Peter Wynne-Willson

Orange Polar Bear (2014-19) is an innovative bilingual theatre project created by Hanyong Theatre, the National Theatre Company of Korea and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. The main research aims were to develop a methodology for devising and presenting bilingual work in a way that maintains equality between collaborative partners, and, by focusing on the experience of teenagers in Seoul and Birmingham, to consider what young people can teach adults about bridging cross-cultural and language divisions. The research resulted in a novel methodology for devising bilingual theatre leading to a cross-cultural performance for young people in two languages, presented in the same form in South Korea and the UK. It was unique among Anglo-Korean collaborations for its focus on the experience of teenagers, and conscious balance of languages, cultures and practices. Additionally, the research demonstrates the value of adopting a child-led approach to creating cross-cultural theatre and has created new insights into long-term approaches to developing fair and equal cross-cultural partnerships.

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This is a rough edit of an extract of the play Orange Polar Bear [at the time it had the working title 'Nobody'] while it was in development, working towards its final version due to be presented in Seoul and Birmingham in Autmn 2018. The extract has no subtitles and is over-exposed, but is a record of the sharing. This sharing of an extract was after a week of work with a mixed cast. The actors are Michael Ajao, Park Ji Hye, Daniel Naddafy, Jay Lim, Park Hyun Ho, Park Young, Paige Round. Introduced by producer, Judy Owen It was filmed in ACE Dance Studios in Birmingham as part of the ASSITEJ 'On the Edge' Festival in July 2016. The actors had only a few days rehearsal to prepare the extract. The focus of discussion was around the language issues, the narration and use of physical theatre.

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