Review: SWAG AGE IN CONCERT, Gillian Lynne Theatre

The South Korean musical phenomenon about rebellion and social uprising debuts in the UK with a fiery performance. In the fictional Joseon Dynasty, Sijo is banned (Sijo is a Korean poetic form that emerged during the 14th century; to make a comparison, it’s as if Shakespeare’s sonnets were outlawed). The regime has silenced the lower classes, but the masked rebel group Golbin Gang have been quietly standing up to the oppressor by leading Sijo sessions in secret.

At a time when people are arrested by the hundreds for peacefully protesting the ongoing genocide, Swag Age resonates across nations and languages. Written by Park Chan-Min and Min Jeong-Yeon with direction by Lee Kyung-soo, it’s a riotous, roaring, exciting new piece of musical theatre. It challenges the elite and denounces corruption, calling out those who are complicit in silencing the masses. 

Sweeping melodies grounded in tradition tempt the narrative with hints of modern pop for a story set in an unfixed distant past that also nudges the present. Presented as an elaborate staged concert in Korean with English captions, it makes you wish you were fluent in the language to thoroughly grasp the beauty of the writing.

While the translation falters, the music carries the intensity of the meaning with invigorating, explosive choral moments featuring powerful, hair-raising harmonies and intricate choreography. The performance is, as per custom, not free from the over-dramatics found in original K-dramas, but it’s all part of the authenticity alongside the traditional costumes and headwear.

The cast is full to the brim with huge voices. Lim Hyun Su thunders as the greedy, crooked Prime Minister who pulls the strings of Choi Il Woo’s puppet king, while Yang Hee Jun (Dan), Kim Soo Ha (Jin), and Lee Kyung Soo (Shibju/Jamo) lead the insurgency with crystalline vocal control. The galvanising call to action echoes their passionate dissent.

A beckoning pace is established from the get-go, with the character of Dan bringing a fresh point of view into the outlook of the overly cautious Jin. Where he is brash and impulsive, she is resolute and prudent. Hwang Sung Jae, Jung Sun Gi, and Jung A Young complete the Golbin Gang with the charisma that defines the best of revolutionaries.

If there’s one thing that can be reproached in the production, is that the title doesn’t do it any favours. It’s a lot more thematically and sonically solemn than something with “swag” in the name would suggest. Fully produced, the show could have the potential to be a grandiose spectacle of craft.