Actor Yoo Seung-ho has returned to the theater stage after a year with his second play, 'Killing Caesar.'
On the afternoon of the 30th, a rehearsal open event for the play 'Killing Caesar' was held at the Next Lab of the Chungmu Art Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. After a demonstration of key scenes, a discussion was held with director Kim Jung, writer Oh Se-hyuk, and actors Kim Jun-won, Son Ho-jun, Yang Ji-woon, and Yoo Seung-ho in attendance.
The play 'Killing Caesar' is a modern reinterpretation of Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar,' focusing on the assassination of Caesar. It depicts the irony that the justification of 'assassinating Caesar to protect the republic' ultimately gives rise to another dictator.
Yoo Seung-ho, who debuted in the 2000 MBC drama 'Thorn Fish,' has taken on the stage for the second time after making his theater debut last year with 'Angels in America' after 24 years since his debut, now challenging the stage again with 'Killing Caesar.'
Taking on the role of Brutus, Yoo Seung-ho stated, "It's true that I didn't hear good things when I did 'Angels in America.' I acknowledge that I was lacking. At that time, I had a significant fear of the stage, and performing in front of an audience was a huge challenge." He added, "Although there were many difficulties, looking back, I missed the moments of acting on the theater stage. There was a moment when theater actors told me, 'You will want to return to the theater stage someday.' That's why I decided to participate in 'Killing Caesar.'
He continued, "I feel like there is something inside me that wants to keep challenging and breaking through. I am preparing hard until I go on stage," adding, "I hope that by communicating a little closer with the audience, our feelings can be conveyed better, so I am grateful for the small theater performance."
Yoo Seung-ho mentioned, "In fact, I struggled a lot this time too. I was very scared, but I thought I wanted to challenge myself one more time with actors I can rely on when I have the opportunity." He said, "I don't know what has changed now, but I am learning a lot from my fellow actors. I hope it will be well manifested on the stage of 'Killing Caesar.'
Director Kim Jung explained the reason for casting Yoo Seung-ho, saying, "There is a typical image of Brutus that the public thinks of, and I wanted to start by breaking that with Yoo Seung-ho's popular image."
He continued, "I didn't see the last theater performance, but I was careful in the casting. Basically, I wanted to create interesting moments of how we can break through the images that the actors have. I wanted to show the theatrical fun by breaking the image that the public has seen for a long time. I cast him because I saw a desire to make this play intense and full."
Finally, Yoo Seung-ho stated, "It may seem like a heavy topic. There might be curiosity about why we are doing this play at this time, and I am also curious. It's a part that is not easy to talk about. So I want to leave it to the audience's thoughts or judgments," adding, "I want to show the rise and fall of Brutus as desperately as anyone else."
In the role of Caesar, who is assassinated before ascending to the position of absolute leader and emperor of Rome, Kim Jun-won and Son Ho-jun have been cast. Yang Ji-woon has been cast as Cassius, who is conflicted between political ambition and the justification of protecting the republic, while Yoo Seung-ho plays the idealist Brutus, who is conflicted in the dilemma of betraying a friend for the ideals of the republic.
'Killing Caesar' will be performed from May 10 to July 20 at the Mary Hall Grand Theater of Sogang University.
[Shin Young-eun, Star Today Reporter]
