Search

Saved articles

You have not yet added any article to your bookmarks!

Browse articles

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

PAN

 
Sam Forbes Review by Sam Forbes 3 Published: 15 Aug 2015 Assembly Hall Show Dates: 6 Aug 2015-31 Aug 2015

PAN, the Korean word for festival, is a showcase of traditional dance and drumming and forms an eye-opening if not always compelling introduction to the country’s performance.

An intriguing snapshot into a world of performance that is often closed to us.

The festival that we witness is split into two “banquets” – the first is a succession of choreographed pieces to recorded music; the second involves live drumming, a hugely important element of Korea’s musical history. The fourteen performers are obviously hugely talented: moving in perfect unison, they master the highly formal dance patterns and percussion rhythms required of them and it is wonderful to see such sequences – even if the smiles seem a little too fixed.

The narrative is very loose. Ostensibly an expression of Hongik Ingan, the Korean national philosophy, and the struggle for a world of peace and light, in practise PAN never reaches these lofty heights. Although often a feast for the eyes, the first ‘banquet’ is never as intellectual as it thinks it is and the rigidity of the choreography, whilst formally necessary, means that the piece is often frustratingly slow. The over-loud PA at the Assembly Hall does it no favours and things improve markedly once the performers take control of the musical accompaniment. The intricate percussion instantly grabs our attention and lends a much-needed visual energy to proceedings.

Ultimately, PAN is an intriguing snapshot into a world of performance that is often closed to us. For that reason alone it’s a worthwhile experience if not an overly entertaining one. The performers are wonderful although the style of the dancing, especially in the first half, won’t be to everyone’s tastes

Related to this article:

Location:

Performances

The Blurb:

PAN is a Korean word meaning ‘festival’. Thrilling audiences with a fusion of modern and traditional drumming and dance, PAN excites your senses with its colourful exuberance and folksy sensibility. A passionate celebration of life, this spectacular dance-drama commands all your attention with its explosion of movement and its symphony of drums. Performed by a cast of 12 virtuoso artists who dance and drum simultaneously, this beautiful production by KTDI (Korea Tourism Development Institute) has been hailed as a masterpiece the world over.