A Review of the Foreigner Theater Crowd— They can make you (but not me) giggle
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By Mizaru
First off, Roofers in central Seoul’s foreigner borough of Itaewon is a very accommodating place for anyone. It’s a 
substantial space with a mixed décor of a black and white checkerboard floor and 10-foot ceilings. The small wooden shoe-shine red colored square bar and open window kitchen are fundamentally set up out of the way of the main floor and it all combines to give the place the hip look of a Chicago supper club of the 1940’s. With Japanese and Sri Lanken cooks in the kitchen the food is very much better than average and with quick bartenders from Iran, Canada, and Korea, Roofers is a place of potential and well meaning for foreigners. And when the weather finally turns, there’s more cause for good vibrations. The real upstairs of the place is actually a roof. Steve Kang, the owner of the place said, “We are going to open the roof at the end of April.”
It also aims to be Seoul’s top Expat performance place. When you open the heavy front doors, soft sofas and card table chairs are cast around everywhere filling in the large space all the way to the back until a Doc Martin boot height elevated stage begins. And stage it is tonight as over 100 hipsters have paid (myself included) 10,000 won (about 10 bucks) for a Seoul City Improv (SCI) fundraiser. The money will help send five Seoul based performers over to Taiwan to perform with that local foreigner theater troupe.
I have not seen much Improv before, yet this will be at least my fifth watch of a performance from Seoul Players: Seoul City Improv, Night of 1,000 plays, The Reindeer Monologues are all part of their running tally. When I witnessed the Night of 1,000 plays it was the most annoying night that I have ever spent in the theater. Local expats submitted short skits and then acted them out. Acting out is right here for all of the three-minute-or-less stuff had a very juvenile new age recovery feel to it: Actually I have been through this and this happened to me so everyone pay attention because sweet dreams are made of me. Between these effects-of-Xanax moments and waiting for Pollyanna diction so bad it would have taken the cracks out of the Liberty Bell to stop, I kept waiting. Waiting for the one spark to bust open the cocoon of self. That possibility that the material is connecting with the audience and that the players are connecting with the material. Unfortunately it happened. The skit that got the most laughs was BABY JESUS; its plot was about a white trash incestuous family where the marijuana using grandmother exclaims, “I told them all I was only an occasional user.” The line that got the most applause of the night came from a sister who announces to the audience, “I can’t believe that my sister is pregnant with baby Jesus.”
You would think anyone who has decided to pull up the tent and live in a foreign country could (being organized and all) do more with their 15 minutes of fame than that.
The press release for this night says:
Seoul City Improv has been entertaining the city for nearly three years, and is now taking its improvised comedy on tour outside of Korea for the first time. The group has been invited by Taiwan’s premiere improv troupe to take part in a joint show of improvised hilarity in Taichung on April 24th.
Now, not only does this gang all want a lot of attention, but now they want your money too. Yeah I feel it, in theory pull the wallet out of the pants and help the international hipsters. In reality hunker down at the bar and get ready for two hours of clangorous self-absorption. I’m not going to concentrate so much or hope for someone on the stage to re-choreograph a cliché and reveal something actually funny, but, I just have a deep internal Easter weekend wish that they don’t do that “Do run run” thing.
It’s like children of the corn standing close to each other on an electrified stage. All groping for a funny moment like about the last time that they saw their fathers naked and then the switch is thrown and electromagnets underneath the stage are off and we get to watch them them pop and fizzle in the very lame spotlight.
I bumped into one of the members of the Seoul Players and in an unplanned chat she quipped with a blink of the eye about the substance of the performances here in Seoul, “Well, hey It’s not New York…” But wait a minute I’ve come to believe that it is New York. I mean there was a time being a New Yorker meant staying in every other Saturday night to read and cook then later turn on the screen for some Saturday Night Live giggles. What’s happening in modern New York? Everyone wants to get out and bang their drum. Yeah, it’s trendy in Brooklyn and you can reckon having to be out and make the scene on a Saturday night, “Well that’s only Facebook New York,” but my point is the only difference between the urban middle class mediocrity of performers in Itaewon, Seoul and those same performers in Green Point, Brooklyn is minus or plus an extra 30 thousand dollars in the bank. Either way, in either place, the tagline is the same: the show must go on.
I laughed or smiled or clapped a couple of times each this night and perhaps they were just gestures to relieve the self-conscious pangs asking, “What the fuck are you doing here?” I mean racial and sexual tropes about “Indian pancakes made with Curry,” “Satan loves Easter,” “While you’re down there…” And Improv pieces of, “Your job was a, ‘Ice Cream Truck Driver’ and now you are, ‘A bank Robber.’” Well, I would not have even remembered any of this if I didn’t bother to write it down.
The audience gets to take part too. In a game called, “Freeze” performers are locked in a physical position and the audience can come to the stage and move the action forward by a physical pose and carrying on the dialogue. Well tonight everyone, the audience and the players, alike takes the comic task of being intuitive right to a grope between the legs and, “While you’re down there…”
I have not contacted the improv* group in Taiwan but there Facebook description says, “We’ve got the rhythm in our hips…DING DONG!”. Well if they change their mantra to, “If all else fails mention debauchery and then dwell on the dog,” sign me up to their hip and funny.
I think to give Seoul City Improv a very practical review I should make a suggestion. Through a lottery three performers should be chosen. Three days before the show they should completely go off-line: no phones, no torrents, no TV. For those three days the majority of their diet should be sugar. Anything mostly made with sugar. If the Improv starts at 8p.m., then the three should arrive exactly at 9p.m. and go right to the empty stage. At that point the tech turns on Iggy Pop’s “I wanna be your dog” really really loud! And other members of the Improv group start tossing around empty candy wrappers. So let that Improv begin. I’d gladly hand over 10 bucks for that. Fuck Yeah! That’s entertainment and the performers would really have to earn their 15 minutes of fame.
It’s been four days going into Easter; I haven’t eaten meat and maybe this makes me hypersensitive and biochemically too equipped to play Mr. Gravitas. I know that everyone gets a kick out of lowest-common-denominator humor. Yet, really, is that all it is? I’ve also had a few Jameson’s-on-the-rocks and when I look around the smiley room, somehow I am for sure that low-brow humor equals the new bourgeois code. The rub is that Improv is meant to be hip, urban, and groundbreaking. Acting your shoe size and not your age and shouting out puerile lines like, “Punching babies,” and, “Break my Hyman” is the opposite: it’s just part of a suburban agenda.
The glaring disappointment here is that anyone who is not completely self-absorbed or utterly self-conscious can see the possibilities for this kind of performance. Like most of the foreigner entertainment over here — musical, spoken word, whatever — if they know that they suck, it would be funny and interesting. Whether its music or comedy if local performers and scenesters took themselves less seriously, there could be a golden halo of Zen wit surrounding everything we did and it would really be amusing. By just breaking the restrictions of time and space of how anyone ends up on a Saturday night in a club in Seoul, Korea is a gas. But instead, as this night shows, the foreigners/performers yoke, part scatology and part neediness just drags it all down.
On the upbeat note— I spoke with Lyle Arnason who has been part of Seoul Players for over three years. He is cast to be in SP’s upcoming musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He promises the show to be, “Cream of the crop.” I for one believe him as he is the only member of Seoul Players I have ever spoken with who has a strong background in and passion about theater. The Three Wise Monkeys will be given some tickets for the “Media Night Performance” on Friday, May 29.
If you are interested contact us at 3wmseoul@gmail.com. The musical has been cast but if you want to help with crew/ set design or some other vitals of producing a play, contact: Lyle at lylebjorn@gmail.com
Margaret Whittum is the founder of SCI.
For more on Seoul Players — they certainly are active here: Claire Noble
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Mizaru is the creator and founding editor of The Three Wise Monkeys
Contact 3wmseoul@gmail.com
April 6th, 2010 at 2:36 am
Ouch.
April 6th, 2010 at 3:29 am
I like this kind of review.
April 6th, 2010 at 3:29 am
I thought relatively the same things three years ago the first and only time I’ve seen them… thanks for saving me the hassle of wasting an evening in their company.
April 6th, 2010 at 4:59 am
Writing like this is hard to find. Especially if it is about a place like South Korea. Hey can you spare one of those free tickets for the upcoming theater show? That is if they will still give you one after this! Cheers
April 6th, 2010 at 5:05 am
Well Mr. Soper. I wondered what you were going to do after
electrifying Dublin that summer. Flann O’Brien had nothing on you. Carry on Carry on.
April 6th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Great review and general commentary on the unedifying spectacle that is the majority of the expat arts scene. This in particular sums the whole thing up:
‘The glaring disappointment here is that anyone who is not completely self-absorbed or utterly self-conscious can see the possibilities for this kind of performance. Like most of the foreigner entertainment over here — musical, spoken word, whatever — if they know that they suck, it would be funny and interesting. Whether its music or comedy if local performers and scenesters took themselves less seriously, there could be a golden halo of Zen wit surrounding everything we did and it would really be amusing.’
Just perfect. The shocking levels of high self esteem that the majority on the expat arts/performance scene hold themselves in, is ripe for a measured and sane critique as given above. Good work, Sir.
April 6th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
This is scorching strong. I’ve seen a few of their shows. And I don’t remember anything about them, but I think the point for everybody is just to get together and have some comraderie. This really goes deep and makes some strong insights into modern minds. Well done for the thinking and writing but you’ll smile more if you take this entertainment stuff at face value.
April 7th, 2010 at 12:55 am
I feel a little overipe today. When I finshed this peice yesterday I felt the blaze. I would like to re-up and say Roofers is a good space (they can’t control who takes the stage or bungles the start to a dolphin killer movie) anyone can claim it and at least these local performers are getting off the web and laying it on the line… And so it goes. Mizaru
April 7th, 2010 at 1:53 am
Frankly, Roofers chairs put my ass to sleep when I saw Black Comedy. Literally…I couldn’t feel my ass after 45 min. I had to keep shuffling in my chair. I’m sure I annoyed the peeps behind me.
April 7th, 2010 at 1:55 am
Well do know you can’t have it both ways. You can’t swing the sledgehammer and then worry about who it hits. Damn good writing mate. I don’t notice the xpats over here really. I have my own thing going on. But after reading this I do feel that there are some real posers over here.
April 7th, 2010 at 2:00 am
Oh God she is back everyone take cover.
I know I shouldn’t give a feck. The writing is strong and the observations acute. Still, the yin and yang in me…
April 7th, 2010 at 2:53 am
If only there were awards for reviews…
April 7th, 2010 at 5:59 am
Mizaru, strong stuff! I wouldn’t worry about offending Roofers though (the first paragraph and a half reads like an ad), and I gotta agree with Racinesway. Man, go hard – more of that’s needed, but please don’t go into damage control with the morning light. There’s more than enough banal, politically correct, ‘hey my friend is involved with that’ (yeah, I know it’s a small town life for us expats) type crap being written already.
Speaking of which, now having a rough idea where that bar has been set (largely by Poison Pen and yourself), I’d personally expect no further edits – unless only the expat crowd is considered fair game…
April 7th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Wow, nice writing. This is why I enjoy this site. Speak the evil my fried, speak the evil>>>>
April 7th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
The crowd would probably disagree. I was working the door that night, and everyone who came left with a smile on their face. Live English entertainment is a luxury in this town, and this is the first time in years that SCI has asked for money at the door for anything other than a charity event. Their audience clearly chose to support them in this.
As someone who is not a member of SCI but who knows the members fairly well, I can tell you this: these are not hipsters. They are, generally, dorky optimists who love comedy and tend to care more about social issues than your typical Cass-swigging Westerner. None of the guys on stage that night owns anything that could be called “ironic,” and if the comedy was puerile at times, it’s exactly what the audience was asking for. I know for a fact that SCI’s leader gives instructions to her cast to keep the sexual comedy to a limit, which flies in the face of audience suggestions. Did you happen to notice how many times the word “horny” was yelled at the stage?
Anyway, you have every right to criticize a show. Actors open themselves up to that by going on stage time and time again. Personally, I agree that this wasn’t SCI’s strongest performance. The audience (from what I could tell at the front door) seemed to be having the time of their lives, but as a performer myself I saw areas that could use work, particularly those details you mentioned. But to make assumptions about the people who go up there, and the reasons they choose to do so, is unnecessary. The arts community in Seoul is a 100% volunteer organization, and for a transient community like ours we put on some amazing productions. Did you happen to make it out to last year’s 24-hour Theater? The energy of the artistic people in this town is incredible, and your cynicism about the people who put it together is depressing.
And not to put too fine a point on it, but…
“there Facebook description…” should be THEIR facebook description
“Hyman” should be “hymen.” Hyman is a name. Hymen is that thing that is kind of gross when it comes up during an improv show.
April 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Well Jessica,
I am sure that there are no people like show people cause show people are go people… or something like that.
And don’t ask for a quarter, a cookie or a banana for pointing out the typos… I don’t tell you how to hold the door do I
Thanks for reading and do do do be aware the wisdom (and giggles) of the crowd.
April 8th, 2010 at 7:53 am
I am not surprised that you failed to mention how you said to me- a performer that night that used both “punching babies” and “hymen” lines- how you appreciated some of the “subtleties” of the show. I did not really see those subtleties, but I had a good time on stage, and I think most people in attendance had a good time as well. Your compliment to me right after the show (as you handed me your flier) was either A) a lie in order to get me to read your blog or B) a truth in order to get me to read your blog. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Middle-aged fellow expats can piss on us younger ones, passing judgement all they want. I don’t see how snarky criticism and typos (Zing!) are helping the expat community be enlightened, or bringing the art scene – expat or otherwise – to a better place, if that’s what you’re trying to do.
You said is that we need to realize we suck, laugh at ourselves, and stop taking ourselves seriously. I can only speak for myself, but I didn’t take much of what I said that night seriously, nor do I remember most of it (not because I was drinking, but because I didn’t think about it). I remember getting my hands stuck in a fake cookie jar, and making some jokes that I cringed at onstage as I said them.
Again, I can only speak for myself, but I don’t think anyone in Seoul City Improv thinks they are “changing the game,” or the world’s best improv team. We live in Seoul, for goodness’ sake. Improv, like all comedy, is not for everyone, and all (most) jokes aren’t going to fly with most people, including myself. I also don’t think any of us consider ourselves “hipsters”; if we were, we probably wouldn’t be working, much less in Korea. Did you actually talk to any of us, or just ask a question here and there, and fill in the blanks with your own skewed views, like most of us would? Probably like you, we’re just looking for a creative outlet, while having a little fun. You know how much madness resides in an expat life in Korea- why not temper the madness around us with a little of our own?
The irony in all this is that the thing you criticize us for – being failed or sub-par performers and seeking attention – is exactly what you are doing here on this blog. You criticize us for wanting attention, and then you post this link on my facebook page (and others) after passing out who knows how many fliers. Anyways, aren’t we all just a bunch of daddy issues wrapped up in passports?
Most of all, though, can’t people just be silly?
April 8th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Dear Mizaru,
I am perplexed. As one of the performers in the show I can appreciate that an eager reviewer will be well within his or her rights to attack a terrible show with all that he or she has got. I for one don’t think it was warranted of your particular style of rabid savagery, but I’ll also admit that it wasn’t the best show SCI has ever done by quite a margin. You perform a valuable service. If there is no-one willing to stand up and say that a show sucks then how is the company ever going to try and improve? It can’t all be a closed circle of backslapping can it?
What perplexes me in particular is that you (or perhaps your wise(?) monkeys establishment) have seen to it to attach this rather scathing review to my Facebook profile. Fisrtly, why do you think I would want to proudly display a poor review like that on my Facebook profile? I’m sure you may have heard the story that no actor likes a bad review. It’s not the first howler I’ve ever recieved and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I was taken away by the breathtaking arrogance of the move to attache these quite cruel sentiments to the recipients public profile. Why? Is it shameless self promotion, in which case one might want to take a long hard look in mirror with regard to having an over inflated sense of self?
Is there any worse type of self promotion than self promotion at the expense of others? What will you be doing next? Causing car crashes and then handing out those little black cards with the monkeys logo on to all the rubber neckers that pass by? Perhaps you could even write about how car crashes are another example of the suburban bourgoise malaise that we ‘hipsters’ cannot seem to find any escape from. If you can’t find a way to promote your product that does not rely on piggy-backing on the hands of others (i.e: handing out those cards to the crowd at the SCI show you so obviously hated), then perhaps your webzine (whatever the hell that is) is not really going to be a viable proposition after all.
Wishing you all the best,
Liam Mitchinson.
April 8th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Well gents glad you are reading…
Note how not any of the riting could you touch (except for the typos and the use of the word “hipster”).
Putting on your facebook–only seems fair to let you respond (did the same with a few others). Besides when you have the stuff flaunt it.
Promoting myself–ABSOLUTELY Except it’s not me to promote–it’s 3wm. Take a close look (new every Monday) there is nothing mediocre about it. And mediocrity is the enemy nothing more nothing less. Mizaru
April 8th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Oh Lastly as you have a done a solid job of rebutting. Took the time to read the piece and do the your own words back thing: contact us if you have story ideas. Thanks 3wmseoul@gmail.com
April 8th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
What does do “the your own words back” mean?
“Promoting myself-ABSOLUTELY” Huh??
I guess when you write so eloquently about performers being self absorbed then it takes one to know one.
April 8th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
All publicity is good publicity.
April 8th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
Nice responses from the SCI crowd. I love how the youngsters don’t understand the use of CAPS on a message board. Or get the irony of what was said. What’s to be done, old, I mean middle aged man?( Loved the dig on your age cause they had nothing on the writing.)I’ve seen the SCI group invade a few bars in the HBC area and “hipster” or “wanna be” hipster is a perfect description of the crew. They’re self absorbed and obnoxious. I’ve seen them stop performances (at the RMT dog benifit) and force people to stop talking to listen to their dribble. These type prepubesent antics are only funny to their small hipster crowd and the “Cass swilling expat” they love to hate but can’t admit that they are just like.
Finally glad someone told it like it is. Good work Monkey Boys. Expose the frauds when you see them.
April 9th, 2010 at 12:17 am
HIPSTERS! HIPSTERS! HIPSTERS!
SCI’s new name: “The Hipsters” thanks for the term, oh wise monkey. can you please define this new great phrase for all these artistic newbs out there?
April 10th, 2010 at 3:45 am
As one of the audinece who’s been coming to the SCI shows for the past three years, I’d like to say that SCI improv may have more value than a first-comer might think. There’s a difference between when you look at it from a negative mindset with a certain dose of self-importance or arrogance, and when you look at it with an open heart. It’s easy to be a skeptic but it takes more courage and honesty to appreciate and laugh with other people’s work, art, etc.
The review only reflects the mindset of the reviewer. It doesn’t necessarily define the quality of the actual show.
In my case, the SCI show was one that really pulled me out of life’s little sadness, depression, boredom, etc. It’s good to laugh, and it’s more important to be able to laugh. What are you going to do with all that saved laughter? Buy an apartment? Hahahahahah!
April 11th, 2010 at 3:26 am
Great review.
Thank you for bringing up the fact that they were charging to fund their vacation to Taiwan. I think it’s terrible to charge viewers to pay for the “volunteer” actors to go on a trip. We are all adults making approximately the same amount of money. If you want to go to Taiwan, buy yourself a ticket to Taiwan.
Rudy,
If you want to be paid for your performances, become a professional performer. You claim you don’t remember what you said on stage because you weren’t thinking about it. How is that a defense? You SHOULD be thinking about what you are doing on stage.
April 13th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Wow ballistic writing!
Don’t stop.
Thanx for the site!!!!
April 17th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Dear Sirs,
I have been performing with Seoul Players and SCI since late last year when I signed up for ‘Night of 1000 Plays’. Before performing with Seoul Players, it had been five years since I had been on stage. My previous experiences as an actor included professional theatre and film work around the U.S. I had, however, set that aside to pursue teaching geography, history and now ESL. I was elated to see so many people come out and try their hand at being on-stage for the first time. It takes real balls to get up in front of people and give it your best shot. I have heard that public speaking and being on stage is one of the biggest fears that people have. After the performance these same people began to understand the particular feeling of being in a show and the rush of having an audience of friends laugh at their jokes. It was amazing to see the fears that these people had disappear and be replaced by a pride in themselves for doing something that frightened them. It was not about “15 minutes of fame” as you claim. It was about doing something they had always wanted to do, whether it was acting, directing or writing. I think you missed the point entirely. These people were doing what so many people in Seoul are doing…expanding their horizons and experiences. Seoul is a wonderful place to do such a thing and these people’s attempts to grow and try new things (Like writing theatre reviews) does not need to be destroyed by your arrogant and flippant remarks about their performance. Many thanks to Seoul Players for providing a venue for anyone to make a worthwhile attempt at something they have always wanted to do.
Now on to SCI…
As I stated before, I am a trained actor. However, I was not trained in Comedy Improv. I was trained in classical theatre, American realism, and dance. I was always in awe of my friends and coworkers that were able to get on stage with no script and let the cards fall where they may. So, when I was presented the opportunity to perform with Seoul Players, I did what so many people here are doing. I gave it a whirl. It was frightening, but I did it. I am glad to have the opportunity to do this. I am not a professional improviser.
We are not self-absorbed…as a matter of fact, my feelings on the subject are quite the opposite. I view it as a learning experience and am always surprised when someone approaches me while I’m out proudly “swilling Cass,” and tells me that I made them laugh. We are glad to provide a couple of hours in which people can laugh, drink and enjoy themselves.
We do not take ourselves as seriously as, say, a certain mediocre, part-time, amateur reviewer does. Your review is pure dribble. Lines like “It’s like children of the corn standing close to each other on an electrified stage. All groping for a funny moment like about the last time that they saw their fathers naked…” and ” Between these effects-of-Xanax moments and waiting for Pollyanna diction so bad it would have taken the cracks out of the Liberty Bell to stop…” are just verbal masturbation. I’m sure you had to clean the keyboard after writing these ridiculous sentences that really don’t MEAN anything at all.
“I mean there was a time being a New Yorker meant staying in every other Saturday night to read and cook then later turn on the screen for some Saturday Night Live giggles.”
Which New York were you living in? My experiences while living in New York did not include sitting at home watching television on a Saturday night. That’s what the VCR was for. I was out, watching bands, plays, and proudly swilling Brooklyn Lager. Maybe your time would have been better used by doing something other than sitting in front of the tube. Wait…maybe your time can be better spent in Seoul not sitting in front of a computer. Perhaps you should try a couple of the things that you so easily lambaste. Arm chair living is not really living.
“I think to give Seoul City Improv a very practical review I should make a suggestion. Through a lottery three performers should be chosen. Three days before the show they should completely go off-line: no phones, no torrents, no TV. For those three days the majority of their diet should be sugar. Anything mostly made with sugar. If the Improv starts at 8p.m., then the three should arrive exactly at 9p.m. and go right to the empty stage. At that point the tech turns on Iggy Pop’s “I wanna be your dog” really really loud! And other members of the Improv group start tossing around empty candy wrappers. So let that Improv begin. I’d gladly hand over 10 bucks for that. Fuck Yeah! That’s entertainment and the performers would really have to earn their 15 minutes of fame.”
What the hell are you talking about here? I was actually excited upon reading the first sentence in this paragraph. Constructive criticism is always welcome. But this is ridiculous. It shows your ineptitude at understanding anything having to do with theatre or the reviewing of it. Grow up.
“It’s been four days going into Easter; I haven’t eaten meat and maybe this makes me hypersensitive and biochemically too equipped to play Mr. Gravitas.”
First off…thanks for letting us know what your Lent resolutions were, but frankly, we don’t care. Secondly, you do not need to be “Mr Gravitas,” but you certainly were on the night of the performance. Your quick compliments to the performers (including myself) were hypocritical and self-promoting. If you didn’t like the show then don’t go around lying to the people you meet. Just hand me your damn flyer and run quickly back to your laptop and dark room.
“The glaring disappointment here is that anyone who is not completely self-absorbed or utterly self-conscious can see the possibilities for this kind of performance. Like most of the foreigner entertainment over here — musical, spoken word, whatever — if they know that they suck, it would be funny and interesting.”
This goes for amateur reviewers as well. Your writing style is completely self-absorbed…and yes, you suck as badly as the rest of us. It was neither funny nor interesting, but maybe if you followed your own advice it just might be…who knows? Probably not.
All that being said… Congratulations on trying your hand at something new. As we make mistakes, we learn. I look forward to seeing your writing grow out of it’s adolescent anger and completely presumptuous nature.
Big props to Seoul Players and SCI for allowing people to grow and learn something new about themselves. I’m sure you’ll continue to do it and maybe Mr. Self-righteous here will come out and try his hand at some improv or theatre. Nah…that takes balls which we know this guy does not have!
April 19th, 2010 at 1:05 am
Thanks for reading and writing such a long response. It was a two hour performance and a few others I attended that got me to this review. And there is nothing mediocre about this writing. It’s a lot more than a theater review I fear you don’t get it but there is a lot here in the writing. You see in your cut and paste criticism of my piece (which no editor would let run because it’s all out of of context– whereas everything I wrote was in context to your friends performance blah blah blah) you don’t give any inclination that what you do on or with a stage is in any way interesting.
This is the rub. How can you not see that? You are calling me an amateur and saying I don’t get away from the comp. enough because I don’t have the sand but, I had the sand to start 3wm which comes from–well that’s a long story . And yes, Iggy Pop music blared at people on stage who are fasting and only on sugar after going off line for three days could actually create something interesting on stage… like a Warhol factory kind of thing.
You only half quote this line , “It’s like children of the corn standing close to each other on an electrified stage. All groping for a funny moment like about the last time that they saw their fathers naked and then the switch is thrown and electromagnets underneath the stage are off and we get to watch them them pop and fizzle in the very lame spotlight.” Somehow you don’t mention the play on the word “groping”. Read it again and if you don’t get the double-barrel zing of the word groping, how can you expect me to think that what you do in the theater might be half-interesting?
What you seem to have going is sort of a Britty- Air about oneself thing. Like you are in the know… Well maybe you are but that stuff about getting out and trying new things like everyone in Seoul is doing sounds like you are pimping for Hallmark Greeting Cards’ gay week. And like I tried to get across in the review: all very bourgouise and strictly suburban.
Oh, and Brooklyn lager with the usual suspects whoa–that’s the hipster cliche. Now the Bodegas in the Bronx: That’s Entertainment. And let me know when your best foot is forward in the Seoul theater world I will come try to enjoy without bias.
mizaru
April 20th, 2010 at 3:13 am
Sizzle,
Thanks for your honest remark. To clarify, I’m not saying I don’t think about what I do or say onstage, I’m simply saying that when performing short-form improv, especially, I find it more fruitful to simply react than to think about all of my responses. We rehearse together so we can respond to each other, rather than plan everything out. If I wanted to think about every action I took onstage, I would do traditional theater more often.
I don’t want to make any more specific responses, because I’m not interested in getting involved in message board disputes. I do have a few general remarks, however.
I appreciate reading everyone’s responses, and people thinking for themselves. If you haven’t seen any Seoul Players, SCI, or any of the various other avenues for performance around Seoul, and are interested in live performance, I recommend you come out and see one of the free shows, which are more numerous than you might imagine. I’ve had multiple people (both involved in theater/performance and not) say they had a great time at shows, which is what I would consider the point. If you dislike it, no harm done. The people involved are constantly in flux – as everything is here in Seoul – so you’re never going to see (quite) the same thing twice.
I just think it’s a shame that people who might be interested in watching and/or participating in theater or performing arts here in Seoul might be turned off by one bad review that makes sweeping generalizations about people. Bad reviews are part of the game, but they need not dissuade everyone who might be inclined to try something new from doing so.
April 20th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Everyone should try something new. If I ruled the world the first new things to try would be: register to vote and get a library card. Without these first moves performers have the freedom… the freedom never to ask: don’t you people know what you are not!?
April 20th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Hey SCI,
Sizzle, made a great point. Why should other people fund YOUR trip. YOU are not starving artist here, you are wanna be’s. That said enjoy your trip on your friends dime. Stay classy SCI.
April 23rd, 2010 at 5:07 am
Sizzle,
Thanks for your honest remark. To clarify, I’m not saying I don’t think about what I do or say onstage, I’m simply saying that when performing short-form improv, especially, I find it more fruitful to simply react than to think about all of my responses. We rehearse together so we can respond to each other, rather than plan everything out. If I wanted to think about every action I took onstage, I would do traditional theater more often.
I don’t want to make any more specific responses, because I’m not interested in getting involved in message board disputes. I do have a few general remarks, however.
I appreciate reading everyone’s responses, and people thinking for themselves. If you haven’t seen any Seoul Players, SCI, or any of the various other avenues for performance around Seoul, and are interested in live performance, I recommend you come out and see one of the free shows, which are more numerous than you might imagine. I’ve had multiple people (both involved in theater/performance and not) say they had a great time at shows, which is what I would consider the point. If you dislike it, no harm done. The people involved are constantly in flux – as everything is here in Seoul – so you’re never going to see (quite) the same thing twice.
I just think it’s a shame that people who might be interested in watching and/or participating in theater or performing arts here in Seoul might be turned off by one bad review that makes sweeping generalizations about people. Bad reviews are part of the game, but they need not dissuade everyone who might be inclined to try something new from doing so.
April 24th, 2010 at 6:16 am
The cut-and-paste replies here blew my mind (I’ve been drinking.) I’d like to try to salve some of the SCI players’ feelings here as a person who read this review, enjoyed it, and yet is still interested (and glad to know about for the first time) SCI. So how do you like that?
April 25th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
The ‘expat community’ and art scene (whatever they are) would be better off if it wasn’t used as a means for conquering your fears and then pissing off once you’ve got a few giggles and pats on the back. There are enough open mikes for that. That’s one of the biggest problems with performances by western English teachers over here.
April 25th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
Yeah,
I wanna commend SCI for being brave enough to get out there and do something. How many of the commenters in this thread can say the same? The only problem I have (assuming this review is accurate) is the seeming desire to defend yourself instead of using the criticism to get better.
The charging money thing is pretty inexcusable though. If the money went to props or paying the venue, that’s fine, but paying for your trip to Taiwan is pretty low.
April 26th, 2010 at 12:10 am
Isn’t that what this webzine is doing? Plenty of people have tried, but the real challange is producing something QUALITY!
Have a look in the most recent edition of The Groove and see if you can find anything near this standard of writing.
By the way, there’ll be a fairly spectacular preview of the HBC Fest in next months Groove that is the exception to the rule
May 3rd, 2010 at 8:41 am
I agree with your review. The first time I saw SCI I felt the same way about the show, using bad blue humor to get laughs. But that said I still enjoyed going, not because it was funny, but because I needed a break from Korea for a while. I dont think anyone who goes to an Improv show in Korea is expecting much of anything. Its a bunch of expats, if they were that good at improv what would they be doing in Seoul. So I just wish that as a reviewer, you could take your location and circumstances into account. Because now it just sounds like your a bitter ex-Williamsburg hipster who got thrown out of your rent controlled PBR den and had to move to Korea to finish your (non existent) memoir.
May 4th, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Wow that set me straight… Now that part of Brooklyn… is that where The Cyclones play ball? No No No it isn’t and the Mets just hit it out top of the ninth–Keep your fingers crossed. Oh Wait all you need to know is TRUTH and BEAUTY… The review is it and your comments are mediocre… Mediocrity the only enemy I have. Besides the Phillies
May 4th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
“Put it in the books!” “You gotta believe!” The Metropolitans get the win.
Do to all the responses and concerns about HIPSTERS–after 3wm publishes the two part memoir of teaching English inside a Korean boy’s prison– I’m coming for ya,
The Hipsters of Seoul: are you one?
Coming sooner than later only here at 3wm.
May 9th, 2010 at 2:33 am
Dunno about improv shows, but your writing style is terrible. You’re all over the place and go from one topic to the next especially in your responses. You are also very self-congratulatory…You gotta teach us how you suck your own shlong.
May 9th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
The word for this is “Brio” look it up. And don’t worry, starting 1n 2023 3wm is going to stop doing writing and reporting with images and comments and move to the up-and-coming format of Comments comments comments– easier to read for most I suppose.
May 9th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Keep it postmodern with the writing. I love comments that point out whats wrong with something and then procede to vulgarity!
I say the three wise monkeys version 2.0 appeals to only mind readers. It will just be a blank page. Saves time on having to actually read something. Just a blogzine on comments of what people think they see(never mind its a blank page, im sure people will comment and be vulgar anyways)
May 9th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Did i fail to mention that this isn’t a middle school essay Will?
June 1st, 2010 at 9:15 am
Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! I’m sure you had fun writing this article.
June 2nd, 2010 at 8:41 pm
[...] group had to offer after an unbearable night of tomfoolery at a recent Seoul City Improve gig (article here), so Roofers again it is. First off, the childlike aura of the show is in itself refreshment. I mean [...]
September 30th, 2010 at 12:36 am
[...] EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the beginning of 3wm taking an unflattering at times but always street level view of the “cult-of-cool- in Seoul”. For a previous 3wm essay review of Hipster bourgeois pretension check this “Theater Review” [...]