[Seoul] BARNARDO & FRANCISCO(버나르도&프란시스코 )

[Programs]
* The show has closed.

“To be or not to be. That is the question.” This soliloquy from Act 3, Scene 1 of Hamlet is widely recognized, even by those who aren’t familiar with the play. As one of Shakespeare’s four great tragedies, Hamlet is a very famous work, and this iconic line is likely being spoken on a stage somewhere in the world, even at this very moment.

BARNARDO & FRANCISCO is a remake of Hamlet, but with a twist: it shifts the perspective from the royal family to the guard, making original story simpler and more light-hearted. In 2013, the play – then titled Two Soldiers’ Story – won the grand prize and directing award at the Micro Shakespeare Hamlet Festival. This time, it returns to the audience with a more polished script and direction.

The plot centers on Barnardo, a sentry who accidentally overhears Hamlet’s conversation with the ghost, and his companion Francisco, as they try to make sense of the king’s death. The charm of the show lies in the flirtatious banter between the two men, which turns the play’s heavy themes of life, death, good and evil into comedy. Yet, even in the lighter moments, the play still prompts us to reflect on the deeper meaning of life.