Participants dousing one another with water at “Ah! Soorajang,” the opening performance of the Chuncheon International Mime Festival 2011 on May 22 (Photos courtesy of the Chuncheon Mime Festival Foundation)

The Chuncheon International Mime Festival 2011 kicked off its 8-day run on May 22, with an urban water bombing performance of “Ah! Soorajang,” where more than 1800 people armed with water guns and raincoats celebrated the opening of the festival.

The festival, which runs through May 29 at multiple venues in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, was selected for Korea’s Best Festivals portfolio for five consecutive years by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Now in its 23rd year, this phenomenal showcase of contemporary visual and performing arts has now become one of world’s three biggest mime festivals, along with the London International Mime Festival and Festival international du mime de Périgueux, also known as Mimos.

From family mime shows and participatory activities to nightlong performances for hardcore fans, the festival has something to offer audiences of all ages. Ninety domestic troupes and 13 theaters from 11 nations around the globe present a mix of exhilarating indoor and outdoor performances. Some of the participating teams even “deliver” stages by visiting audiences who would otherwise be unable to see the show.

(left) Rhizome Factory’s performance for the “Friday Night Madness” program (right) The Chuncheon International Mime Festival 2011 draws to close on May 29 with a fire performance (Photos courtesy of the Chuncheon Mime Festival Foundation)


For the most energetic fans, the festival has organized a “Friday Night Madness” event at Udamari in Subyeon Park, featuring a wide variety of multidisciplinary performances starting at 11 p.m. until and lasting until 5 a.m. The closing ceremony on May 29 will include a performance burning 9999 fish-shaped bonfires for prosperity and fulfillment of the individual wishes of participants.

For ticketing and other information, please visit the official website at: www.mimefestival.com (Korean and English).

By Hwang Dana
Korea.net Staff Writer


[Source: Korea.net]

I want to