The Seongnam Cultural Foundation will host the Korean premiere of the play 'Lacrima' by the National Theatre of Strasbourg to commemorate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France. The performances are scheduled for October 2 and 3 at the Seongnam Arts Center Opera House.
According to the foundation on the 18th, 'Lacrima' has been featured on major stages including the Avignon Festival, the Odéon Theatre in Paris, and the Barbican Centre in London since its debut in 2024.
The play uses the fictional creation of a royal wedding dress as a backdrop to explore the realities faced by workers in Parisian fashion houses, lace workshops in Alençon, and embroidery studios in Mumbai.
It sheds light on the long hours, tight schedules, and imbalanced relationships in outsourced production that reveal the darker side of the global fashion industry.
'Lacrima,' which means 'tear' in Latin, focuses on the lives and craftsmanship of workers hidden behind the beautiful end products.
Director and playwright Caroline Guiela Nguyen combines video and stage elements to create a unified space representing the work environments of Paris, Alençon, and Mumbai.
The production features a tripartite video and utilizes various languages, including French, English, and Tamil, to connect labor scenes from around the world.
As the Korean premiere approaches, citizens and audiences are expressing interest in the value of labor behind glamorous fashion and the unique visual direction of the play. Responses highlight the thought-provoking nature of the labor involved in creating a single dress and the impressive combination of video and theater.
A foundation representative stated, “In celebrating the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, we are pleased to introduce contemporary French theater to domestic audiences. We hope this work prompts reflection on labor, craftsmanship, and globalization.”
Following the Seongnam performances, 'Lacrima' is set to continue its run in major Asian cities, including Istanbul and Taipei.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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