'The Nature of Forgetting' explores humanity, meaning of memory in Seoul rendition

The non-verbal play "The Nature of Forgetting" explores dementia through dynamic physical scenes and emotional performances and is currently running in Daehangno in Jung District, central Seoul, until Jan. 28.

A scene from the play "The Nature of Forgetting" at Daehakro Artone Theater Hall 2 in Jongno District, central Seoul [THE BEST PLAY]

[REVIEW]

What are humans without their memories? More than you’d think, according to the ongoing non-verbal play “The Nature of Forgetting.”

The play is about a man named Tom, who has dementia. On his 55th birthday, he is getting dressed when a piece of clothing on the rack unleashes a slew of jumbled memories that devour Tom's thoughts. These flashbacks unravel Tom’s life story filled with sheer joy and love as well as grief and guilt.

A scene from the play "The Nature of Forgetting" at Daehakro Artone Theater Hall 2 in Jongno District, central Seoul [THE BEST PLAY]

There is close to no dialogue and is essentially a pantomime, but it is nonetheless packed with dynamic, physical scenes with explosive energy, under the direction of Guillaume Pigé, and emotionally charged performances by four actors who take the stage on different nights. These performers throw themselves around the stage — quite literally at times — throughout the entire 75 minutes of the show with an intense passion that speaks louder than words.

The scenes are accompanied by a live three-piece band — two percussionists and one pianist — with music by Alex Judd.

A scene from the play "The Nature of Forgetting" at Daehakro Artone Theater Hall 2 in Jongno District, central Seoul [THE BEST PLAY]

Altogether, it is only a matter of time before the tiny stage in Daehangno transforms into some of the most brilliant and exhilarating settings inside Tom’s head. It is these moments of complete immersion in art that remind people of the joy of going to the theater, and in this way, “The Nature of Forgetting” is a refreshing piece of theatric art that should not be missed.

“The Nature of Forgetting” premiered in the United Kingdom in 2017, produced by the country’s leading visual theater company Theatre Re and made in collaboration and partnership with UCL Neuroscience professor Kate Jeffery and the Alzheimer’s Society. The play itself, however, doesn’t dive deep into the logistics of the illness.

“The Nature of Forgetting” ultimately taps into Pigé’s inquiry of whether there is anything left when memories are gone. Through the prism of this play, memory isn’t what makes a person — there is something beyond this that makes each and every human being eternal. It is this wordless je ne sais quoi magic and wisdom that encircles the show, and the only way to realize it is to witness it firsthand in the audience.

A scene from the play "The Nature of Forgetting" at Daehakro Artone Theater Hall 2 in Jongno District, central Seoul [THE BEST PLAY]

The cast was invited to perform in Korea in 2019, and it ran its first licensed production in 2022. The current run is the show’s longest run in a single venue to date.

Actors Jeong Sung-woo, Kim Ji-chul and Kim Sung-tae alternate Tom; Kim Ju-yeon and Jeon Hye-joo alternate Tom’s wife Isabella in her childhood and Tom’s daughter Sophie; Ma Hyeon-jin and Kwak Da-in alternate Tom’s best friend Mark; and Kang Eun-na and Song Na-young alternate Tom’s mother Emma among other roles.

“The Nature of Forgetting” runs through Jan. 28 at Daehakro Artone Theater Hall 2 in Jongno District, central Seoul.

A scene from the play "The Nature of Forgetting" at Daehakro Artone Theater Hall 2 in Jongno District, central Seoul [THE BEST PLAY]

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]