Dystopian musical 'The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young' returns for 4th run

A scene from "The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young" (SPAC)

The Seoul Performing Arts Company kicks off the fourth season of its original production, "The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young," on Friday.

Adapted from the novel by late writer Park Ji-ri, the play is set in a meticulously segregated society based on caste, spanning from the privileged first district, where residents have to adhere to strict standards of behavior to maintain their status, to the slum-like ninth district, where an uprising was suppressed 60 years earlier.

The musical play delves into the conflicts between good and evil concealed behind three generations of murder cases within this dystopian society.

The characters include Runner Young, who settled in the first district after the December uprising in the ninth district; Nice Young, the father who serves as the ministry chairperson; Darwin Young, an exemplary student at Prime School, the top boarding school in the 1st district; Leo Martial, an outsider who consistently criticizes the 1st district at Prime School; and Lumi Hunter, a 16-year-old seeking to unveil the truth behind the death of his uncle Jay, killed in the ninth district.

A scene from "The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young" (SPAC)

Composer and lyricist Lee Hee-joon adeptly condenses the extensive narrative of approximately 856 pages, exploring the profound theme of sin.

The protagonist, Darwin Young, is double-cast with SF9's In-seong and Yoon Tae-ho from the SPAC.

"The Origin of Evil by Darwin Young" saw a sold-out run in its licensed premiere in Tokyo in June 2023.

It is scheduled to run until March 24 at CJ Towol Theater in the Seoul Arts Center. English subtitles are provided.

By Hwang Dong-hee(hwangdh@heraldcorp.com)