Friday, 25 October 2024

Theatre Review: Rose of Versailles (Musical)

Rose of Versailles (베르사유의 장미)
10 October 2024
Chungmu Arts Centre
Seoul
Musical

A South Korean original musical based on the manga Rose of Versailles by Riyoko Ikeda.

Before booking this, I had thought it was an adaptation of one of the Japanese musicals based on this story, but then I learnt it was actually an original new adaptation. I knew the vague outline of the story going in, and I had heard a few of the songs online, but essentially I was coming to it fresh. The costumes and set were stunning and the music was interesting, with some memorable refrains and great showcase numbers for the principal cast members. Where I think the show fell down a bit was in the plotting and pacing. There was a lot going on in this piece, with many separate plot lines running parallel, and it felt a bit too much to cram into a 2-hour show. It might have worked better if they'd cut some of the side plots and focused in more detail on the rest; as it was, everything felt a little rushed and underdeveloped. Still, Rose of Versailles was enjoyable even with the current manic plot, and I am giving it four stars.

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