The Reunification of the Two Koreas, Joel Pommerat's play, our review

It's a revival of a play not to be missed, since its premiere in 2013 at the Odéon Théâtre de l'Europe, Joël Pommerat 's The Reunification of the Two Koreas returns to the stage of the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin. The play returns for a "re-creation", notably by moving from a bi-frontal set-up (2 tiers facing each other) to a frontal relationship with the audience. This spatial update is at the heart of the piece, and implies a new life for the work, its writing, staging, acting and sound work. An opportunity to (re)discover the distinctive work of this "writer of spectacle". La Réunification des deux Corées is a creation about love, or more precisely about the complexity of the bond of love, a poetic show that is both funny and painful, fair and precious.

Through a mosaic of 20 moments of love, happy or unhappy, amorous, familial or friendly, Joël Pommerat questions this feeling, this state. "Love doesn't exist, it's a concept, bullshit!" cries one of the characters. For The Reunification of the Two Koreas, Joël Pommerat drew inspiration from Bergman's Scenes from Married Life, but also fromArthur Schnitzler.

Particularly well known to the general public for his magnificent re-creations of the tales of our childhood, Little Red Riding Hood (2004), Pinocchio (2008) and Cinderella (2011), Joël Pommerat, creator of extraordinary shows, takes us out of our comfort zone. In just 1 hour 50 minutes, he takes us so far. Far in thought, but also far in raw emotion.

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Joël Pommerat's point of view, always radical and poetic, remains provocative in the sense that it provokes a change in us. We come away from a Pommerat show different from what we were when we arrived. This is precisely what the director is looking for, explaining in an interview that he wants to "open up different areas of perception of everyday life" and "make us see the familiar differently".

Are you ready to question your vision of love, and live a suspended moment around the rediscovery of this work? Join us at the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin, from April 24 to July 14, 2024.

Our review:

A magnificent text, sublimated by talented actors! Joël Pommerat's The Reunification of the Two Koreas is about love in all its forms. Prepare to be moved at times, disturbed by the dialogue, horrified and annoyed at others, as the author confronts us with feelings we experience on a daily basis. In addition to the talent of the actors, the dialogues are sublimated by a staging that is both sober and technical.

The reunification of the two Koreas takes place in scenes, with no connection between them, and the spectator is plunged into complete darkness between each one. There's also an interesting play on perspective, as the audience sometimes has the impression that the actors are far away on stage. Joël Pommerat 's dark staging is accompanied by smoke during certain scenes, adding a dramatic touch, and sometimes by loud music. A play not necessarily recommended for younger audiences, who may not like or understand the various messages conveyed in the play.

This play could be described as dark and hopeless, yet it doesn't leave you feeling sad. Joël Pommerat rightly confronts the harsh realities of life, without being afraid to deliver them to the audience. The actors play with a rare power, taking us with them into their joys, anxieties, fears and follies! In The Reunification of the Two Koreas, the playwright always expresses a duality, giving a reason to neither side, we witness quarrels and we don't know who to side with. It's impressive to see how much we change our minds throughout the various scenes, and how we no longer know who to believe.

Joel Pommerat 's touching portrayal of human beings and his complex, yet very real, vision of love.