A scene from the play “Lacrima" JEAN-LOUIS FERNANDEZ A string of contemporary French plays are set to premiere in Korea, marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France with a rare showcase of theater still relatively unfamiliar to local audiences. The psychological drama play “Alter Ego(s)” will run at Yes24 stage Hall 3 in Jongno District, central Seoul, from Sept. 6 through Nov. 22. Cowritten by playwrights Cédric Chapuis and Margot Mouth, the work premiered at the Festival d’Avignon in 2018. Poster for the Korean production of the French play "Alter Ego(s)" PARK COMPANY The play was inspired by the life of American Billy Milligan (1955-2014), who was said to have had 24 personalities. Using dissociative identity disorder as its central theme, the play explores multiple identities coexisting within a single person and questions of identity and the self. 야마토2 릴게임 The Korean production is produced by Park Company and directed by Kim Yeon-min, who won the Dong-A Theatre Awards for best new director last year for “Arcadia” (2025). “This play looks at how a person's identity is formed and the ways in which it manifests itself,” Kim said. “It can be seen as a work that explores how our inner selves are constructed, why different personalities had to emerge and how they protect one another.” In the two-person play, Lee Jae-kyoon, Lee Hwi-jong and Jung Hwi have been cast as Stanley, the protagonist who shifts between multiple personalities. Kim Jung-min, Hwang Eun-hoo and Son Ji-yoon will play Wilbur, a psychiatrist. On Oct. 2 and 3, “Lacrima,” which premiered at the Théâtre National de Strasbourg in 2024, will make its Korean debut at the Opera House of Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi. 릴박스 The play examines the labor conditions hidden behind the fashion industry's glamor through the process of creating a wedding dress for the British Royal Family. It is directed by Caroline Guiela Nguyen, playwright and artistic director of the Théâtre National de Strasbourg. A three-way split-screen presentation onstage takes audiences inside a haute couture house in Paris, a lace workshop in Alençon, France, and an embroidery workshop in Mumbai, India. The production reveals both the grueling labor hidden behind the industry's glamor and the craftsmanship of the workers. “Lacrima” means “tear” in Latin. A scene from the play “Lacrima” JEAN-LOUIS FERNANDEZ 모바일 야마토게임동영상 Since its 2024 premiere, “Lacrima” has been staged at major venues around the world, including the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe in Paris and the Barbican Centre in London. It received praise as a work of “breathtaking intensity” from French outlet Le Monde and a “monumental, magnetic production” from British outlet The Guardian. Another play “Intra Muros" by Alexis Michalik, a winner of France's prestigious Molière Awards, will also make its Korean debut at Chungmu Arts Center’s Black Theater in Jung District, central Seoul, on Nov. 10 and run through Feb. 14. First premiered in 2017, the play centers on a theater director who teaches a drama class in prison and two inmates who take part. It portrays human relationships and emotions that unfold within a confined space. Since its 2017 premiere at Théâtre 13 in Paris, the play has enjoyed extended runs at venues including Théâtre La Pépinière. French entertainment outlet Sortiraparis described it as “a fast-paced play that never leaves you time to get bored.” BY HA NAM-HYUN [] France's