🧭Summary

Gaksi, Mago (각시 마고) is a hybrid semi-musical combining puppetry, music, and Korean mythology. The story follows a marginalized woman who sets out to find the primordial goddess Mago, using folklore and satire to reflect on women’s struggles across cultures. The production gained international exposure through its appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

🎭 Korean Origins and Performance History

Gaksi, Mago (각시 마고) is a semi-musical theatre work created by the Jeonju-based company Kkachidong. Written by Kwak Byeong-chang and directed by Jeon Chun-geun, the production premiered in 2010 at Jeonju Changjak Sogeukjang. Drawing on the Korean myth of the primordial goddess Mago, the piece combines puppetry, live music, narration, and physical theatre to tell the story of Gaksi, a woman oppressed by her husband and society who sets out on a surreal journey to seek the goddess’s help. Since its premiere, the production has been performed in several regional venues in Jeonju and North Jeolla Province, reflecting the troupe’s roots in community-based theatre and hybrid performance traditions.

🌍 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Appearance

In 2011, Gaksi, Mago (각시, 마고) appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, performed at theSpaces at Surgeon’s Hall. The show was presented largely in Korean with English surtitles, allowing international audiences to follow the narrative while experiencing the distinctive theatrical style of the troupe. Reviews highlighted the production’s inventive mix of puppetry, live narration, humor, and audience participation, describing it as both surreal and socially engaged. Critics noted that while the story begins with Gaksi’s personal suffering after being abandoned by her husband, the narrative expands into a broader reflection on the struggles of women around the world, making the production both entertaining and thematically resonant for festival audiences.