“Everyone, I’ve missed you.”
Kim Hee-ra, or Frida Kahlo, greeted the audience, saying, “I really missed you.”
She reminisced about the past, becoming the main character of a fictional talk show. One by one, she revealed the pain and wounds that the “Queen of Pain” had experienced.
On the 18th, we visited NOL Uniplex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to watch the musical ‘Frida.’
The performance that day featured a pair of Kim Hee-ra, Aiki, Lee Ji-yeon, and Park Si-in, who transitioned between multiple characters to bring Frida's life to the stage.
‘Frida’ is a creative production that captures the last moments of the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The story is devised as if he appeared on the talk show ‘The Last Night Show.’
The framed structure expanded the scope for interpretation. Through Frida’s voice, the past was examined in multiple dimensions.
There was also a reenactment on stage. The turning points of her life were interwoven like scenes from a movie, giving the audience the feeling of being in the midst of the events.
Kim Hee-ra returned to the stage after approximately two years, reprising her role as Frida, just like in the previous production. She was quadruple cast alongside Kim So-hyang, Kim Ji-woo, and Jeong Yu-ji.
From her appearance alone, she embodied Frida. With thick eyebrows, jet-black hair, and a corset that enveloped her body, she perfectly matched the character.
She also delicately expressed the waves of emotion. At each moment when the siren of life sounded, she controlled her pace. With a poignant yet bold performance, she heightened the immersion in the play.
In particular, her vocal prowess during the numbers had improved significantly compared to previous series. As she sang ‘Corset,’ gasps of admiration resonated throughout the audience.
In the sections, “I’m Frida Kahlo / It’s okay, just changing / I haven’t disappeared,” and “I do not avoid / I just endure,” she unleashed explosive high notes, overwhelming the stage with her charisma.
‘Diego’ touched the deepest emotions, infusing each line with poignant longing. Her whisper-like singing maximized the sorrow.
The climax was her solo performance. Kim Hee-ra stood in the middle of the stage, where flower petals fell, transcending pain through dance. She sang, “You have to paint like crazy. Painting is my only escape from pain.”
Since it was her first performance, she also shared personal stories. She remarked, “Just like Frida’s father hung a mirror on the ceiling, I have family members who told me not to give up when I fell.”
She mentioned that it was the first time her family came to see her performance after graduation. Once again, they sent a message of encouragement to their daughter on stage.
“Don’t you also have something that empowers you like a ‘mirror’? (If so), isn’t that a sufficient life? Thank you for giving me this happy time.”
Meanwhile, the musical ‘Frida’ will be performed at NOL Uniplex 1 until September 7.
<Photo=EMK Musical Company>
