The musical R;Link brings a forgotten chapter of history to life on stage with heartfelt urgency. Students and faculty at Hanyang University in Korea collaborated with Canadian co-creators at Capilano University, the University of Saskatchewan and First Nations University on this original theatre production based on the Korean War’s 1951 Battle of Gapyeong, where a Canadian battalion fought back the invading Chinese army. Inspired by the troops who played hockey on the frozen Imjin River, the musical tells the story of two fictional, Seok-gu and David, who build a friendship and alliance for peace through their shared love of hockey.As the young Canadian and South Korean soldiers bonded in war, the students bonded in the intensive process of recreating their stories through theatre. “We came to realize that their struggles are not so different from our own, and in doing so, we made a new promise to remember what history had forgotten,” remarks director and co-playwright Kim Ga-ram. Co-playwright Tyrone Perreault adds: “There is a beauty to international collaboration that allows individuals of different backgrounds to come together to share new experiences and create life-long memories that shape perspectives.”After the premiere at the Content Korea Lab Stage in Seoul on July 26 and 27, the cast travelled to Vancouver to stage the show at CapU’s BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts on Aug. 15 and 16. Among those present at the closing gala were Korean War veterans, who travelled from across Canada to attend. More than 26,000 Canadians served in the war, and 516 gave their lives. They played hockey on frozen rivers with equipment brought from Canada, sharing dreams, youth, and passion with Korean soldiers and finding hope in the process.
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