Jump speaks louder than words

Jump, the action comedy launched in South Korea in 2003 that toured the world with nearly 20,000 performances, will return to Beijing on May 17 and 18 at Poly Theater.

Already enjoyed by more than 3 million people, the show follows in the footsteps of Nanta or Cookin, a non-verbal percussion show, combining comic plots, martial arts, acrobatics and sword fights.

And since actions speak louder than words, Jump has completely done away with dialogue.

Jump fuses traditional Korean martial arts, taekwondo and taekkyeon with catchy Korean rhythms and a tale of a loving family.

Featuring a strict grandfather, a restrained father, an energetic mother, a drunken uncle, a pretty daughter and a guest who is soon to be her lover, the show's original title was Crazy Family.

Director Lee Jun-sang says the story comes from his childhood memories of his family and the sounds around the house, especially the kitchen.

Since 2005, the show has toured internationally. In 2007-08, Jump had an exclusive one-year run at New York City's Union Square Theater.

Recently, the play toured 13 cities in China, the Netherlands, Turkey, Australia and other countries. This spring Jump opened on Jeju Island in South Korea.

China Daily

(China Daily 05/13/2011 page20)