Recognized as one of the U.K.’s most exciting and innovative touring theater companies, Kneehigh came to Korea for the first time with “Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs),” which features its latest avant-garde choreography and a compelling narrative.

Written by Carl Grose and directed by Mike Shepherd, and with a new score of live music written by Charles Hazelwood, “Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs)” was performed at the LG Arts Center last Thursday to Sunday.   

Listed as one of the Guardian’s top 10 theater shows of 2014, the performance is Kneehigh’s critically acclaimed radical reworking of the “Beggar’s Opera.”

Riddled with humorous political and social satire, this new adaptation exposes the seedy underbelly of modern society, highlighting issues of poverty, injustice and corruption.

The critically acclaimed artists of the Kneehigh company have emerged as a driving force in contemporary British theater in recent years, striving to live its motto to “create events and offer experiences that can profoundly change people’s lives.”

That they did, in a highly outlandish narrative that left me questioning, “Is this just completely absurd, or is this wildly clever?”

After much internal deliberation, I found myself leaning more toward the latter, finding myself contemplating the many moral issues that plague everyday life.

Prior to seeing the show, I had naturally assumed the performance’s title was merely a metaphor, but no.

The musical tells the tale of Mayor Goodman and his dog, who were both assassinated by the dastardly killer-for-hire Macheath, at the behest of the city’s wealthiest business couple to cover up a scandalous secret.

With its eccentrically bizarre script paired with folk, hip-hop and electronica music, nothing about the musical was predictable.

Its complex characters showed twisted humanity and morality, while the story line oozed classic British humor and coarse language. I found myself oddly enjoying the absurdity of the entire production. 

The LG Arts Center will soon play host to yet another highly anticipated UK performance -- Matthew Bourne’s “Sleeping Beauty.”

Hailed as one of the U.K.’s most popular and successful choreographers/directors, Matthew Bourne will premiere in Korea his critically acclaimed “gothic romance” dance reinterpretation of the classic fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty.”

Combining dance, cabaret and circus elements with the music of Tchaikovsky, Bourne has reinvented the traditional tale of good vs. evil into a visual masterpiece of supernatural love with a gothic twist. The performance will be staged from June 22 to July 3. Ticket prices range from 40,000 won ($35) to 130,000 won. For more information, visit www.lgart.com.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)