Actress Kim Hee-ra, who took on the title role in the Korean premiere of the play 'Fleabag,' has successfully concluded her roughly three-month run in the one-woman show. The final performance took place on the 6th at Yeonkang Hall at Doosan Art Center in Seoul.

A Black Comedy from a Guinea Pig Café in London

'Fleabag' tells the story of Fleabag, who runs a guinea pig café in London. Kim Hee-ra performed the role of café owner Fleabag alone on stage, showcasing her outstanding acting skills in a one-woman show format involving direct communication with the audience.

The work was created by British playwright and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge as a black comedy exploring modern loneliness and self-destructive desire. It was first presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2013 and was later adapted into a TV series.

New Capabilities Proven Through the One-Woman Show Challenge

Kim Hee-ra gave a multidimensional portrayal of a character with complex emotions, including unfiltered speech, sardonic humor, the loss of a friend, and self-loathing. In particular, she handled highly explicit lines and bold expressions, adding depth to a character in whom laughter and pain coexist through her deadpan expressions and gestures and acting that swung between emotional extremes.

She also heightened the immersion of the performance by asking impromptu questions to the audience from the stage and exchanging reactions. Kim Hee-ra, who has displayed distinctive acting across a range of works, expanded her acting range through this one-woman show challenge, proving new capabilities on a stage that demanded the black comedy genre and immediate communication with the audience.

Kim Hee-ra's Thoughts on the Performance

Reflecting on the end of the run, Kim Hee-ra said, "At first, presenting 'Fleabag' for the first time in Korea, and having to carry the stage alone from beginning to end, was a huge challenge." She added that as time passed, going on stage felt like going to meet Fleabag.

She also expressed her gratitude, saying, "Even though one actress stands on stage, it was not a solo performance. It was a performance completed only with the audience there, so it could be a little different each time." About the character Fleabag, she said, "I want to tell her it's time to rest now. I learned a lot from meeting her, and it was a joy."

Next Stage: Musical 'The Karamazov Sisters'

Meanwhile, Kim Hee-ra will take the stage as Ivan in the musical 'The Karamazov Sisters,' running from the 8th through October 4 at Seoul Forest Theater.