Ham:beth by Modern Table
A Festival of Korean Dance 2025
About Ham:beth by Modern Table
A sublime piece of art... a multi layered and expertly executed display of work - utterly captivating
London Box Office on Darkness Poomba
A noteworthy triumph by cutting-edge artists who stand out as creative trendsetters in the contemporary dance arena
The Upcoming on Sok-do(Velocity)
Boy-band meets Shakespearean drama in this energetic all-male show by Modern Table.
Seven dancers in slick suits battle against the pressure to conform. Claiming their right to desire, their quests push them into becoming lone heroes. Loosely inspired by depictions of madness in Hamlet and Macbeth, Ham:beth combines traditional Korean songs with a live rock band to create a powerful gig atmosphere. Fast and furious choreography builds the thrilling sensation of relentless energy, danger and emotional charge.
The Place is delighted to welcome back one of London’s favourite Korean dance companies, following brilliantly received performances of Darkness Poomba at The Place in 2016, Men of Steel at Greenwich & Docklands International Festival in 2017, and Sok-do(Velocity) at The Place in 2019.
The performance on 23 May will be followed by a post-show discussion.
About Modern Table
Modern Table is an award-winning dance company from South Korea first founded by choreographer Jae-duk Kim in 2007 as a project-based performance group. After gaining recognition through Jae-duk Kim’s works such as Darkness Poomba and Awake, the company was established with ten members in 2013, and since then has had success on both the domestic and the international stage. As an all-male dance troupe, Modern Table has managed to develop a style which is not only unique, but also inherently Korean. The company strives to provide synesthetic experiences and fresh impressions to the audience, including dancers singing and works which cross the boundaries between stage and audience. Modern Table not only performs contemporary dance but stages musical, Pan-sori, and rock band performances that transgress borders between genres. Some of the company’s renowned works include Sokdo(Velocity), Breathing Attack, Sinawiand Men of Steel. Ham:beth was first staged in March 2021.
Cast & Credits
Choreographer & Composer: Jae-duk Kim
Performers: Jae-duk Kim, Eo-reen Lee, Cheol-han Jeong, Sey-eong Eorm, Jun-seok Lee, Hyeong-kyu Choi and Dong-gyu Kim
Musicians: Suk-gui Yoon (Vocal), Seong-eun Heo (Drum), Chul-joo Huh (Guitar) and Hyun-soo Kim (Bass)
Light Designer: Jang-han Lee
Sound Director: Dong-jun Been
This performance is part of A Festival of Korean Dance, supported by the Korean Cultural Centre UK and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange. The festival is presented in partnership with The Place, The Lowry, Dance City, and Pavilion Dance South West.
