Musical adaptation of bestselling children‘s story 'The Longest Nights' brings its heartwarming essence with theatrical imagination
The last white boulder rhinoceros on Earth and a young penguin hatched from an abandoned egg might seem an unlikely pair to anchor a story.
Yet, in the musical adaptation of “The Longest Nights,” their journey in search of an ocean they have never seen leaves audiences rooting for them every step of the way. (The working title for the book is "The Longest Nights," but the literal meaning is "Long Long Night.")
We meet Norden, a white boulder rhinoceros (a fictional species) raised among elephants, and a young nameless penguin. Together, the two set out on a journey across vast grasslands, scorching deserts and uncharted horizons in search of the sea. How did the rhinoceros end up with this tiny penguin, and will they make it to the ocean?
At first glance, it might seem like a fable or a children’s musical. But the story of survival unfolds as a deeply moving allegory for audiences of all ages. As the two endure countless long, long nights, their journey becomes a testament to resilience, solidarity and love.
Based on the award-winning children’s story written and illustrated by Luly, the winner of the 21st Munhakdongne Children’s Literature Award, the musical has been brought to life through the creative collaboration of playwright Yang So-young, composer Park Bo-yun and director Hwang Hee-won.
Originally scheduled to run through Jan. 5, the show’s success has led to a one-week extension, with its final performance taking place on Sunday. The production has earned nominations for the Grand Prize and Best Musical (under 400 seats) at the 9th Korea Musical Awards, with winners to be announced Monday evening.
The heartwarming book itself holds incredible power, selling over 500,000 copies since its release in 2021. Its powerful story also inspired a 2023 pansori production by Ip Koa Son Studio, a creative group dedicated to pansori artistry.
Props, music to bring animal characters to life
The musical adaptation brilliantly captures its essence, bringing the story to life in just 100 minutes through its own distinctive theatrical language.
The production, which appeals to both children and adults alike, doesn‘t strive to make the animal characters overly realistic. Instead, by using props, it emphasizes theatrical imagination and symbolic power.
Norden the rhinoceros appears with a patterned cloth draped over each arm and a large suitcase in hand with a miniature of a rhinoceros horn attached to his suitcase, which itself is a perfect symbol of his long journey ahead.
As for the penguins -- the nameless young penguin, along with Wimbo and Chiku, two others at the zoo who first care for the abandoned egg -- they wear long white button-down shirts and black trousers. The baby penguin first appears, tapping castanets.
The clever use of sound also portrays their characteristics effectively. The composer said she deliberated on how to convey the size difference between the rhinoceros and the penguin.
"In the penguin's songs and melodies, we mainly used small instruments like castanets, jam blocks and triangles. We wanted to highlight its small size and light movements through staccato as well," said Park in an interview with The Korea Herald on Friday. “As for the rhinoceros, larger instruments like bass drums, floor toms and djembe drums were used to produce deeper, resonant sounds.”
The creative team also sought to convey the passage of time through the Norden‘s music, according to Park.
“When Norden is young, the rhythm is a bit fast-paced, with lively beats and brighter keys. As Norden gets older, the tempo slows down and more lyrical melodies are introduced.”
Theatrical imagination offered by stage adaptation
The road movie-type narrative involves different places in Africa -- from grasslands to a vast sea-like lake, the desert and more. These spaces unfold with ease, within the confines of a small-theater stage, thanks to the theatrical imagination it invokes.
The stage floor is covered with square LED tiles that, depending on the situation, change lighting, expanding the limited space into various environments.
The scriptwriter said one of the challenges in adapting the story for the stage was the protagonist's continuous struggles.
"As a book, it resonates deeply with readers because it mirrors our lives, but when brought to the stage, I was worried it might become too painful a story," said Yang.
So Yang changed some part of the penguin's narration to a story told by Norden.
"I restructured the story so that Norden tells his journey to the penguin, who must continue its own journey -- one metaphorically referred to as 'the long, long nights.' I felt it was fitting for Norden to share his experience with the penguin, like giving advice."
Yang also added several scenes that are only in the show. One is a comical recurring scene where Norden tells the young penguin about the ocean, saying that there are many “shin” in the sea instead of “sardines” (the words "jeonggangi" and "jeongari" sound similar in Korean).
“Norden hasn’t actually seen the ocean himself, and he heard about it from Wimbo and Chiku, who also haven’t been to the sea. So, I thought it was natural for them to make mistakes," said Yang. "It's often the small mistakes that make the memories more special.”
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Literature is a wellspring of inspiration across various formats, including film, drama series and stage productions. In this series, The Korea Herald explores the intersection of literature and its adaptations, reviewing and analyzing the transformations of original text into imagery. -- Ed.
