Interview

Three questions with the cast of Korean spectacular Snap!

1. Last year's reviews often mention the some great physical comedy moments in 'SNAP!' - which came first: the magic or the comedy?

Our performance is aimed at providing the audience with a believable fantasy illusion, so the role of magic is very important. However, the acting patterns of the characters called The Tricksters who propel the story are based on physical comedy which balances the mystery of the magic with the comic elements of the story itself.

SNAP is a performance of magic, illusion and comedy which tells a number of different stories. We think there are plenty of elements in our show that appeal to audiences of all ages - we usually find that audiences laugh at different aspects to our show which makes it even more fun for us!

2. Were you inspired by comedians from the past or present?

We are all huge fans of the American comedian and clown George Carl (1916-2000) who literally ran away to join the circus when he was a teenager; his style is slapstick and very funny. We were also very inspired by the great Charlie Chaplin whose brilliant silent films we've been able to enjoy on Korean TV recently.

And we learned a lot by watching the late British comedian and master magician Tommy Cooper. Mr Cooper was a highly respected member of the Magic Circle and we've studied the way he combined comedy and magic in his TV programmes. The influence of these amazing artists has helped us develop our show and to implement some really complex and entertaining characteristics - we hope the references are respectful and, of course, highly entertaining.

3. What part of the show have audiences in Edinburgh found funniest about Snap?

Our show is divided into two: one is a new world where serious and extreme magic happens; the second is the comic side where slippery characters appear and disappear without warning. There are aspects of our show that reflect a different kind of fun than simple comedy; because of the novelty of the slapstick element and the novelty of the idea, and the unexpected behaviour of the cast, the result is something else - we call it 'magical methodology'. It's a show for everyone!