이 논문은 <수궁가>를 소재로 한 아동극 두 편에 대한 연구이다. 이 논문에서 원전을 <수궁가>라고 한 것은 우선 연극적 특성을 창극의 전통과 연관지어 생각할 수 있기 때문이다. 국립창극단의 <토끼와 자라의 용궁여행>의 경우 이러한 계보적 연관성이 뚜렷하다. 그렇지만 더욱 중요한 이유는 <수궁가>가 지닌 보수적 관점을 아동극이 그대로 수용하고 있다는 점 때문이다. ‘토끼와 자라’ 이야기는 매우 다양한 서사들로 이본이 많기로 유명한데 아동극에서는 이를 매우 소극적으로 반영하고 있을 뿐이다. 옛 이야기들은 아동극의 무한한 원천이 되고 있지만 단순 반영 이상의 의미를 획득한 작품들은 많지 않다. 특히 <심청가>, <흥부가>, <혹부리 영감> 같은 이야기는 반복 재생되는 측면이 강하다. ‘토끼와 자라’ 이야기류도 크게 다르지는 않은데 이 논문에서 특히 이 소재에 주목하는 이유는 이 이야기가 갖는 서사적, 연극적 가능성 때문이다. 이 이야기는 별주부, 토끼, 용왕 사이의 관계 속에서 무한한 서사가 가능하다. 그렇지만 실제 아동극에서는 이러한 원전이 갖는 장점을 십분 활용하는 것처럼 보이지 않는다. 그런 점에서 이 논문에서 다루고 있는 <토끼와 자라의 용궁여행>, <토끼와 자라> 역시 예외는 아니다. 두 작품이 지니는 보수적 이데올로기의 특징은 바로 아동극의 특징이기도 하다. 그렇지만 이 지점에서 원전이 지니는 다양한 서사를 다시 한번 꼼꼼히 되새긴 후에 아동극 작품을 분석해 봄으로써 앞으로 이 이야기를 가지고 할 수 있는 새로운 가능성을 타진해 보고자 한다.

This thesis analyzed the transition of <Sugung-ga> in children's theatre. Traditional stories have been good materials for children's theatre. So they have been repeated from the early years of children's theatre in Korea to today. Recently there's a new trend to get out of the fixed repertory and make a totally new story only borrowing the frame of traditional story such as <Hareug story> from the company ‘run’. But in the case of traditional story repertories like <Hungbu & Nolbu>, <Shimchung>, there have been no big changes in story line. It seems to reflect on the conservative of children's theatre. Conservation can be a outstanding feature of children's theatre. But we have to think over the relation between the rich connotation of original version and simple children's version. The reason to pay attention to this is that there have been no changes from the early years to today in children's theatre version. Now it is the time to think again the meaning of original version and to applicate it to children's theatre version. <Sugung-ga> is a changgeuk about rabbit and turtle. It has many versions. So we can take out various analyses. Especially we can focus on the recognition of the reality of life from the characters of rabbit and turtle. It's not easy to treat this theme in children's theatre. So when the company treat this story in children's theatre, they selected a way to make a detour. <rabbit & turtle> of ‘People’ company chose a task-oriented play. Therefore it focused on the activity and role-play. It had it's own strong point. But in its work, the turtle became a very important character while the role of rabbit was reduced. It made the theme simplify. <The Yonggung journey of rabbit & turtle> of ‘The National Changgeuk Company’ activated both of rabbit and turtle, so we could feel the character power. It criticized effectively the reality of that situation. But with an attempt to make the happy ending, the last scene closed uneasily. It related with the conservative ideology of children's theatre.

This thesis analyzed the transition of <Sugung-ga> in children's theatre. Traditional stories have been good materials for children's theatre. So they have been repeated from the early years of children's theatre in Korea to today. Recently there's a new trend to get out of the fixed repertory and make a totally new story only borrowing the frame of traditional story such as <Hareug story> from the company ‘run’. But in the case of traditional story repertories like <Hungbu & Nolbu>, <Shimchung>, there have been no big changes in story line. It seems to reflect on the conservative of children's theatre. Conservation can be a outstanding feature of children's theatre. But we have to think over the relation between the rich connotation of original version and simple children's version. The reason to pay attention to this is that there have been no changes from the early years to today in children's theatre version. Now it is the time to think again the meaning of original version and to applicate it to children's theatre version. <Sugung-ga> is a changgeuk about rabbit and turtle. It has many versions. So we can take out various analyses. Especially we can focus on the recognition of the reality of life from the characters of rabbit and turtle. It's not easy to treat this theme in children's theatre. So when the company treat this story in children's theatre, they selected a way to make a detour. <rabbit & turtle> of ‘People’ company chose a task-oriented play. Therefore it focused on the activity and role-play. It had it's own strong point. But in its work, the turtle became a very important character while the role of rabbit was reduced. It made the theme simplify. <The Yonggung journey of rabbit & turtle> of ‘The National Changgeuk Company’ activated both of rabbit and turtle, so we could feel the character power. It criticized effectively the reality of that situation. But with an attempt to make the happy ending, the last scene closed uneasily. It related with the conservative ideology of children's theatre.

Sugung-ga, children's theatre, Hungbu & Nolbu, Shimchung, changgeuk, rabbit & turtle, activity and role-play, The Yonggung journey of rabbit & turtle