The punchlines are literal in a wild play from South Korea about an acrobatic family defending their home

Combining taekwondo, theatrics and comedy, the stage play "Jump" from South Korea is poised to make Thai crowds stand up and cheer.

Set in an average Korean home, "Jump" is about a typical but dramatically agile family with a bossy grandfather, drunken uncle and a tough but loving mother. Each member is an expert gymnast and has one or more martial-arts skills.

Two burglars break into their home in the middle of the night and a mighty battle ensues. What follows is an incredible display of acrobatic and martial-arts skills, with a healthy dose of slapstick humour.

 Revolving around the ancient Korean martial arts of taekwondo and tae-kyun, "Jump" was conceived in 1999 as "The Crazy Family". The performers spent three years honing their physical skills to perfection before the show opened.

In 2003 it was renamed "Jump" and staged in several of South Korea's major theatres. In 2005, the show began an overseas tour, starting with the Israel Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The troupe won the Comedy Award in Edinburgh in 2006 and the Grand Prize for a Drama & Musical from the National Assembly of South Korea, and was featured in the 2006 Royal Variety Performance broadcast by the BBC.

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No helmet required

"Jump" is on view today and tomorrow and on June 21 and 22 at 2, 5 and 7.30pm at Siam Paragon's Royal Paragon Hall. Tickets are Bt600 to Bt1,500 from Thaiticketmajor.

>> Call (02) 2623456.