Turn memories into a tribute play

Every time the War Invalids and Martyrs Day is celebrated on July 27, the stage of Ho Chi Minh City is lit up with the flames of memories.

On July 20, Quoc Thao Drama Theater will perform the work "Deep Night" by author and director Quoc Thao. The play reminds us of the soldiers who died for peace and prosperity; at the same time, it reflects the fight against crime by the people's police to keep life peaceful.

Creative "touch"

Ho Chi Minh City stage staged many plays and operas on July 27, attracting a large audience. In which, gratitude became artistic material; drops of sweat from practice turned into incense sticks offered to those who died for independence, freedom, and happiness, and many wounded soldiers are still a solid support for the younger generation.

People's Artist Tran Minh Ngoc commented: "This is a creative "touch" that Ho Chi Minh City artists are diligently preserving and renewing the art of stage performance."

Art units such as Hong Van Drama Stage, Ho Chi Minh City Small Stage Drama Theatre, Quoc Thao Drama Stage, Trinh Kim Chi Stage, Hong Hac Stage, Tran Huu Trang Opera House... have staged memorial plays for the War Invalids and Martyrs Day, July 27, for many years. Works such as: "That day, the gate of heaven", "Two mothers", "Comrades", "Red coral", "Love in wartime", "Warriors", "Motherland's song", "Aspiration for peace"... are not only for memorial purposes but also to tell memories through artistic language.

A scene from the play “Aspiration for Peace” by Ho Chi Minh City Drama Theater

Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong acknowledged: "The topic of war invalids and martyrs - a topic that seems to only live in the nostalgia of the past - under the hands of the directors has been expressed in a very new way, very convincing to the audience."

Specifically, in the play "That Day, Heaven's Gate", the director uses the stage space as a layered memory between reality and the past. The scene transitions are not simply changing the backdrop and lights, but like each breath recalling the mood of a veteran in peacetime, facing loneliness and the broken pieces of memory.

The play "Two Mothers" uses contrasting images. One side is the mother of a martyr, the other side is the mother of a soldier who once stood on the other side of the battle line. The two characters represent two worlds but share the same grief of losing a child.

Meanwhile, "Comrade" and "Red Coral" exploit the political element in a new mindset. With "Love in Wartime", the director has put the love of couples together with the love of the Fatherland, without considering them as opposites. The play shows very real emotions, the silent sacrifices of those in the rear, of wives and lovers. "Warriors" and "Motherland's Song" lean towards rhythmic storytelling, rich in modernity...

"The theme of war invalids and martyrs is never old. Young artists today are contributing to making that source continue to flow in the public's soul" - People's Artist Tran Minh Ngoc emphasized.

Not just a voice of the past

Author Nguyen Khang Chien shared about "That Day, Heaven's Gate": "I wrote this script not to retell the war, but to talk about continuity. The soldiers of the past sacrificed a part of their bodies, but in the eyes of their descendants today, they are the whole sky. I tried to make each line not only the voice of the past but also a reminder of the present, that peace was exchanged for blood, bones and tears."

In the genre of plays with a revolutionary ideal, "Comrade" by author Le Thu Hanh creates deep emotions. This play - which just won the B prize of the Ho Chi Minh City Creative Award - does not exploit the images of the past battles but focuses on the feelings between soldiers in the current fight against corruption. Author Le Thu Hanh confided: "When writing "Comrade", I wanted the audience to see that behind the military uniforms are people who are very weak but extremely brave. They fight not only with weapons, but also with their hearts".

Many artists assert that revolutionary and memorial plays on War Invalids and Martyrs Day need to be invested in longer term. Accordingly, performances should be held regularly at schools, military units, memorial sites, etc. so that the younger generation does not forget those who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland.

According to experts, the stage is a place to preserve community memories. During the days of gratitude in July, Ho Chi Minh City artists have been turning memories into plays, emotions into actions, gratitude into creativity... Not only performing - the artists are also living with history and spreading patriotic messages with their hearts.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/bien-ky-uc-thanh-vo-dien-tri-an-196250717195634866.htm