The 'divine' character of the artist

I hesitated when thinking and writing about this part. I was a bit afraid that it would be interpreted as… flattery, then lecturing, then… something else. Our world of entertainment and performance is now much more complicated than before.

But, why do I write an autobiography?

For many reasons, the most important of which is that I want to cherish the past, to preserve some of the precious memories (for myself, I dare not say for future generations). I keep them, turning them into some gentle and precious words.

Cốt cách nghệ sĩ: Hành trình và những bài học từ nghệ sĩ Năm Sa Đéc - Ảnh 1. — Artist Nam Sa Dec

To express love and gratitude to our ancestors.

To remind myself.

To find ways to improve

job.

To be proud of having stood on the same stage with them, having been talked to, scolded, taught sincerely by them, having seen their quintessence and learning by myself while watching them act and work.

I was fortunate to have a fairly formal education and graduated with a degree in acting. That means I am quite confident about my transformation and the challenges of the character. But I easily forget dry books and documents and am very sensitive to the clear and interesting lessons before my eyes.

I always remember Ngoai Nam Sa Dec.

I joined the Kim Cuong troupe when my grandmother was weak and almost retired from performing. I was lucky when my grandmother was invited back as a distinguished guest during the celebration of La Durian reaching 1,000 performances.

I regret that in the 1980s, I was too young, understanding, but not deep enough to know how to "preserve gold and jade". I had to learn and love those people more, before they left this world, where they had lived a life filled with hundreds of different fates. They had exhausted the silk of a silkworm, they were too tired and would disappear after beautifying and making life happy.

Grandma went on stage. I stared at Grandma, who was a veteran artist of Thanh Minh Thanh Nga troupe. I stared with admiration and curiosity. Grandma was a witness to a period of passionate hát bội and beautiful cải lương.

Cốt cách nghệ sĩ: Hành trình và những bài học từ nghệ sĩ Năm Sa Đéc - Ảnh 2. — Mrs. Nam Sa Dec plays the mother-in-law in the play "Doan Tuyet"

That year, Grandma Nam Sa Dec was 82 years old, thin and small. She walked weakly, taking small steps, sometimes trembling like a leaf about to fall from a branch. She could no longer do her own makeup, and needed someone to do it for her. But strangely enough, at that time I was assigned to help her remind her of the scene. I stood next to her and whispered, "Grandma, when you feel me patting your shoulder, come out."

Ngoai stepped out of the wings, the stage welcomed Ngoai with excitement. Ngoai changed 180 degrees, truly "cool as water". Ngoai's voice was clear and resounding. A rich, arrogant, cruel and unique village councilwoman appeared. Ngoai performed so well that she was like a "god". Ngoai was in full swing with a bright aura. Her hair was silver and her face was strangely intelligent. Ngoai captivated the "weak-hearted" audience.

Ngoai Nam Sa Dec - Mrs. Hoi Dong, paired with Ngoai Bay Nam - Mrs. Tu, is as beautiful as a peerless good-evil couple in everyday life. One is gentle, overly patient, kind... becoming a classic, and the other is cruel in a shrewd way, also becoming a unique classic character. I was absorbed in watching Ngoai perform. Of course, I was also convinced by that majestic image. But what I admire most is Ngoai's meticulousness to the point of perfectionism that I saw with my own eyes.

Grandma asked: "Who has lipstick, can I have some?"

The kids indifferently gave Grandma lipstick, probably thinking to themselves: "Grandma is old, why does she need lipstick?".

Grandma took the lipstick and smeared it on her palm, leaving a red mark. Oh, so Grandma didn't apply it on her lips, she used it to burn her hand in the scene where she accidentally put her hand in the hot water basin brought by Miss Dieu. She needed a light burn to show that Miss Dieu had unintentionally harmed the old lady. If she was a young artist, just physical performance and jumping up and down screaming would be enough. The stage was so big, who would care how the character burned.

But that wasn't all, Grandma asked again: "Can you guys give me some of that... Vaseline?" - Oh, Vaseline.

Grandma took some vaseline and applied it. The shiny red mark appeared under the light: "That's it, this is how it really should be. It has to be red and shiny. Only then will the audience feel sorry."

- But how can the audience see?

- Oh my god, the audience is very sharp-eyed, they can see it, so why can't they? Whatever you do, no matter how small, you have to be careful, don't be careless, if there's a burn, there must be a burn mark. Not everyone will see it, but someone will definitely see it.

After applying the ointment, she returned to the stage and acted out the scene ten times out of ten, so cruel and vividly smooth.

So smooth and lively that, every time Ngoai appeared, there were almost always audience members standing there and shouting loudly, or quickly leaving their seats, running straight to the stage... cursing: "What evil is so evil? You are so evil, who can stand it, get off now...".

Watching Ngoai Nam Sa Dec perform, we can clearly see the difference between the evil of two women: Mrs. Phan Loi (play Doan Tuyet ) and Mrs. Hoi Dong (play La Durian ). The two villains left a clear mark for nearly a century.

Not just the bad guy. Ngoai skillfully transformed into hundreds of different roles. The good guy role, Ngoai's eyes, lips, and white hair... made people cry without Ngoai needing to cry.

Act the part.

That is the character and character, the thoughtfulness of the artist.

It permeated me directly, without any teachings, without the need to carry books or notes. ( continued )

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cot-cach-than-nhap-cua-nguoi-nghe-si-185250916195347212.htm