The recent bold and passionate creations of art units with famous plays are creating a new vitality for the capital's stage.
Blockbusters return to the stage
Since the beginning of June, the play “Me and Us” by author Luu Quang Vu, staged by the Hanoi Drama Theater, has officially reunited with the capital’s audience. More specifically, the work was chosen to open the “Television Stage” program of Hanoi Radio and Television, from there spreading to audiences nationwide.
Nearly 40 years after its first performance, the story of the clash between conservative thinking and innovation in a state-owned enterprise still holds its relevance, especially in the context of the country entering a new era, requiring creativity, transparent governance and the role of proactive citizens. Hanoi Drama Theater has decided to bring “Me and Us” back with a new look, to reflect current issues in a close, subtle and unforced way.
As the director of the new version in 2025, People's Artist Trung Hieu shared, "I and We" was written by author Luu Quang Vu in 1984 and officially released a year later, immediately causing a big stir across the country. Audiences had to line up to buy tickets even though there were 3-4 performances per day. The play was re-produced by the theater for the second time in 2003 and this time, the director said he wanted to bring a fresh perspective, imbued with the 4.0 era with a minimalist yet flexible stage; modern lighting and sound; stronger rhythm; and familiar language, catching the "trend" of the times.
Also from a classic stage script by author Luu Quang Vu, which has been successful on the theater stage, cheo, cai luong..., Thang Long Puppetry Theater has just re-staged the puppet play "Truong Ba's Soul, Butcher's Skin" with many new and creative innovations.
According to Meritorious Artist Le Chi Kien, “Truong Ba’s Soul, Butcher’s Skin” was staged and premiered by him in 2016, winning the award for Outstanding Experimental Puppetry Performance at the 3rd International Experimental Theatre Festival in Hanoi. However, he continues to explore re-staging the work with a bolder idea. That is, in addition to human puppets and puppets, this version has shadow puppets, designed into 3 overlapping performance layers. The music combines traditional materials such as Xam, Cheo, Chau Van with modern music such as rap, hiphop... suitable for young people.
Hanoi Cheo Theatre continues to persevere in bringing back the exemplary ancient Cheo plays of this traditional art form. After “Quan Am Thi Kinh”, “Truong Vien”, “Luu Binh - Duong Le”, the theatre recently released the play “Trinh Nguyen”. The play continues to be restored by People’s Artist Tran Quoc Chiem, keeping the original spirit, from lyrics, singing to acting style, however, some details have been adjusted to be closer to today’s audience. In particular, the young actors who take on the entire play have brought contemporary elements to the work.
Previously, the Hanoi Opera House had restored the play “Kieu” which had caused a stir throughout the North in the 1990s. The new version, restored by Meritorious Artist Thanh Van, is aimed at young audiences, with bold investments in stage design, lighting, and especially contemporary music such as jazz on a folk-inspired background music…
Inheritance and innovation
The return of classic stage plays not only satisfies the nostalgia of older audiences. With new forms and new languages, these works are reaching out to the younger generation.
Audience member Tran Thanh Ha (21 years old, student at Hanoi University of Culture) shared after watching the play “Trinh Nguyen”: “At first I went to see it out of curiosity, but I was drawn into the work. I found the artists’ performances very lively, the music was very good, I didn’t think Cheo art could be so interesting.”
Mr. Tran Duc Thanh (63 years old, retired cadre of Hang Buom ward, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi) emotionally said: “I watched “Me and Us” decades ago. Now enjoying it again, I still feel very moved and surprised because of the new, modern way of making it, with more experiences”.
To recreate the play “I and We” or “Trinh Nguyen”, Hanoi Drama Theater and Hanoi Cheo Theater invited many faces who successfully performed the previous version of the work such as People’s Artists Hoang Cuc, Thu Ha, Thu Huyen, Minh Thu… to support, teach, share emotions, and even interact to create new creative ideas.
“We want to inherit the successful elements of the previous version of the play, but not re-create it in a nostalgic way. The important thing is that the performance is appropriate to the context and contemporary aesthetics,” said People’s Artist Trung Hieu, Director of the Hanoi Drama Theater.
According to Meritorious Artist Thanh Hien, Director of Thang Long Puppetry Theater, the restoration of the puppet play “Truong Ba’s Soul, Butcher’s Skin” is part of the Plan to preserve and promote traditional opera art in Hanoi for the period 2021-2025 issued by the Hanoi People’s Committee. The puppet play will also be performed to serve the school stage, helping students have deeper and more specific experiences about the works they learn in the general education program.
Closely following the preservation and promotion of the capital's traditional arts, People's Artist Tran Quoc Chiem, Chairman of the Hanoi Literature and Arts Association, said that most of the classic and exemplary plays of the performing arts have lasting value, but if staged in the old way, it will be difficult to attract today's audiences. The efforts of Hanoi's art units in recent times have helped the performing arts continue to live, spread and develop sustainably in contemporary life, contributing positively to the development of the capital's cultural industries.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/hoi-sinh-tinh-hoa-san-khau-bang-cach-lam-moi-705611.html
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