Author Nguyen Minh Anh reveals untold stories about the play Saigon Commandos

The play "The Third Person" directed by People's Artist Le Hung tells about the struggle movement of Saigon commandos, Southern intellectuals, artists, and those belonging to the "third force" during the years of fighting against the US by the People's Police Drama Theater, touching the audience. The play was performed at the opening ceremony of the 5th Professional Stage Arts Festival on the image of "The People's Police Soldier" in 2025 at Ho Guom Theater ( Hanoi ).

Tác giả Nguyễn Minh Anh viết về biệt động Sài Gòn dạt dào cảm xúc - Ảnh 1. — Author Nguyen Minh Anh

The silent heroes

Reporter: From what emotion did you compose the script "The Third Person"? What made you interested in the struggle movement of Saigon commandos, Southern intellectuals, artists, and those who belonged to the "third force" during the years of fighting against the US? What was your comment when watching the play performed by the People's Police Drama Theater?

⁃ Author Nguyen Minh Anh : I think there is a very beautiful topic that seems to have not been exploited much – that is the image of the revolutionary artist. We often praise soldiers, anonymous civilians, and many other forces to understand more about the nature of war.

But have we ever wondered: what do artists think about themselves in that flow? They – the ones who write music, paint, act, to praise other forces… but have they ever sat down to think: "Am I a soldier?" And who has ever written about them as silent soldiers?

I wanted to write a play to answer that. Not a propaganda piece – but a silent tragedy, a harmony between art and commitment, between personal dreams and responsibility to the nation.

As someone who accompanied the play from the first drafts to the finished stage, I was moved to see the artists of the CAND Drama Theater bring the work to life with their emotions, their bodies, their voices and their eyes. The atmosphere of the opening night was solemn yet deeply silent – when the audience held their breath listening to Quynh Nhu recounting her love memories, when Huy Hoang chose to sacrifice and dream about his unfinished song, or when the final music sounded but no one wanted to clap right away… in my opinion, that was when art truly touched the hearts of the audience.

Tác giả Nguyễn Minh Anh viết về biệt động Sài Gòn dạt dào cảm xúc - Ảnh 2. — A scene from the play "The Third Person" by author Nguyen Minh Anh

Write as a memorialist, listener

. Not having much contact with Saigon's special forces and not living in Saigon or Ho Chi Minh City, where did you find the material to write this script?

- I grew up in Hanoi, and never lived in Saigon for long, but Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City is a very vivid memory in the literature and history of the nation. I found it through the library, books, documentaries, and especially the memoirs and writings of those who lived and fought in this city.

There are materials that do not come from facts – but from emotions. An old song, a hastily taken photo, a retelling – all contribute to the image of Quynh Nhu, Huy Hoang, or friends who have passed away in the play. I try not to write as a narrator of history, but as a commemorator and listener.

Tác giả Nguyễn Minh Anh viết về biệt động Sài Gòn dạt dào cảm xúc - Ảnh 3. — A scene from the play "The Third Person" by author Nguyen Minh Anh

What do you expect from the quality of the 5th National Professional Theater Festival on "The Image of the People's Police Soldier" - 2025, when scripts about police characters are still rare on stage today?

- I hope this will not only be an art performance, but also a strong affirmation that: Police officers are an image that can enter the stage with depth, empathy and human beauty. They are not only symbols of discipline - but also people with inner struggles, dedication, and the ideal of serving the people.

The lack of scripts about the police force, in my opinion, is not because they do not have stories worth telling – but because there are not enough people telling stories with love and understanding. I hope this Festival will rekindle that inspiration. And more importantly, it will make the audience – especially the young generation – feel the quiet beauty of those who keep the peace.

The sacrifice deserves to be told.

Author Nguyen Minh Anh said: "The Third Person" also conveys another thought: the desire for national reconciliation. That we - even though we have been divided by battle lines, ideologies, or interests - are ultimately still Vietnamese, still people who love their country, love freedom, love the truth, and long for peace .
And perhaps what moves me most is the silent sacrifice of those who came before – those who have no monuments, no biographies, only pain, nostalgia and love for the Fatherland. They deserve to be told. And telling them through art – is a way to ensure they will never be forgotten.