Theatre festival targets social issues

Drama queen: The drama Nuoc Mat Nguoi Dien (Madman's Tear), produced by Hong Van Stage, is one of the pieces showcased during the National Professional Drama Festival. — File Photo

HA NOI — Professional actors throughout the country promise to bring quality performances to audiences of the National Professional Drama Festival taking place in Hue on July 14-28.

To date, 20 theatres mainly from Ha Noi and HCM City have registered to join the festival with 26 plays, according to Do Ky from the Department of Performing Arts, the festival's organiser.

Entries address problems of modern society, illustrate humanity and beauty, and offer criticism of bad social habits. They are encouraged to reflect revolutionary heroism, patriotism and the undauntedness of people throughout the two wars.

Invitations were sent to the theatres and art troupes early this year. Several units will participate in the festival with two plays such as Hong Van Stage with Lam...! (Being a Prostitute) and Nuoc Mat Nguoi Dien (Madman's Tear).

The drama Lam...! is adapted from a novel fermenting public opinion about morality's depravation and the social evils of the early 20th century by late writer Vu Trong Phung. The other play, Nuoc Mat Nguoi Dien is a modern tragedy of relationship among people.

This is a good chance for actors in the whole country to meet, exchange ideas, and learn from each other as well as present their best works for audiences.

This year the festival receives new troupes who have been established for a long time but haven't attended yet the festival such as the Drama Club of Ha Noi College of Stage and Cinema, the Drama Club of Ha Noi Stage Artists Association, and the Centre for Preservation and Development of Vietnamese Stage Arts.

However, some well-known theatres will be absent at this festival. The HCM City Drama Theatre enthusiastically submitted its piece Ta Quan Le Van Duyet (General Le Van Duyet) to join the festival but the story of a mandarin of the Nguyen Dynasty living in the 18th century was rejected as the festival this year presents only stories that take place after the 20th century.

Many theatres and art troupes can not attend the festival because of the expense.

"We didn't plan to join the festival because we did not receive from the organising board enough financial aid for each drama," said My Uyen, vice director of the Small Stage Theatre in HCM City.

"The cost of travelling to Hue and providing accommodations for the troupe of more than 10 during the festival is not easy for us," she said. "However, we still try to prepare everything to bring one drama to the festival as we want to exchange with other artists and be recognised." — VNS