REPRESENTING THE SOUTH - Young artists of the private Sen Việt Theatre of HCM City will perform in Lá Cờ Thêu Sáu Chữ Vàng (Embroidered flag with six golden words), a new show of musical and Southern theatre featuring Vietnamese history. Photo courtesy of Sen Việt Theatre.

HCM CITY The first National Theatre Festival for Children and Teenagers will open in the northern city of Hải Phòng next week.

The event, which is organised by the Việt Nam Theatre Association and its partners, will take place from May 13-20.

It is part of the celebration of the 134th anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh’s birthday on May 19.

Private Sen Việt Theatre of HCM City is among 14 theatres and art troupes across the country to enter the festival.

Highlighted troupes, which come from Hà Nội, Thanh Hoá and the host city, include the Việt Nam Youth Theatre, Thanh Hoá Traditional Theatre and Hải Phòng Drama Troupe.

FOR THE KIDS - Fourteen theatres and art troupes across the country will enter the first National Theatre Festival for Children and Teenagers in the northern city of Hải Phòng from May 13-20. Photo courtesy of HCM City Theatre’s Association.

“Our festival will create a chance to bring Vietnamese theatre closer to children and teenagers. We hope it will support and encourage young artists to develop their career,” said Nguyễn Đăng Chương, deputy chairman of the Việt Nam Theatre Association.

The festival encourages the genres of drama, musical, chèo (traditional opera), cải lương (reformed opera) and tuồng (classical drama).

Actors of Sen Việt Theatre will perform a new show of musical and Southern theatre featuring Vietnamese history.

Their play, Lá Cờ Thêu Sáu Chữ Vàng (The Flag Embroidered with Six Golden Words), combines traditional songs, dances and musical pieces.

It tells the story of young hero Trần Quốc Toản of the Trần Dynasty, who was 16 and well known for his active role in the war of resistance of Đại Việt (now Việt Nam) against the Mongol invasion in 1282.

Themes of monarchist loyalty and patriotism are highlighted.

“Our actors’ performance will be accompanied by Vietnamese folk instruments, such as đàn tranh (Vietnamese zither), đàn bầu (Vietnamese monochord) and đàn nguyệt (two-stringed long neck moon flute),” said the show’s director Lê Nguyên Đạt.

Đạt used young talents Thái Vinh, Đăng Khoa and Hoài Thanh to refresh his production.

“Our show will provide young fans with useful insights about their history and culture. We hope our art will leave a new impression on audiences in Hải Phòng,” said Meritorious Artist Đạt, director of Sen Việt Theatre. — VNS