CẢI LƯƠNG GURU: Southern theatre will be featured in a documentary film about the career of late scriptwriter Lê Duy Hạnh of HCM City. Photo courtesy of HCM City Theatre Association

HCM CITY The career of late scriptwriter Lê Duy Hạnh, one of the South’s leading contemporary theatre artists, will be featured in a documentary film released by the HCM City Theatre Association.

The work, entitled Vinh Danh Tác Giả Lê Duy Hạnh (Scriptwriter Lê Duy Hạnh Devoted to Southern Theatre), is being released at the one-year anniversary of the artist’s death.

It will feature Southern theatre through Hạnh’s career in the 1980s-90s.

It will highlight famous plays of drama and cải lương (reformed opera) written and directed by Hạnh.

Stories and events about Hạnh and southern artists and their art will also be included.

“Our film, Vinh Danh Tác Giả Lê Duy Hạnh, is like a book that recalls the process by which theatre artists, including Hạnh, in the past developed the industry,” said the film’s producer Thanh Hiệp.

Hiệp’s film will be released in September.

Theatre critic and scriptwriter Hạnh was born in Bình Định Province. He joined revolutionary movements when he was young.

In 1976, he began his career as a scriptwriter for cải lương theatres in HCM City.

He wrote and produced several drama and cải lương plays featuring Vietnamese history.

Many of his works are still fresh today and have helped young people to improve their knowledge and love for Vietnamese history and culture.

He worked with cải lương gurus, such as late artists Thanh Nga and Thanh Tòng, and celebrated artists Bạch Tuyết and Kim Cương, to combine cải lương of the South and tuồng (classical drama) of the central region.

Hạnh’s creation brought Southern theatre to a higher height with new concepts and performance skills.

His highlighted plays, including Vua Thánh Triều Lê (The Kings of Lê Dynasty), Lý Chiêu Hoàng (Empress regnant Lý Chiêu Hoàng), Tâm Sự Ngọc Hân (Princess Lê Ngọc Hân) and Mặt Trời Đêm Thế Kỷ (Sun after the Long Night), won top prizes as the best play at national theatre festivals and contests in the 1980s and 90s.

Lý Chiêu Hoàng is an example. The play has been staged many times by leading drama and cải lương troupes in the South.

The work portrays the empress regnant Lý Chiêu Hoàng, the last and only sovereign of the Lý dynasty. The themes of patriotism and bravery as well as love and betrayal are also featured.

Lý Chiêu Hoàng ruled the kingdom of Đại Việt (ancient name of Việt Nam) as queen regnant from 1224-25. Later, she was forced to deliver the throne to her husband, Trần Cảnh, later King Trần Thái Tông, the first king of the Trần dynasty, who ruled Đại Việt for 33 years (1226-58).

Hạnh received the State Prize for Literature and Arts in 2001.  He was awarded the Prize for his collection of three historical plays called Bùi Thị Xuân Hồi Kết Cuộc (Female General Bùi Thị Xuân), Mặt Trời Đêm Thế Kỷ (Sun after the Long Night) and Trời Nam (The Country).  Bùi Thị Xuân Hồi Kết Cuộc portrays the life of female General Bùi Thị Xuân – a national hero of Bình Định Province who lived and served the Tây Sơn Dynasty in the late 18th century. Gen Xuân helped the Tây Sơn army train elephants for combat, and became known as one of the five principal women in the Tây Sơn Dynasty (1778-1802).  The Tây Sơn Dynasty ended the century-long war between the Trịnh and Nguyễn families, ended the Lê Dynasty, and united the country for the first time in 200 years. The two plays, Mặt Trời Đêm Thế Kỷ and Trời Nam, highlight the themes of patriotism and bravery.  

Hạnh also worked as a lecturer for the HCM City Theatre & Cinematography University and HCM City Culture University. He was former chairman of the HCM City Theatre Association. VNS