FAMOUS DRAMA - Talented artists of the HCM City-based private drama troupe Hồng Vân are working on a new version of the famous drama play called Nỏ Thần (Magic Crossbow) by late scriptwriter Lê Duy Hạnh. Photo courtesy of Hồng Vân Drama Troupe.

HCM CITY — Artists of the HCM City-based private Hồng Vân Drama Stage are working to restage a popular play by late scriptwriter Lê Duy Hạnh, a leading theatre artist from the South in the 1980s-90s.

The show, Nỏ Thần (Magic Crossbow), features patriotism, honesty, love and betrayal. Vietnamese history and culture are also featured.

It is based on a folk story from several thousand years ago.

The play is set during the reign of King An Dương Vương, founder of the Âu Lạc Kingdom (now Việt Nam) in the third century BC.

King Vương uses a magic crossbow, a gift from the Golden Turtle God, to protect his kingdom, Âu Lạc, from invaders.

His only daughter, Princess Mỵ Châu, falls in love with Trọng Thủy, a son of Triệu Đà, the lord of a rival state that borders Âu Lạc in the north.

After their wedding, Châu tells Thủy the secret and method of using her father’s magic crossbow. Thủy informs his father how King Vương protects his kingdom. Âu Lạc is attacked and defeated.

King Vương kills Châu for her betrayal before killing himself.

Nỏ Thần was first staged by the private Phú Nhuận Drama Stage in HCM City in 2009. It was a phenomenon after its debut, starring talented artists such as director Đức Thịnh, and actors Bảo Quốc and Huỳnh Đông.

Its writer Hạnh used new elements from the drama form of tragedy in French theatre.

People’s Artist and producer Hồng Vân of Hồng Vân Drama Stage has worked to launch her new project to make a new version of Nỏ Thần.

Vân and her staff wanted to renew a famous story while offering new concepts in drama and musical theatre.

“I wanted to restage Nỏ Thần to honour my idol, late scriptwriter Lê Duy Hạnh. My project celebrates one year of the artist’s death,” said the theatre’s owner Vân, who is also a well-known director and actress, and has 30 years in the industry.

Vân was also the founder of Phú Nhuận Drama Stage which closed in 2022 after 22 years of operation.

“In the new version of Nỏ Thần, our young artists will offer drama in the style of the South,” said Vân, adding that her staff includes students from HCM City University of Theatre & Cinematography.

The play is scheduled to debut in October.

ANCIENT STORY - The drama play, Nỏ Thần (Magic Crossbow), is based on Vietnamese folk stories from 2,300 years ago. It features patriotism, honesty, love and betrayal. Photo courtesy of HCM City Theatre Association.

Late artist

Theatre critic and scriptwriter Hạnh began his career as a scriptwriter for cải lương theatres in 1976 in HCM City.

He wrote and produced more than 60 drama and cải lương plays featuring Vietnamese history.

He won top prizes for best scriptwriter and best play at national theatre festivals and contests in the 1980s and 90s.

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 to combine drama, a modern art from the West, cải lương of South Việt Nam and tuồng (classical drama) of the central region.

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

For his contribution, Hạnh received the State Prize for Literature and Arts in 2001.

A document on Hạnh's career will be released by the city's Theatre Association this year.— VNS