QUEEN MOTHER: Meritorious Artist Tuyết Thu portrays Queen Mother Dương Vân Nga in a monodrama titled Sơn Hà (The Nation), which is presented at the International Experimental Theatre Festival 2025.— Photo courtesy of Sen Việt Stage

HCM CITY — With new ways of storytelling and innovative techniques, experimental productions by HCM City-based drama and cải lương (reformed) theatres have left a deep impression on audiences.

The Sen Việt Stage, one of the city’s well-known private troupes, presented a monodrama titled Sơn Hà (The Nation) written by playwright Lê Hoàng Long, portraying Dương Vân Nga, who served as Queen Regent of the Đinh Dynasty after her husband, Emperor Đinh Tiên Hoàng, was assassinated in 979 when her son was only six years old.

She later decided to cede the Đinh Dynasty’s throne to General Lê Hoàn in 980 to defend the country before the invasion of the Song Dynasty. Hoàn led his army to defeat the Song invasion in 981.

At the end, Lê Hoàn became the first emperor, named Lê Đại Hành, of the Early Lê Dynasty. Dương Vân Nga was the first queen in Việt Nam to be married to two emperors.

Sơn Hà is based on the classic script Hoàng Hậu Hai Vua (The Queen and Two Emperors) by late scriptwriter Lê Duy Hạnh, Long’s father and a leading theatre artist from the South in the 1980s-1990s.

Director Lê Nguyên Đạt invited Meritorious Artist Tuyết Thu, who has been in the theatre and film industry for over 20 years, to perform Queen Mother Dương Vân Nga.

Thu spent all her strength and mind portraying the character in a 75-minute play.

The director also utilised innovative visual and audio technologies, including gauze and LED screens, as well as 3D mapping, to convey the character’s emotions. The play’s score, a blend of classical and traditional music, was composed by Meritorious Artist Trần Vương Thạch, which helped to raise the audience’s feelings.

Nguyễn Hoàng Nguyên of Bình Trưng Ward expressed her admiration for Thu, saying that the actress successfully portrayed the role of Queen Mother Dương Vân Nga, from her looks and gestures to her inner struggle when facing loss and dealing with the public to seek the best way to protect the country.

Illusion

MUSICAL ILLUSION - The Small Drama Theatre stages experimental musical Ảo Quan (Illusion) for the festival.— Photo courtesy of Small Drama Theatre

The Small Drama Theatre impressed audiences and critics with innovative storytelling in the new play Ảo Quan (Illusion).

The experimental musical, written and directed by artist Chinh Ba, revolves around the tragedy of young people and the pressures of public opinion on mothers in the digital age. It sends a message that love and appreciation for beautiful things can heal any pain.

Chinh Ba, founder of CAB (Culture and Arts Base) in Hội An, is a multimedia artist who has worked in poetry, art, sound, music and theatre. He collaborated with musician Việt Anh to create music for the Ballet Kiều, which won the excellence awards at the National Dance and Music Festival in the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Đắk Lắk in June 2022.

Ảo Quan is told through songs, music and dance by People’s Artist Mỹ Uyên, director of the Small Drama Theatre, singer Hồ Hoàng Ngọc, and their young peers.

The director and staff installed an LED system, lights and audio effects to create the virtual world on stage. They also used livestream to improve interaction with audiences.

Veteran playwright Vương Huyền Cơ praised the use of LED screens, which effectively depict today’s social life.

Director Lê Trung Thảo expressed his interest in the play and emphasised that the play was perfect for an experimental festival.

Sơn Hà and Ảo Quan is among six experimental plays staged by the city’s theatres, including Cơn Hồng Thủy (The Flood) by the HCM City Association of Theatre and Cinema, Nguyệt Hạ (Summer Moon) by Hồng Vân Drama Stage, Chuyện Của Nả (A Story of Nả) by Hero Film, and Hồn Thơ Ngọc (The Poetic Soul of Jade), a cải lương play by the HCM City University of Cinematography and Theatre.

All of them are presented at the International Experimental Theatre Festival 2025, which is taking place in Hà Nội, Ninh Bình Province, Hải Phòng City and HCM City until November 30.

The festival attracts more than 1,000 artists from 30 art troupes from Việt Nam and other countries, including Poland, China, South Korea, Israel, Japan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan and the Netherlands. — VNS