The Việt Nam Drama Theatre will stage a short play portraying President Hồ Chí Minh during its tour of Thailand and Laos. Photo baovanhoa.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Drama Theatre will tour Thailand and Laos from August 24 to 30, staging performances for Vietnamese communities abroad while promoting artistic exchanges with local audiences.

The programme features songs celebrating President Hồ Chí Minh, Việt Nam and its people.

A major highlight is the short play Ông Cụ Ở Quê Ra (An Old Man Comes from the Countryside), written by Trần Đăng Tuấn and directed by Meritorious Artist Kiều Minh Hiếu. The performance creates a meaningful artistic space while bringing Việt Nam’s historical, cultural and national values closer to audiences.

In Thailand, the theatre will stage a special performance at Udon Thani Rajabhat University on August 28. Vietnamese artists will also take part in a range of side activities, including the opening ceremony of the Việt Nam – Thailand Cultural Days event.

In Laos, the theatre will present a programme for Vietnamese people living, studying and working in the country, while also welcoming Lao audiences.

“Through the performances, Thai and Lao audiences will have greater opportunities to engage with Việt Nam’s historical, cultural and spiritual values, while overseas Vietnamese can gather, share and reconnect with their homeland,” said Hiếu, who is also the theatre director.

“For the artists, the tour also offers opportunities to learn from their counterparts and explore potential partnerships with arts organisations in Thailand and Laos.”

The programme marks the 50th anniversary of Việt Nam – Thailand diplomatic relations and the 81st anniversary of Việt Nam’s National Day. It is also part of the Việt Nam – Thailand Cultural Days event, held in Udon Thani to celebrate five decades of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The tour seeks to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, foster greater understanding and connections among Việt Nam, Laos and Thailand, and further nurture their traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

Formerly known as the Central Arts Group, the Việt Nam Drama Theatre has nurtured 15 generations of stage artists, including 25 honoured as People’s Artists and 58 recognised as Meritorious Artists.

Over the years, the theatre has staged nearly 400 productions, including classic works such as Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and King Lear.

Alongside these productions, the portrayal of President Hồ Chí Minh has become a longstanding creative focus of the theatre. Shorter works, alongside large-scale productions, give the theatre greater flexibility in reaching diverse audiences and performance venues at home and abroad.

The theatre has also expanded exchanges and cooperation with international partners and participated in numerous theatre festivals around the world. — VNS