Lights, camera, action: A scene from Kiều, a play based on the famous epic Truyện Kiều (The Tale of Kiều) by poet Nguyễn Du, produced by the Việt Nam Drama Theatre, which is scheduled to open the triennial National Drama Festival in HCM City. Photo courtesy of the organiser |
HCM CITY – The triennial National Drama Festival will take place at the HCM City Army Theatre from April 11-25.
This year’s festival, organised by the Performance Art Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is expected to include more private troupes, mostly from HCM City.
Twenty drama troupes, including 13 private troupes, from across the country will take part in the festival. They will offer 27 plays on topics such as patriotism, history and love.
The Hà Nội-based Việt Nam Drama Theatre will present two plays: Kiều, based on Truyện Kiều (Tale Kiều) by poet Nguyễn Du, and Bão Tố Trường Sơn (Storm in Trường Sơn) which focuses on soldiers’ love lives during wartime.
Kiều is scheduled to be the opening performance for this year’s festival.
From HCM City, the Phú Nhuận Drama Troupe - one of the city’s leading private troupes - will stage Châu Về Hợp Phố (Reunion), a play about the Mậu Thân Offensive that took place in the spring of 1968.
Đàn Bà ... Mấy Tay (An Iron Lady), a play based on the novel Giông Tố (Storm) by Vũ Trọng Phụng, will also be introduced at the event.
Hundreds of veteran artists such as Lê Khanh and the meritorious artists Trịnh Kim Chi and Minh Nhí will perform along with young artists on the festival’s stage.
All performances are free. The theatre is located at 140 Cộng Hòa Street in District 1. VNS