Young actors of the Small Theatre rehearse for the tragic-comedy Tiền Là Số Một (The Power of Money), which will be staged on Saturday and during June in HCM City. (Photo courtesy of the producer)

HCM CITY   Private theatres in HCM City will reopen next week with new comedy productions, two months after the social distancing period.

Young actors from the 5B Small Theatre are preparing for the plays Tía Ơi, Con Lấy Chồng (Daddy, I Will Marry), Tình Lá Diêu Bông (Love) and Giao Kèo Sống Thật (Love Contract) and Tiền Là Số Một (The Power of Money).

The highlighted play is Tiền Là Số Một, a tragi-comedy written by Hoàng Mẫn, a famed playwright for theatre in the former Sài Gòn style.  

The play is about poor farmers who become millionaires after winning the lottery. Money and love themes are featured.

Rural people and their daily life are also the themes in Tía Ơi, Con Lấy Chồng, a production by director Hữu Quốc.  

“Our plays, Tiền Là Số Một and Tía Ơi, Con Lấy Chồng, feature rural life a very old story, but also containing the social issues of today,” said the theatre’s director and Meritorious Artist Mỹ Uyên.   

Uyên said her theatre’s plays would be staged with visual effects to enhance the audiences' emotions. 

The 5B Small Theatre will reopen on Saturday with the show Tía Ơi, Con Lấy Chồng. It will stage two shows every Saturday and Sunday in May and June.

The Thế Giới Trẻ Theatre, owned by HCM City University of Theatre & Cinematography, will reopen on Friday.

They will offer one of its new plays, Thần Tiên Cũng Nổi Điên (Gods also Got Mad), a comedy by director Cao Tấn Lộc.

Instead of using veteran actors, Lộc used a group of young talents in leading roles, such as Diệu Nhi, Diễm Phương and Hải Triều.   

“My play is an experimental production, a big challenge for young actors,” said the play’s director Lộc, who asked his actors to work several hours daily to improve their singing and dancing skills.

"Young actors will make my play fresh,” he added. Thế Giới Trẻ Theatre will stage five shows every weekend.

Private theatres, such as Hoàng Thái Thanh Drama Stage and Phú Nhuận Drama Stage, began online ticket selling service and at the box office last week. They also offer discounts of 30-40 per cent per ticket for individuals and organisations. 

"We have improved our shows in the hopes that we will attract audiences back to theatres after the social distancing,” said 5B Small Theatre’s director Uyên.  “We are also offering promotions even though we faced difficulties in business.”

According to Uyên, the city government is working to support private theatres.

“We hope new policies in taxes and loans will be offered to keep our theatres alive during this period,” she said. — VNS