Many circus shows and programmes have been postponed due to the resurgence of COVID-19, according to the Việt Nam Circus Union. — Photo courtesy of the Việt Nam Circus Union

HCM CITY — Many circus shows and programmes have been postponed due to the resurgence of COVID-19, according to the Việt Nam Circus Union.

The union’s premier event of seven shows featuring circus and puppet performances, to be staged by 30 young and veteran artists in Đà Nẵng City this month, has been cancelled.

More than 30 shows, scheduled in cities and provinces of Thanh Hoá, Hạ Long, Quảng Bình, Nghệ An and Hà Nội in July, August and September, have also been cancelled.

“Although everything was prepared, we had to postpone our shows in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said a representative of the union.

“We lost more than VNĐ100 million on marketing and advertising our shows on local media," he said. 

Private theatres such as the Fishermen Show Theatre and Lune Production shared the same sentiment.

The Fishermen Show Theatre has cancelled its Huyền Thoại Làng Chài (The Legend of the Fishing Village) water circus and musical show, which was scheduled to take place this summer in Phan Thiết City of Bình Thuận Province. 

The show features the history, traditional culture and lifestyle of Bình Thuận. 

It highlights the Kate Festival, one of the country’s 15 largest festivals, which is celebrated annually for three days in the seventh lunar month of the ethnic Chăm. The festival is an opportunity for local villagers to show their gratitude to kings, mandarins and ancestors and to give thanks for the year’s harvests. 

More than 30 dancers and circus artists, mostly graduates from leading art schools such as the HCM City Dance School, are featured. 

Artists perform in Huyền Thoại Làng Chài (The Legend of the Fishing Village), a water circus and musical show scheduled to take place this summer in Phan Thiết City in Bình Thuận Province. — Photo courtesy of the producer

Huyền Thoại Làng Chài was first staged in 2017 and attracts 500 foreign and domestic visitors on weekends.

“Our theatre of 1,200 seats is now empty due to the spread of the virus,” said Nguyễn Thanh Thảo, a dancer for the show Huyền Thoại Làng Chài. She added that her actors will need to change or create the production and promotion of their work if the spread of the virus continues. 

In HCM City, Lune Production, a leading private entertainment agency, has cancelled its famous circus and dance shows, titled À Ố Show, Làng Tôi and Teh Dar. 

“We cancelled our shows in Hội An in March. Our artists have been working to improve their skills. We don’t know when our curtain can be raised," said Võ Thành Trung, founder of Lune Production. — VNS