Veteran and young actors from HCM City Theatre’s Association perform in Truyền Tích Cổ Loa Thành (Story of Cổ Loa Citadel), a production featuring Vietnamese history and culture in the period ruled by King An Dương Vương, founder of Âu Lạc Kingdom in the third century BC. The play won silver medals for the Best Play and Best Artists at the 4th Hà Nội Theatre Festival in Hà Nội last week. Photo thethaovanhoa.vn

HCM CITY — Truyền Tích Cổ Loa Thành (Story of the Cổ Loa Citadel), a cải lương play on Vietnamese legends staged by actors of the HCM City Theatre Association, will be staged in HCM City after winning top prizes at the 4th Hà Nội Theatre Festival. 

The play is about Vietnamese history and culture in the period ruled by King An Dương Vương, founder of the Âu Lạc Kingdom in the third century BC. 

It won a silver medal for the Best Play and two silver medals for Best Artists at the four-day festival organised by Việt Nam Theatre’s Association in co-operation with Hà Nội’s Department of Culture & Sports last weekend. 

Actors Bảo Trí and Quốc Thanh of the HCM City Theatre Association were honoured. 

They offered Vietnamese drama in the style of the South, leaving a fresh impression on the jury and audiences in Hà Nội. 

Truyền Tích Cổ Loa Thành depicts patriotism and honesty, as well as love and betrayal. 

The 2,300-year-old Cổ Loa Citadel, Hà Nội’s oldest citadel, was built near Phong Khê, about 20 kilometres north of today's Hà Nội, during the Hồng Bàng Dynasty (about 275 BC). 

Covering nearly 5,000 hectares, it was a place of worship for King An Dương Vương and his daughter, Princess Mỵ Châu, who are mentioned in the magical legend that has been woven into the history of Vietnamese people. 

“Our play features a very old story, but its messages about life and love are still fresh today,” the festival’s silver medal winner and comedian Trí, said.

“I spent several days to read books and documents about the history of Cổ Loa Citadel, its culture and people. This helped to breathe life into my role.”

Trí played a royal palace guard who serves King Vương. 

Truyền Tích Cổ Loa Thành, directed by Meritorious Artist Lê Nguyên Đạt, is a work by artists from HCM City Theatre Association to celebrate the 1,010th anniversary of Thăng Long-Hà Nội and 66 years since the liberation of Hà Nội from the French. 

The play is expected to make its debut in HCM City’s Bến Thành Theatre in District 1 on October 25. It later will to be restaged for students at art schools in the city and southern provinces.—  VNS