Artists from Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre will perform at the 4th Hanoi Theatre Festival which will run from September 26 to October 3. — Photo toquoc.vn

The show will be performed by actors from Hanoi Drama Theatre featuring a legendary story about an impossible love between a powerful lord's daughter and an ugly fisherman.

The leading roles will be played by popular television actors Hong Dang and Quynh Kool. It will combine theatre, singing and dancing to make for a unique performance. 

"The festival will provide artists an opportunity to exchange and share performing experiences," said People's Artist Trinh Thuy Mui, head of the Vietnam Theatre Artist's Association. 

"We hope the festival will also help discover and inspire young talents, encouraging them to contribute to developing theatre."

Fourteen productions by Hanoi-based art troupes and others from provinces and cities will join the festival including Hanoi Drama Theatre, Vietnam Drama Theatre, Bac Giang Cheo Theatre, HCM Theatre Artist's Association and Hanoi Cheo Theatre. 

The HCM Theatre Artist's Association will perform a play entitled Chuyện Thành Cổ Loa (Co Loa Citadel Legend). The script was penned by authors Mai Huong and Nguyen Phuong, telling the story of Hanoi's oldest citadel.  

"We want to show our performing skills which are creative," said actor Bao Tri.

"I'm a little bit nervous because my role requires martial arts," he said. 

The actor will play the leading role in Chuyện Thành Cổ Loa (Story of the Co Loa Citadel), a production about Vietnamese history and culture in the period ruled by King An Duong Vuong, founder of the Au Lac Kingdom in the third century BC. 

Tri will play a royal palace guard who serves King Vuong. 

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

The 2,300-year-old Co Loa Citadel, Hanoi’s oldest citadel, was built near Phong Khe, about 20 kilometres north of today's Hanoi, during the Hong Bang Dynasty (about 275 BC). 

Covering nearly 5,000 hectares, it is a place of worship for King An Duong Vuong and his daughter, Princess My Chau, who are mentioned in the magical legend that has been woven into the history of Vietnamese people. 

“Artists from the HCM City Theatre Association will offer Vietnamese drama in the style of the South. We’re happy to introduce the art in a southern style for audiences in Hanoi,” said actor Tri, who has more than 20 years of theatrical experience, in an interview with Người Lao Động (Labourer) newspaper before his trip to Hanoi. 

“I asked my actors to read several books about the history of Co Loa Citadel, its culture and people. This helped to breathe life into the play,” said the play's director, Meritorious Artist Le Nguyen Dat. “I hope their performance will leave a new impression on audiences in Hanoi.”  

The Hanoi Theatre Festival is run by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports and Vietnam Theatre Artist's Association to debut new productions about the capital, helping introduce the city's glorious history and traditional culture. 

The festival will celebrate the 1,100th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi and theatre ancient founders anniversary. 

The award ceremony will be held on October 3 at Cong Nhan Theatre, 42 Trang Tien Street.  VNS

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