Veteran film director's drama troupe experiments on stage

The new Hong Hac (Flamingo) drama troupe has started to stage plays at HCM City's Experimental Stage in District 3.

Owned by veteran director Viet Linh and Pham Hoang Nam, a producer with experience in cinema and theatre, the troupe performs experimental stage shows using sound and light effects.

Linh, 63, who has returned to the city from her home in Paris, said: "Through our troupe, we want to provide audiences, particularly youth, with new concepts and techniques in drama.

"Private troupes are working hard to develop their business. Although we know that we face challenges, we believe in the future."

She has taken on board theatre veterans like music producer and composer Nguyen Cong Phuong Nam and director and actress Hong Anh to professionalise Flamingo.

The troupe opened last weekend with Thien Thien, a production based on two short stories written by Vu Hoi Nguyen and Tang Song Nam.

Its script has been written by Linh, who is returning to stage after working in movies for several years.

The play features conflicts people face in love and life.

It features Le Hong Tham, Le Chi Na, Anh Tuan, and Cao Minh Dat, who recently graduated from the HCM City Theatre and Cinematography University.

The play will be staged every Saturday and Sunday at the theatre at 155Bis Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street.

In the coming weeks the troupe will present Dao Lua (Island of Fire), Visa, and Gio Cua Quy (Time of Devil).

"We love watching dramas by Flamingo, the first and only experimental theatre in the city," Nguyen Phi Long, a resident of Tan Binh District, said.

"I believe experimental plays like Thien Thien are a good chance for young actors to show off and improve our skills."

Linh began her movie direction career in 1971. She studied in the Russian Sate Institute of Cinematography for five years before working for the city's State-owned Giai Phong (Liberation) Film Studio in 1985.

Her films have been shown in Russia, France, Australia, and the US.

Her works like Chung Cu (The Residental Building, 1999) and Me Thao Thoi Vang Bong (The Glorious Time in Me Thao Hamlet, 2002) won top prizes for best film, actor, and actress at national film festivals.

She has written books and essays on films.

She now lives with her husband and daughter in Paris.

TV show promotes ‘cai luong'

Que Tran, a cai luong artist, appears in the comic TV show Hoi Ngo Danh Hai (Gathering of Comedians).

HCM City Television has embraced cai luong (reformed opera) in its annual comic show Hoi Ngo Danh Hai (Gathering of Comedians) to be broadcast during Christmas and New Year.

Nguyen Thi Thu Thao of Dong Tay Promotion, which has produced the show, said: "We discovered there were many comic details in cai luong plays that make audiences laugh.

"So we decided to bring cai luong into the show in the hope of focusing more attention on traditional performing arts, especially from youths, who do not care much about cai luong."

The show includes funny portions from popular plays.

The producers signed up stars like Meritorious Artists Que Tran and Bao Quoc and People's Artist Le Thuy for the show.

They were joined by famous comedians like Dai Nghia, Chi Tai, Hoai Linh, and Thuy Nga.

Chi Tai, the host of the show, said: "This year younger generations have a chance to enjoy popular plays through performances of talented artists."

Besides reform opera, the programme also features comedy skits and music performances involving nearly 200 actors, singers, dancers, and fashion models.

Hoi Ngo Danh Hai, which first appeared in 2013, is an exchange involving hundreds of comedians from various fields through comedy acts that reflect social issues.

This year's show, consisting of 13 episodes, is being broadcast at 9pm on HTV7 every Saturday and Sunday until February 2.

Hanoi exhibition features US artist Mark Cooper

An art exhibition by US installation painter and sculptor Mark Cooper in collaboration with Vietnamese artists will open at 6 pm on December 28 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum located at 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street in Hanoi.

Since last June, Cooper has been working with local artists Vu Duc Hieu, Trinh Vu Hieu, Luong Van Viet, Dang Xuan Hoa, Nguyen The Du and Nguyen Thi Liu among others, meticulously preparing for the event.

The program was initiated in early 2015 by Cooper during a visit to Vietnam, along with David Thomas, artist and director of the artistic exchange program of the Indochina Arts Partnership and Nguyen Anh Tuan, an independent curator in Hanoi.

The exhibition running through January 9, aims to foster intercultural cooperation in developing arts education and celebrate the 20th anniversary of relations between the Vietnam and the US.

The Empty Pockets rock out for charity

The Empty Pockets (formerly known as Josh & The Empty Pockets) have arrived in Ho Chi Minh City direct from Chicago for a series of performances of their critically acclaimed handcrafted rock and roll.

The band’s four members include Josh Solomon (guitar and lead vocalist), Nate Bellon (bass and vocals), Danny Rosenthal (drums), and Erika Brett (keyboard and vocals).

On December 24-25 they performed their brand of music along with several holiday classics at two venues in Ho Chi Minh City and are getting ready to bring down the house on December 26 at The Conservatory .

All proceeds will be donated to the Aid for Kids Nutrition Program to deliver training and nutrient supplements to orphanages and schools in the region.

In addition to their performances, the band – and the Solomon family – are donating US$3,000 to the cause.

New-Year art program presents Vietnamese ethnic minorities’ cultures

A cultural program presenting ethnic minority groups’ traditional culture and customs will be held at the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Son Tay Town on the outskirts of Hanoi from January 1-3, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism annouced on December 24.

The event called “Hello 2016-cuisine, Vietnamese ethnic minority groups’ culture” will include a lot of activities, such as introduction of local specialities and dishes, art perfromances, folk games and among.

There will be a space honoring tug-of-war ritual and game which were recently added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity icons. ‘Keo Co’ (Tug of War- photo) is an ancient folk game of Vietnamese ethnic minority groups such as Kinh, Thai, Tay, Nung, Giay and played by generations in the country.

The daily life of Muong and Thai ethnic people will be also introduced to visitors during the event.

“Dalat in my eyes” exhibition kicked off

The art photo exhibition themed “Dalat in my eyes” was launched at the hall of Vietnam General Confederation of Labor in Da Lat City of the central highlands province of Lam Dong on December 27.

This is part of cultural activites being held to celebrate the 7th Da Lat Flower Festival.

The display introduces 40 works by authors Dang Van An, Vo Trang, Thanh Thuy, Nguyen Tat Thang and Nguyen Trong Bao Toan, featuring nature photos and normal lives of local people.

Art works by local, int’l artists presented in Hanoi

An art exhibition featuring works by 12 Vietnamese artists and 3 international artists is taking place at the Heritage Space in Hanoi from December 13-January 13.

The event called “Brown Movement” is a chaotic movement, created by an impact. Based on that idea, the artists can meet; make up the bumps and creat new innovative ideas.

The artists, who mostly are under 30, have completed their works within a month, in time for the launch of the exhibition “Brownian Movement”.

Vietnamese artists show off works in HCMC

The Sculpture group named “New Space” will open a sculpture exhibition on December 27 at 18:30 at the HCM City Fine Arts Association.

This is the 7th exhibition, displaying 22 art works with many various objects by 12 outstanding Vietnamese artists.

Scuptor Le Lang Bien, Head of New Space group said the exhibition aims to introduce to audiences the vibrancy of Vietnamese culture and lifestyle.

The display will run till January 7, 2016 at 218A Pasteur Street, District 3.