VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam National Drama Theatre will perform global masterpiece Hamlet at Victoria Theatre in Singapore on March 25.

To be or not to be: The classical drama Hamlet by Shakespeare will be performed in Singapore on March 25. – Photo courtesy of Viet Nam National Drama Theatre

The show aims to respond to the global celebrations of Shakespeare’s works and his influence on culture, education and society on the occasion of his 400th death anniversary.

While there are many versions of Hamlet around the world, the Vietnamese theatre’s version focuses on the theme of the fierce fight against crime.

“Hamlet premiered in Viet Nam a few months ago. It has become popular in Ha Noi and HCM City,” National Drama Theatre Director Nguyen The Vinh said.

“We want to introduce one of masterpieces of the world to not only local spectators, but also Vietnamese people living abroad and foreign spectators,” Vinh said.

Actors will perform in Vietnamese language with original English subtitles.

All the actors are rehearsing with a view to giving a perfect performance in Singapore.

“I tried to research foreign and Vietnamese works such as films and drama to have a profound understanding of Hamlet and his times,” actor Tạ Minh, who plays Hamlet in the play, said.

“I have my own way of playing Hamlet, a role any actor will want to do,” he said.

The Vietnamese flavour in Hamlet is the xuan pha traditional dance of the central Thanh Hoa Province. Veteran dancer Hoang Hai was invited to the theatre to teach the actors dancing.

Performers of xuan pha dance wear painted masks and don strange costumes. Their songs and dance will make theatre goers feel as if they are in some kind of wonderland.

In the play, the xuan pha dance is performed in a scene showing the banquet given by the King, and by a mandarin who wants to entertain a depressed Hamlet.

The actors will interact with Vietnamese students on March 26, a day after the show.

Shakespeare Lives is a major global programme for 2016, launched by the British Council.

An unparalleled breadth of creative partnerships, including a major partnership with the United Kingdom-based charity Voluntary Service Overseas, will use the power of Shakespeare’s anniversary year to give real help to children in some of the world’s poorest communities and to raise funds and awareness of their work in education globally.

It is an opportunity for millions of people in more than 140 countries to actively participate in a unique digital collaboration, and experience Shakespeare’s works directly through new productions of his plays, films, exhibitions and public readings, besides educational resources.

VNS