VietNamNet Bridge – The triennial National Drama Festival will take place at the HCM City Army Theatre from April 11-25.

Lights, camera, action: A scene from Kieu, a play based on the famous epic Truyen Kieu (The Tale of Kieu) by poet Nguyen Du, produced by the Viet Nam Drama Theatre, which is scheduled to open the triennial National Drama Festival in HCM City. Photo courtesy of the organiser

This year’s festival, organised by the Performance Art Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is expected to include more private troupes, mostly from HCM City.

Twenty drama troupes, including 13 private troupes, from across the country will take part in the festival. They will offer 27 plays on topics such as patriotism, history and love.

The Hanoi-based Viet Nam Drama Theatre will present two plays: Kieu, based on Truyen Kieu (Tale Kieu) by poet Nguyen Du, and Bao To Truong Son (Storm in Truong Son) which focuses on soldiers’ love lives during wartime.

Kieu is scheduled to be the opening performance for this year’s festival.

From HCM City, the Phu Nhuan Drama Troupe - one of the city’s leading private troupes - will stage Chau Ve Hop Pho (Reunion), a play about the Mau Than Offensive that took place in the spring of 1968.

Dan Ba ... May Tay (An Iron Lady), a play based on the novel Giong To (Storm) by Vu Trong Phung, will also be introduced at the event.

Hundreds of veteran artists such as Le Khanh and the meritorious artists Trinh Kim Chi and Minh Nhi will perform along with young artists on the festival’s stage.

All performances are free. The theatre is located at 140 Cong Hoa Street in District 1. 

Source: VNS