VietNamNet Bridge – Many comedic plays have aired on television in recent months, but audiences have not been satisfied with the quality of scripts and actors’ performances.

Illustrative image.—File photo

“I don’t want my son to watch these because there is a lot of vulgar language in several shows,” said Truong Minh Ngoc, a mother of a 13-year-old boy.

This kind of coarse dialogue appears in comedies such as Ke Cap Trai Tim (A Heart Thief) and Cong Nghe Lam An (Earning Money Tips), which were broadcast during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday in HCM City.

Television comedies usually last about 15 minutes.

“If we want to attract audiences, we need to produce plays that can make them laugh and relax," said well-known comedian Bao Quoc.

According to a report in the Nguoi Lao Dong (The Labourer) newspaper, producers of comedy plays at theatres have shifted to television.

“Financial investment in comedy plays is often low. This is the reason that many tedious plays have been produced recently,” the report said.

Producers typically invest about VND3 million (US$142) for a television comedy show, which covers payment for a scriptwriter and the performers.

Many of these short comedy plays are shown every day on SCTV 1, SCTV 17 and the television networks of many provinces, including Long An, Tien Giang and Tay Ninh.

"There is too much comedy on offer on television nowadays. And there are not many good ones," well-known comedian Duy Phuong said.

Comedy fan Nguyen Thi Hang said that TV programme producers “don’t offer us comedy but buffoonery”.

Le Duy Hanh, chairman of HCM City's Theatre Artists Association, said that was imperative to improve the present situation and encourage the production of good scripts.

The association has organised many classes to train young comedians in recent years.

Hanh said audiences liked the performances of graduates of classes at last year’s comedy festival in the city.

“However, with the production of an increasing number of comedy plays for television, the quality of scripts as well as performances of many artists have annoyed audiences,” Hanh said.

Source: VNS