The Vietnam Youth Theatre will perform a series of plays in Hanoi between April 5 - 10 to mark the 40th anniversary of its establishment. The opening performance of the five day extravaganza will be the play Ai La Thu Pham (Who is the Culprit).  

German playwright Bertolt Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle will be performed by the Vietnam Youth Theatre in celebration of the theatre’s 40th anniversary. Photo sankhau.com.vn

Written by the late playwright Luu Quang Vu, Ai La Thu Pham brings to life the day-to-day experiences of families living in Hanoi during the subsidy period of the 1980’s. The play deals with the generational differences of its characters, highlighting each generation’s approaches to social evils like corruption and moral depravity.

Director Chi Trung has successfully recreated the subsidy-era characters on stage for the audience to experience. The play will be performed by prominent artists such as Le Khanh, Minh Hang and Duc Khue – all of whom hail from the first generation of contemporary Vietnamese theatre.

"The Youth Theatre is the only one to perform for young audiences in Vietnam," said Chi Trung, who is also the theatre director. "The Youth Theatre is a go-to destination for young art lovers.”

"The theatre will continue its mission to make good use of traditional culture to develop its performances. In the future the theatre will produce works in Broadway form. Additionally, the theatre will continue its music and theatre productions for young audiences."

Established in 1978, the Youth Theatre has not only performed in Vietnam but also co-operates with art troupes in countries such as Japan and Germany. It is currently a member of the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (ASSITEJ).

The theatre artists will perform the best from Doi Cuoi (Laughing Life), a comedy series that has attracted large audiences since its debut in 2001, as well as a music show on April 6 & 7 at the Hanoi Opera House.

On top of this, a street carnival will kick off at 10am on April 8 in the walking streets around Hoan Kiem Lake, giving the public a chance to watch performers parade in festive costumes. The day will be marked by two shows, including an open-door music show starting at 8pm at the Ly Thai To Statue on Dinh Tien Hoang Street, and a performance of The Caucasian Chalk Circle at the Hanoi Opera House.

The The Caucasian Chalk Circle will be staged by German Dominik Guenther as part of an ongoing co-operation project between the Youth Theatre and Goethe Institute.

A meeting of established and emerging artists who have worked at the theatre during its 40-year lifetime will be held on April 9 at the Hanoi Opera House.

Located at 11 Ngo Thi Nham Street, Hai Ba Trung District, the 500-seat Vietnam Youth Theatre is among the rare State-owned theatre spaces in the capital city to perform three last days a week.

VNS