Ho Chi Minh City is moving towards cultural industry, so the stage with the purpose of international exchange cannot stay out of it.
Vietnamese stage arts are in need of a "push" to create momentum to expand international exchanges, writer-director Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc said about the play "Friends, Friends" which will be performed on March 12 and 13 at the Ho Chi Minh City Dance School.
Reporter: According to you, by adjusting, supplementing, reforming and removing obstacles and shortcomings in current operations, will we create momentum for an internationally integrated theater industry?
- Writer NGUYEN THI MINH NGOC: I believe that is the right thing to do to initiate international theatrical exchange projects where Vietnam has a pool of talented artists, directors, and authors. The problem is the strategy to put our heart and soul into it.
Ho Chi Minh City is organizing the Vietnam - Japan Festival 2025, coincidentally at this time the Xom Kich Theater is performing a play by a famous Japanese playwright, in a project of the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam at the Experimental Theater of Ho Chi Minh City Dance School. I see this as a good sign to remind everyone: Be proactive in expanding international theatrical exchanges. Ho Chi Minh City is moving towards the cultural industry, so the theater with the purpose of international exchanges cannot stay out of the game.
What was the reason you joined the project "Friends, Friends" by playwright Kobo Abe to have these two performances?
- I translated the script "Friends - Friends" a long time ago, at first it was called "First Friends" or "Cruel as Friendship". When the late director Vu Minh was still alive, I introduced him to stage the play, but Vu Minh said this play was quite difficult to stage, difficult to perform, and also difficult to... sell tickets.
A scene from the play “Friends, Friends” by playwright Kobo Abe, translated by writer Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc, edited and co-directed by Meritorious Artist Vu Xuan Trang - Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc. Photo: HOANG THUAN
In 2022, when I went to see "Hedda Gabler" at the Youth Theater, I met director Tsuyoshi Sugiyama, who staged Chekhov's plays such as: "The Cherry Orchard", "Uncle Vania"..., I introduced my translation. Playwright Kobo Abe is a big name, the pride of Japanese literature and theater to the world through works such as: "The Woman in the Dunes", "The Face of Others"...
Last year, 2024, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Kobo Abe's birth, in discussion with the Xom Kich Stage of Khang Entertainment Company, with the help of friends, including Ms. Le Ngoc Han, I found that I could get some funding from Japan to bring this play to the stage.
We proceeded to draft the project and were fortunate to be accepted for co-sponsorship from the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam.
What do you believe in the Xom Kich Stage where Meritorious Artist Vu Xuan Trang and artist Hoang Thy are leading?
- I was a teacher in charge of the actor training class at the University of Theatre and Cinema in Ho Chi Minh City, and both of us were students in the same class as: Hoa Hiep, Thanh Phuong, Tuan Khai, Xuan Phuong... That was the years 1999 - 2003, I realized that in addition to talent, the young people had the aspiration to participate in decent works.
They know that when they create the Xom Kich Theatre, they accept the challenge. I came to see and send words of encouragement. Therefore, I am always ready to help in any way I can, including the script. I see that the young people are well-trained, performing with emotion and youthfulness.
.To receive official sponsorship from the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, what is the significance of the play "Friends, Friends"?
- Japanese culture is actually not unfamiliar to Vietnamese culture through films and books that have been available in our country for a long time. I have also translated and introduced volume 1 of the comic book series "Barefoot on Red Fire" (Barefoot Gen) by Keiji Nakazawa with the idea of opposing war and atomic bombs, which Meritorious Artist Thanh Loc wrote an introduction to. As for the stage, it is quite rare.
As a lecturer, I always try to bring the best of world theater to students for their school assignments. Artist Luong My played the role of the mother in the story "Carrying Mother Up the Mountain", Hoang Thy played Komachi in the play of the same name by Yukio Mishima.
In the play "Friends, Friends", Vu Xuan Trang and I also adapted it to address the aspirations of young Vietnamese talents when they need to assert themselves. The play's message is made clearer, emphasizing the idea: "Whether happiness to you is reunion, success, love, friends, money, fame or giving..., it is only genuine and sustainable when it comes from a charitable heart."
Do you think this is the start of many cultural exchange drama projects with international friends in Ho Chi Minh City?
- In Hanoi , the stage is close to many embassies, so it is easier to get sponsorship to carry out cultural exchange drama projects with other countries. This shows that if you want to exchange culture with other countries, each stage must be dynamic. We hope that those who love the stage will visit the Xom Kich Stage to see with their own eyes and experience our efforts.
I hope you will not be disappointed because the play "Friends, Friends" is carefully staged with passion. This start will open up many new projects for socialized theaters in Ho Chi Minh City to find opportunities for international exchange.
Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong commented: "Previously, Vietnamese theater has organized Vietnam - Japan cultural exchanges through a number of plays such as: "Afternoon Crane", "Vietnam - Japan Love Story" inspired by the love story of Princess Ngoc Hoa and merchant Nagasaki when he came to Hoi An in the 16th century. Now, the play "Friends, Friends" was produced by Xom Kich Theater, affirming that Ho Chi Minh City theater has a latent and strong internal strength, crystallized by the traditional identity of eagerness to learn. In the long term, this valuable internal strength needs to be used effectively so that the new opportunities of Ho Chi Minh City theater will have companionship, innovation, reflection, pioneering and forecasting to have a truly suitable theatrical life for the new opportunities of the country.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/nha-van-dao-dien-nguyen-thi-minh-ngoc-hay-nang-dong-de-mo-rong-giao-luu-san-khau-quoc-te-196250311205015441.htm
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