Unprofessional classical drama theatre thirsty for new plays
16:40', 8/8/ 2011 (GMT+7)

Love story of a Chenla person”, one of popular fictional plays, is often performed by Anh Duong Tuong troupe.

Without new plays and arranger, unprofessional Tuong (Vietnamese classical drama) theatre has offered old plays for audience for years. There is no doubt that the audience becomes fed up with the familiar performances although they are interesting. The unprofessional Tuong theatre is facing a growing demand of finding new playwrights, arrangers and new plays.

* Old plays – quintesscence but inabundance

“Total number of old plays is now about 40. Out of them, 20 are suitable to perform nowadays” – say impresario Hien of Anh Duong Tuong troupe. “We perform the 20 old plays all year round from places to places. Actors and actresses find no ardour to show their creativeness, not mention to boredom of the audience”.

Whenever an unprofessional troupe signs a performance contract, its impresario feels both happy and worried. They have to rack their brain to find suitable play, to refresh their memory of the plays which were performed before so that they can avoid reiteration, says impresario Hoang Minh of Phuoc An Tuong troupe.

Having no scriptwriter to write new play scripts, no stage director to change the scripts into real plays, the unprofessional Tuong troupes reach an impasse.

* How to break the deadlock?

The unprofessional troupes can’t afford to buy new scripts at minimum price of 20 million VND, not mention to the fact that the scripts for professional troupes are probably unsuitable at unprofessional stages.

Even the unprofessional troupes are provided free scripts, they aren’t qualified enough to set them to stages, quite apart from the fact that the audience may refuse to watch if themes of the plays don’t satisfy their demand, says Mr. Van Trong Hung, Director of Binh Dinh Department of Culture, Sport & Tourism.

“The department will suggest opening a short-term training programme for the unprofessional troupes if the provincial government agrees in principle. Enthusiatic and gifted individuals from the unprofessional troupes will be trained at drama schools. Yet, it is uneasy to identify such persons”, adds Hung.

  • Sao Ly
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