The 'divine' character of the artist

I hesitated when thinking and writing about this part. I was a bit afraid that it would be interpreted as… flattery, then preaching, then… something else. Our world of entertainment and performance is now much more complicated than before.

But, why do I write an autobiography?

For many reasons, the important one is that I want to cherish the past, to preserve some of the precious memories (for myself, I dare not say for future generations). I keep them, turning them into some gentle and respectful words.

Cốt cách nghệ sĩ: Hành trình và những bài học từ nghệ sĩ Năm Sa Đéc - Ảnh 1. — Artist Nam Sa Dec

To express love and gratitude to our ancestors.

To remind myself.

To find ways to improve

job.

To be proud of having stood on the same stage with them, to have been talked to, scolded, taught sincerely by them, to have seen their quintessence expressed and to have learned by myself while watching them act and work.

I was fortunate to have a fairly formal education and graduated with a degree in acting. This means I am quite confident about my transformation and the challenges of my character. However, I easily forget dry textbooks and documents and am very sensitive to the clear and interesting lessons before my eyes.

I always remember Ngoai Nam Sa Dec.

I joined the Kim Cuong troupe when Ngoai was weak and almost retired from performing. I was lucky when Ngoai was invited back as a distinguished guest to celebrate the 1,000th performance of The Durian Leaf .

I regret that in the 1980s, I was too young, I understood, but not deep enough to know how to "preserve the gold and jade". I had to learn and love those people more, before they left this world, where they had lived a life filled with hundreds of different fates. They had exhausted the silk of a silkworm, they were too tired and would disappear after beautifying and making life happy.

Grandma went on stage. I looked at Grandma, who was a veteran artist of Thanh Minh Thanh Nga troupe. I looked at her with admiration and curiosity. Grandma was a witness to a time of passionate hát bội and beautiful cải lương.

Cốt cách nghệ sĩ: Hành trình và những bài học từ nghệ sĩ Năm Sa Đéc - Ảnh 2. — Mrs. Nam Sa Dec plays the mother-in-law in the play "Doan Tuyet"

That year, Grandma Nam Sa Dec was 82 years old, thin and small. She walked weakly, taking small steps, sometimes trembling like a leaf about to fall from a branch. She could no longer do her own makeup, and needed someone to do it for her. Yet strangely enough, at that time I was assigned to help her remind her of the scene. I stood next to her and whispered, "Grandma, when you feel me tapping your shoulder, come out."

Ngoai stepped out of the wings, the stage welcomed Ngoai with excitement. Ngoai changed 180 degrees, truly "cool as water". Ngoai's voice was clear and resounding. A rich, arrogant, cruel and unique village councilwoman appeared. Ngoai performed so well that it was like she was possessed. Ngoai was in full swing with a radiant aura. Her hair was silver and her face was strangely intelligent. Ngoai captivated the "weak-hearted" audience.

Ngoai Nam Sa Dec - Mrs. Hoi Dong, paired with Ngoai Bay Nam - Mrs. Tu, are as beautiful as a pair of good and evil, unparalleled in everyday life. One is gentle, overly patient, kind... becoming a classic, and the other is cruel in a shrewd way, also becoming a unique classic character. I was absorbed in watching Ngoai perform. Of course, I was also convinced by that majestic image. But what I admired most was Ngoai's meticulousness to the point of perfectionism, which I saw with my own eyes.

Grandma asked: "Who has lipstick, can I have some?"

The kids indifferently gave Grandma lipstick, probably thinking: "Grandma is old, why does she need lipstick?".

Grandma took the lipstick and smeared it on her palm, leaving a red mark. Oh, so Grandma didn't apply it on her lips, she used it to burn herself in the scene where she accidentally put her hand in the hot water basin brought by Miss Dieu. A light burn was needed to show that Miss Dieu had unintentionally harmed the old lady. If she was a young artist, just physical performance, jumping up and down screaming would be enough. The stage was so big, who cared how the character burned.

But that wasn't all, Grandma asked again: "Can you guys give me some of that... vaseline?" - Oh, vaseline.

Grandma took some vaseline and applied it. The shiny red mark appeared under the light: "There, this is how it really should be. It has to be red and shiny. Only then will the audience feel sorry."

- But how can the audience see?

- Oh my god, the audience is very sharp-eyed, they can see it, so why can't they? Whatever you do, no matter how small, you have to be careful, don't be careless, if there is a burn, there must be a burn. Not everyone will see it, but someone will definitely see it.

After applying the ointment, she returned to the stage and performed the scene ten times at once, so cruel and vividly smooth.

So smooth and lively that, every time Ngoai appeared, there were almost always audience members standing in place and shouting loudly, or quickly leaving their chairs, running straight onto the stage… cursing: "What evil, so evil? You are so evil, who can stand it, get off now…".

Watching Ngoai Nam Sa Dec perform, we see very clearly the difference between the evil of two women: Mrs. Phan Loi (play Doan Tuyet ) and Mrs. Hoi Dong (play La Durian ). Two villainous characters left a clear mark for nearly a century.

Not just the villain. Ngoai skillfully transformed into hundreds of different roles. The role of a good person, her eyes, lips, and white hair... made people cry without her having to.

Act the part.

That is the character and character, the thoughtfulness of the artist.

It seeped straight into me, without any teachings, without the need to carry any books or notes. ( continued )

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cot-cach-than-nhap-cua-nguoi-nghe-si-185250916195347212.htm