Foreign directors on Vietnamese stage: Paving the way for integration ...

In the context of Vietnamese theater trying to restructure and find new directions to approach modern audiences, the increasing appearance of foreign directors in Vietnam is no longer an isolated phenomenon, but gradually forming a noteworthy trend.

From small partnerships to long-term strategies

Over the past few days, Eclipse Stage has attracted a large audience to the physical play "Stockholm Love" - ​​performed at Cua Studio (1 Truong Dinh Hoi, Ward 18, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City). Both the English and Vietnamese versions will continue to be performed from May 23 to June 15. The play lasts 90 minutes, taking the audience on a haunting journey of two characters: Kim (MeA Minh Anh) and Jake (Nam Tran) - two people who are passionately in love, immersed in passion, but at the same time trapped in the pain of jealousy.

Actors MeA Minh Anh and Nam Tran in the musical “Stockholm Love” directed by John Andrew Cunnington

Directed by John Andrew Cunnington - who also served as set designer - and based on a script by Bryony Lavery, "Stockholm Love" does not use dialogue to tell the story like a traditional play. Instead, every emotion - from passion and sweetness to heartbreak and suffocation - is expressed through body movements, lighting, music and silence.

In just the past few years, Vietnamese audiences have been continuously enjoying plays with the participation of directors from Japan, France, Singapore, Austria, England... From "Vanya", "Hedda Gabler", "Macbeth" to "Truong Ba's Soul, Butcher's Skin", "Tam Cam", "Truyen Kieu", classic works have been renewed with a cross-cultural perspective, at the same time adding vitality to the domestic stage.

In particular, international cultural centers such as the Goethe Institute, the Norwegian Embassy, ​​the French Institute in Vietnam or the ASEA-UNINET organization have played an important role in creating a bridge for cross-national art. In Ho Chi Minh City, the play "The Odd Couple" at ISHCMC or before that, the work "Human Pain" by British director Shaun Mac Loughlin are typical examples.

People's Artist Hong Van shared: "Foreign directors do not replace Vietnamese artists, but force us to step out of our comfort zone. That is precious. They not only stage but also inspire new ways of thinking about characters, performance spaces and modern aesthetics."

People's Artist My Uyen - Director of Ho Chi Minh City Drama Theater - frankly admitted: "What we learned is professional thinking. Ho Chi Minh City theater needs more opportunities like this so that young artists can "immerse themselves" in a truly professional environment."

Meritorious Artist Le Anh Tuyet of the Youth Theater, a director who has collaborated with foreign crews, also acknowledged: " The world has changed the way of doing theater for a long time, but we are still stuck in the old way. Working with foreign directors is when we know what we lack and what we are weak at. We integrate but still maintain the traditional character and ideology of Vietnamese theater."

Challenges from language, culture and organizational thinking

Acknowledging the positive impacts, the artists also mentioned practical difficulties. Director and People's Artist Tran Minh Ngoc said: "Theatrical exchange in the new era is a good signal, but to receive it, Vietnamese artists must also have a foundation, especially foreign language ability and critical thinking skills."

Another problem is the lack of long-term support models. People's Artist Hong Van shared: "Many projects only take place once due to the lack of sustainable cooperation mechanisms. We need policies to nurture international cooperation models instead of just doing it in an event-like manner. In Ho Chi Minh City, 8 socialized stages, not to mention 5 private cai luong stages that are operating, really need support from the authorities in connecting and inviting foreign directors to the city to stage, exchange, and cooperate, thereby renewing the appearance of the stage in Ho Chi Minh City."

The special thing about international projects is that foreign directors are also finding a new source of material in the Vietnamese stage. Folk values, traditional forms of expression and the psychology of Asian audiences are the "gold mines" to be exploited. The play "Kim Van Kieu" directed by Christophe Thiry is proof.

With a cast of French artists performing in the "language" of opera and Vietnamese traditional musical instruments, the play becomes a cross-border work of art, a fusion between East and West. The appearance of foreign directors on the Vietnamese stage is not simply a "trend", but a sign that our country's stage is truly entering the integration orbit. Successful plays are clear evidence: Vietnamese artists have the ability to access international thinking and Vietnamese audiences are ready to accept new artistic experiments.

The remaining thing is how to make those meetings a long-term strategy, so that Vietnamese theater can both maintain its identity and confidently stand shoulder to shoulder in international theater life.

Meritorious Artist Le Thien believes that the fact that international directors choose Vietnam to experiment with new works or revive classic works in a modern style is a testament to the potential of the country's stage in the eyes of international friends. At the same time, it is also a reminder: if we do not proactively integrate, Vietnamese stage will be left out of the global game. "The biggest lack in Ho Chi Minh City today is systematic cooperation models with a long-term roadmap with the international community. Artists of both public and private stages really hope to have more mechanisms and support policies to invite foreign directors to work more regularly" - Meritorious Artist Le Thien hopes.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/dao-dien-ngoai-tren-san-dien-viet-mo-loi-cho-hoi-nhap-va-sang-tao-196250520205315649.htm