Deeply exploiting the image of a humane and brave police officer

These days, the 5th National Stage Arts Festival on “The Image of the Police Soldier” in 2025 continues to take place at the Army Theater, Hanoi. After half a journey, the festival has brought to the capital audience special plays on the theme of the People’s Public Security, invested in and staged by many art units across the country.

The image of the humane and brave police officer is exploited in a diverse and multi-dimensional way, not only focusing on investigation and crime solving, but the plays also deeply reflect historical figures and great achievements of the police force.

Scene from the Cai Luong play "Oath on Cot Co Mountain" by Hai Phong Traditional Theater.

Many works are very topical

On July 1, the Nghe An Traditional Arts Center brought many surprises to the festival when it introduced the play “Not Falling Down” to the Hanoi audience. Exploiting the story of a police officer investigating drug crimes, this work raises an issue that is rarely mentioned in works of art, especially in theater – officers and soldiers who play the role of drug addicts to investigate and solve cases, but then become addicted to drugs.

That is the story of Son - a drug addict soldier in the process of infiltrating deep into the cross-border "white death" trafficking ring. Behind each achievement are countless other silent contributions and sacrifices, other struggles of the soldier, requiring extraordinary willpower and endurance no less than the days of rolling around solving cases...

Previously, the Nghe An Traditional Arts Center also brought to the festival the opera “The Devil’s Game” – a work full of current events about contemporary society, condemning those who take advantage of religion to make profits and commit crimes. Through the dramatic story of the crime boss of cross-border organ trafficking disguised as the “Cult Leader of the Vinh Sinh Sect” and the efforts of the Public Security Forces to destroy this network, the play addresses many issues such as taking advantage of celebrities to deceive gullible people, mob syndrome and the unpredictable consequences for the individuals and families of those who are ignorant and lost…

Joining the flow of contemporary works of art at the festival, the Center for Theater and Development brought the work “Sunshine Sunset” with a story of psychological depth and humanity about a police officer who infiltrated a transnational drug ring. The project was successful, but after that feat came irreparable losses: His beloved wife was murdered, his daughter was lost.

After a 22-year journey to find the truth, the soldier continues to be forced to make painful choices when he discovers that his daughter, who he thought was lost, is now on the other side of the front line, in a criminal organization disguised as a charity... "Sunset" conquers the audience by not only telling a story about duty and responsibility, but also a journey that shines the light of courage, of family love, especially the never-ending belief in justice.

Rich in themes, vivid in portraits of soldiers

The CAND Drama Theater also innovated by bringing to the festival 2 plays on 2 new topics, in which the play “The Third Person” explored the force of artists and intellectuals in urban areas during the years when the country was still divided. The staging unit was considered quite bold when simultaneously mentioning and skillfully handling issues that have long been considered sensitive on stage – the role of artists and intellectuals between the two fronts and the story of national reconciliation after the country was unified.

The second play of the CAND Drama Theater at the festival, “Hoa lua”, also exploited a fairly new theme for the stage. That is the image of the Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue Police. This is also the theme chosen by the Vietnam Drama Theater when investing in the work “Ngược tiếp bình an” and will participate in this festival. Notably, both of the above plays not only praise the achievements of the CAND force in the field of Fire Prevention, Fire Fighting and Rescue but also build the image of the Police soldier with a sense of responsibility, courage, and sacrifice, expressing the feelings and thoughts of the soldier and his family in everyday life.

In addition to the plays that exploit new and current topics, at this festival, traditional topics and historical figures continue to be performed. Among them, the Cai Luong play “Oath on Cot Co Mountain” by Hai Phong Traditional Theater realistically and movingly recreates the heroic fighting life of the People's Armed Forces Hero, martyr Tran Thanh Ngo - an outstanding son of Van Dau, Kien An, Hai Phong in the early years of the resistance war against French colonialism.

Tran Thanh Ngo was the Commander of the Assault Police Corps, directly commanding the front line to protect Kien An town. On April 25, 1947, amidst the fierce siege of the French army with overwhelming force and artillery support, he swore before his comrades: "If Tran Thanh Ngo is still alive, Kien An will be still alive. If Kien An is lost, Tran Thanh Ngo will be lost as well". In the fierce battle at Cot Co Mountain, despite being seriously wounded, he still fought steadfastly, ordered his comrades to retreat safely and held out alone to block the enemy, heroically sacrificing himself right at the foot of Cot Co Mountain, leaving an immortal heroic epic of a police officer in the hearts of the people of Kien An - Hai Phong.

“The Oath on Flagpole Mountain” not only expresses gratitude to Hero and Martyr Tran Thanh Ngo but is also a work of art imbued with historical value and patriotism.

The 5th National Professional Stage Arts Festival on "Image of the People's Public Security Soldier" in 2025 was organized by the Ministry of Public Security in coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Vietnam Stage Artists Association from June 26 to July 7 in Hanoi. The festival has 21 units with 25 plays participating. After the opening night at Ho Guom Theater, the units will perform at the Army Theater (No. 130 Ho Tung Mau Street, Mai Dich, Cau Giay) in the mornings and evenings from June 27 to July 6. According to the performance schedule, from July 2 to 6, there will be 10 more works performed by the units participating in the festival. Specifically as follows:

July 2: Morning – Cheo play “Peaceful Sky” by the Army Cheo Theater; evening – Drama “The End” by the Vietnam Youth Theater.

July 3: Morning - Cheo play "Con ve voi me" by Cheo Art Troupe - Ha Nam Province Culture and Arts Center; evening - Drama "Ngược tiếp binh an" by Vietnam Drama Theater.

July 4: Morning – Cheo play “Red Heart” by the Army Cheo Theater; evening – Drama play “Sugar-coated Bullet” by the University of Theatre and Cinema, Ho Chi Minh City.

July 5: Morning - Cai Luong play "Song vang Lach Hoi" by Lam Son Art Theater; evening - Drama "An trang" by TH Entertainment Company Limited - Quoc Thao Stage.

July 6: Morning – Drama “Belief in the Frontier” by Lam Son Art Theater; evening – Opera “Fable of Fire” by Quang Nam Opera and Drama Troupe.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Tieu-diem-van-hoa/khai-thac-sau-dam-hinh-tuong-nguoi-chien-si-cong-an-nhan-van-qua-cam-i773451/