Meritorious Artist Huu Chau - Memories of stage and life: The perfect couple on the comedy stage

Editor's note: In the 1990s, the Southern comedy scene began to flourish and Meritorious Artist Huu Chau "anticipated" this wave. Suggested by his uncle - artist Bao Quoc - he "found" Huu Nghia, and from then on the duo became a "perfect couple", famous throughout that period.

I entered the School of Performing Arts II (HCMC) by chance (the most chance of all chances). Thinking back, I believe it was the sacred Ancestor who guided me, "thrown" me there. I passed by, they were handing out recruitment materials. I walked in to buy an application form. Beginning a career journey, although the profession is my own, the path I took was a random detour. A detour that became a path.

"The perfect pair" Huu Chau - Huu Nghia

PHOTO: Provided by Contemporary Star Organizing Committee

At that time, at the School of Dramatic Arts II, the students were all unknown but the teachers were all famous talents.

More coincidentally, I know Huu Nghia.

I quickly lured my good classmate into a "fated" adventure.

Our story is funny.

Boys like us, one was from Saigon but was just handsome, skinny and lanky, nicknamed "Lizard", the other was a bit better looking, plumper, just arrived from Cai Lay. Being accepted into the school, everyone was seriously happy. Studying in the acting class had all serious lessons, we learned the main roles, analyzed and acted out classic characters like Othello, Hamlet, Romeo... a lot.

We studied theories, principles, psychology… while looking out at the bustling life out there. We wanted to study and work at the same time, to earn some money. Especially me, who was also playing the male lead in a poor thatched house with an old mother and young children who had to earn money for daily shopping.

The social situation at that time was almost equally difficult for everyone. But the theaters were still thriving, with many outdoor venues packed with ordinary audiences. The concept of "gathering places" and "running shows" also started from here.

Famous theater bosses such as Phuong Soc (in District 10), Duy Ngoc (Cho Lon and other provinces) always have a need for singers and actors to sing and act as backup while waiting for stars to run overlapping shows all over Saigon, so they are often late.

Uncle Sau Bao Quoc and Uncle Duy Phuong at that time suddenly became famous in the Laughter Stage shows, although they were still rudimentary, they earned quite a bit of money, becoming a very compatible pair. The two of them performed in short segments on the stage of large concerts or gathering places, interspersed with musical performances, during the time when Le Tuan, Ngoc Son, Ngoc Anh, Bao Yen, Nha Phuong were very famous... The two of them mainly took advantage of each other's bodies and charms. There was no complete script or comedy skit.

But they have too many shows, they can't keep up, and each of them has a different "managing agency". Bao Quoc is a soldier of Tran Huu Trang troupe, Duy Phuong is a resident of Bong Hong troupe so sometimes their schedules are awkward.

Uncle Sau called me: "See if you have any clever friends, then you can invite them to act together. Just take some of our scripts. Whenever we can't come, we'll have something to "put out the fire" for people."

Listening to my uncle, I went back to school, didn't pay much attention to anyone, met Huu Nghia and invited him along.

[...]

Now, every now and then I look back at those games and sometimes I find them funny and even startling.

The two of us were riding Huu Nghia’s old Mobylette. The seat was too uncomfortable for my tall, skinny body and not at all comfortable, so when we reached the red light, I often jumped off to relax a bit. Sometimes, without him noticing, he started the engine and drove off, making me scream in panic in the middle of the crowded street.

We have so many happy and sad memories, sweat and tears, small successes and moderate failures while still in school.

We were running around the city, but still sober enough to study properly and graduate well. We earned a little money, not enough to get by, but enough to make ends meet. Thanks to our youth and the glimmer of confidence in our ability to stand on stage, we survived the difficult months of the whole country. We accidentally met some of the entertainment needs of the audience at that time. They were all working people, needing a little laughter to make life less tiring.

After graduating and finishing my internship, I was accepted into a large theater troupe.

After that, I returned to the city, continued to work with my good friend Huu Nghia to run shows, forming a rhythmic and juggling duet, becoming quite famous, called "Huu Chau - Huu Nghia Comedy".

Gradually, "two young smiling trees" became famous throughout the country.

The two of us, were really poor, had to worry about food and clothing for the family, but also loved to play and make money, ran around showing off until our faces were dark, our mouths constantly spouted out jokes that became a habit, our gestures were so fidgety that it almost became an old habit.

One time we went to the wharf together, "disguised as civilians" to hire out tree sawing. We were also happy because no one recognized us.

For a few days everything went smoothly. On the third day, the children cheered like Columbus had discovered America: "Oh! Oh! There are Mr. Huu Chau and Mr. Huu Nghia, guys!"

The two guys turned pale and instead of stopping to let people get their autographs, they ran away.

Huu Nghia, oh my, is that what we call youth? And we lived our lives to the fullest with so many conveniences and hardships, making people laugh out loud while sometimes we were sad inside… We were simple and looked at life as neither rosy nor gray.

Now it seems so far away. (to be continued)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nsut-huu-chau-hoi-uc-san-khau-va-cuoc-doi-cap-doi-hoan-hao-tren-san-khau-hai-185250917215509287.htm