Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh sobbed with "The Folk Jokemaker"

NSƯT Xuân Hinh thổn thức với — Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh

"I wrote it to repay my debt of gratitude to this life - especially to folk culture" - Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh said about the memoir "The Folk Laughter", an emotional event that attracted many of his artist friends and audiences, and readers who loved him.

After more than four decades of dedication to the folk comedy stage, Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh chose to look back on his life not through sensationalism or scandalous stories, but through the rustic, simple and profound flow of folk culture - which has shaped a unique, unmistakable Xuan Hinh.

I will always remember the times he came to Ho Chi Minh City to perform, met me and talked, he told me a lot about his life. Those are notes that are closely attached to his heart about a journey: living, traveling and observing, from which he put into creative materials, stirred up into laughter and blended into folk life to contribute joy to the public.

He has many co-stars, but whenever he is "attached" to Hong Van, he has very different "floating" styles to juggle laughter together.

Xuan Hinh - Comedy is not just for laughing

It is not by chance that he is called "the king of comedy in the North". Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh does not perform comedy to make the audience laugh and then forget. His memorable roles - such as: "Fortune Teller Goes to Market", "Human Horse, Human Horse", "Cu Sut", "Ly Toet Judges"... - all contain thoughtful observations, profound satire that folk literature has done through characters such as: Trang Quynh, Ba Giai - Tu Xuat.

"Laughing is to think, to love, to see yourself in it. I never do comedy to put others down or follow cheap tastes" - Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh said.

The memoir does not tell the story of a noisy personal life. It is like a long collection of essays, each line echoing with memories, worries and gratitude.

There, there are the sounds of the village market, the sound of drums, the dust of the village roads, and a little Xuan Hinh who loved singing from the times he secretly watched the performance, and then gradually became destined for the path of learning the profession of acting.

An artist does not chase after "the peak"

It can be said that what is special about Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh is that he does not follow the flashy path of "stage star", nor does he step out of the folk framework to "innovate" for fashion. He retains his "countryman" roots, turning it into an abundant source of creativity, feeding laughter for decades.

With the book "The Folk Joke", readers will see a journey of "making people laugh" but full of seriousness. There is a belief that: only when loving and deeply understanding folk culture, can the artist turn laughter into an artistic language - both witty, humane, and a warning to society while still maintaining the pure Vietnamese charm.

Let's preserve folk culture

Not only an artistic material, folk culture is also a way of life for Xuan Hinh. He used his own money to re-create old plays, inviting artists from Cheo and Quan Ho to perform together. For him, preserving folk culture is not only a responsibility but also a joint effort to preserve folk culture for the community.

"Without folk culture, I would be nobody. It is where I return, the cradle where I was born a second time – in art" – he wrote in the book.

Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh sends his gratitude to the audience - those who have nurtured the "stage clown", as he calls himself - with love for traditional culture.

He said: "I only wrote it once. There is no volume 2. Each person only has one chance to summarize his life in words, if he is still sober and grateful enough."

In the context of traditional theater becoming less and less viable, folk laughter is increasingly overwhelmed by commercial comedy, the memoirs of Meritorious Artist Xuan Hinh are like a breath of fresh air blowing into Vietnamese cultural memories.

The book was published by the Writers Association Publishing House, with 280 pages. The book is considered not noisy. It does not "sell life stories" but leaves a lasting impression - just like his roles on stage.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/nsut-xuan-hinh-thon-thuc-voi-ke-choc-cuoi-dan-da-196250724064252991.htm