Dramatizing stories from the countryside and the city.

In recent years, the Folk Art Festival of New Rural Communes in Quang Nam Province and the Folk Art Festival of Exemplary Cultural Villages and Neighborhoods in Quang Nam Province have contributed to portraying a vibrant and colorful picture of the countryside in Quang Nam.

A short play submitted to the Quang Nam Provincial Festival of Outstanding Cultural Villages, Hamlets, and Neighborhoods. Photo: D.T.

Spreading good things

Over the years, the number of writers of folk plays and theatrical sketches in localities, especially in mountainous regions, has dwindled, and in some places, there is a severe shortage.

However, from real-life experiences, in the face of the profound changes brought about by the New Rural Development movement, many localities and cultural entities have become those who perceive, contemplate, and ponder in order to create "spiritual offspring" in their communities, bringing them to the stage.

The Co Tu people in Tay Giang, Nam Giang, and Dong Giang districts always value and cherish the beauty of unity in their daily interactions and culture through simple songs: "Sharing a piece of rice, a handful of vegetables / Corn, cassava, and sweet potatoes when we have a good harvest / Sharing fish, shrimp, and sweet fruits / We share with each other, house by house / Young and old, men and women, rejoice and laugh..."

It is precisely from this spirit of solidarity that the cultural village of Pơrning (Lăng commune, Tây Giang district) has leveraged its collective strength, working together to develop green tourism and protect the forest, setting an example for future generations.

For example, in the Nga Ba residential area (Prao town, Dong Giang district), with the spirit of mutual support, for many years, the head of the Nga Ba residential area has not hesitated to go to each house to mobilize donations to support needy families in the village. This story of solidarity was concretized on stage, moving the audience and making them appreciate even more the beauty of the Co Tu people in the highlands.

In recent years, rural urbanization has been rapidly developing in Quang Nam province. Areas surrounding Tam Ky and Hoi An cities, along with the development of industrialization and commercial services, have also presented numerous challenges requiring attention and solutions to achieve a balance between urban development and people's livelihoods.

Through art festivals, viewers can discover stories about the development of Dong Tra neighborhood (Hoa Thuan ward, Tam Ky city) towards the criteria of green, clean, and beautiful. Or the story of "Building the Road of the Future" in Xuan Tan village (Tam Hoa commune, Nui Thanh district) clearly demonstrates the spirit of solidarity and land donation for road construction...

People's Artist Tu Minh Hiep, who has served as a judge at many folk art festivals for many years, affirmed: "Besides ensuring the criteria of local life realities, the short plays staged at the festivals have demonstrated the structural integrity of the script, using diverse theatrical languages, spoken and sung folk opera... This not only spreads positive energy to the movements but also contributes to preserving the valuable traditional folk opera of Quang Nam province."

Increase the element of critical thinking.

On the other hand, although the New Rural Development movement is yielding positive results, some shortcomings and limitations still remain. The short play "You're Wrong," performed at the 2023 Provincial Festival of Village and Hamlet Cultural Arts, depicts the problems of alcoholism and domestic violence in the play "You're Wrong." This reality is still prevalent in areas inhabited by ethnic minorities.

In particular, the timely intervention of the authorities and the unanimous determination of each family and community have contributed to reforming those who have committed wrongdoings. Many stories about environmental protection and neighborly solidarity have been observed, felt, and incorporated into stage productions by amateur "playwrights," creating a significant impact on the audience.

Mr. Phan Hong Vinh - Quang Nam New Rural Development Coordination Office, said: "We highly commend the sense of responsibility of the people in areas that have been and are strongly and sustainably developing the criteria for building new rural areas."

They boldly pointed out and presented on stage both the successes and shortcomings. Thanks to this, other localities have been able to learn from their experiences and improve the New Rural Development movement, making it more sustainable and in-depth.”

Amateur playwright Le Trung Thuy, who has dedicated many years to writing folk plays in Quang Nam, said: "If we only see the positive aspects without filtering and identifying the shortcomings to include in the scripts of short plays at mass art festivals about building new rural areas, cultural villages and neighborhoods... then that would be a pity. Because what is good and beautiful is always valuable to each individual and to the community, but knowing what we are lacking and what our limitations are is the key to success."

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