Experimenting the Rowing Way

*A scene from the play 'Dao Lieu'. Photo: Hanoi Cheo Theatre*

In fact, these two plays immediately attracted the attention of the audience, as Cheo is a traditional art form that has been shaped over many centuries, with quite strict rules regarding melody, structure, and performance format.

In other words, experiments associated with the art of Cheo also carry with them a certain sensitivity: creativity must be strong enough to make a difference, but if not reasonable, it can easily ruin the structure and turn the work into a play mixed with Cheo.

From that perspective, Dao Lieu shows the remarkable efforts of the Hanoi Cheo Theatre crew - a unit that is considered quite dynamic and willing to explore the art of Cheo.

Even the name of the play suggests many layers of meaning: Dao Lieu is the name of a familiar ancient Cheo tune, with a seemingly playful melody but containing the nostalgia for youth and the desire for happiness of women. More broadly, in traditional art, 'dao' is the way to call female roles. Therefore, the 'Dao Lieu' in the play carries both a symbolic meaning and a real-life identity.

The play by author Bui Vu Minh is not too complicated: Mrs. Lieu is a middle-aged Cheo artist, always carrying with her memories of a life devoted to Cheo, with roles that once nurtured the souls of the audience. Upon retirement, she faces the indifference of her relatives - and more broadly, of society - when it comes to Cheo and traditional arts. The loneliness and disappointment make her constantly question the gap between the world of what she believes in and the real world, where those values are considered strange.

Director People's Artist Tran Hoai Thu chose a minimalist space for Dao Lieu when staging. Nearly 70 minutes of the play takes place in a single scene, where the stage is almost empty, with only a backdrop and four silk panels with traditional motifs. That space forces the performance to become the center, and the 70 minutes of the play almost only consist of dialogues and internal monologues of Mrs. Lieu (Meritorious Artist Minh Nhan).

The most elaborate of these monologues is the scene where Mrs. Lieu meets the classic characters of Cheo: Xuy Van, Thi Mau, Thi Kinh, Chau Long. Each character carries a personality and a fate typical of traditional Cheo, and is also a piece of memory that helps the audience feel the loneliness and dream of preserving traditional values of the artist who has devoted his whole life to Cheo.

The 6th International Experimental Theatre Festival 2025 takes place from November 15 and will close on the evening of November 30 in Ninh Binh .

And in contrast to this symbolic space is the 'element' with the colors of modern life: the comedic layers of the character Dat 'tea boy', the faces in daily life and the practicality of Mrs. Lieu's family. That contrast clearly outlines the flow of the play: Cheo in memory is always sparklingly beautiful, but Cheo in today's life is easily obscured by the hurried pace of life and contemporary practical priorities...

*The play 'Love Story' by the Army Cheo Theater.*

In the remaining play, Love Story of the Army Cheo Theatre chose a different experiment, focusing on structure and music. The play raises a story about love, honor and responsibility - issues that seem familiar but are always relevant in life. And instead of choosing a linear time-line narrative, the work has many characters participating in the story, creating a flexible rhythm and an open structure - which is quite interesting compared to the inherent characteristics of Cheo.

In addition, the music of Love Story was also handled in a new direction: in addition to the familiar pentatonic material, the crew introduced polyphonic harmony, Western polyphony, used double parts and even electronic drums. These elements aimed to expand the ability to express emotions - an approach suitable for modern audiences.

As shared by the creative team at the mid-festival discussion, the art of Cheo is inherently conventional, narrative and lyrical, so experimentation requires much consideration. With a clear awareness of these limitations, the play chose a cautious approach: only changing points that can enrich the performing language without deviating from the essence of Cheo. Within that framework, the team was still bold enough to try some new arrangements and forms of expression, in order to help Cheo shorten the gap with today's young audiences.

Notably, also at the seminar, many experts emphasized: The existing experiments are just the beginning, because the success of a play needs to be verified over time and its ability to have a sustainable presence in theatrical life.

With traditional forms like Cheo, innovation requires more science and caution: Experimentation does not lie in fancy details or unconventional pieces, but in finding new ways of expression while still building on the inherent foundation of the form.

The festival’s two experimental Cheo plays should therefore be viewed in the same light: Initial innovations are positive and necessary, but must continue to be observed and adjusted to create lasting impact. Because if the differences only stop at the ‘surface’ and do not touch the audience’s emotions, the experiment can hardly become a lasting value.

Just like the way the play Dao Lieu ends: Mrs. Lieu’s consolation does not come from the past but from her granddaughter - who grew up listening to lullabies and Cheo songs, and later decided to follow in her footsteps. Traditional arts like Cheo can only develop when there are young people willing to follow in their footsteps, on the foundations built by the previous generation.

According to VNA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/thu-nghiem-theo-cach-cua-cheo-528131.html