Why, despite directing seven hit plays, has Hung Lam never had a conflict with Tran Dang Nhan?

(NLĐO) - A rare bond of understanding on stage between Tran Dang Nhan and Hung Lam, and the story of how the two "have never argued."

Director Hung Lam and author Tran Dang Nhan

On December 13th, amidst the warm atmosphere of celebrating director Hung Lam's 67th birthday, the simple words of author Tran Dang Nhan (born in 1953) suddenly became a beautiful and rare glimpse into theatrical life: "We are both playwrights and directors… we have collaborated on many comedies at the IDECAF Theatre. Importantly, we have never argued."

A simple statement, but behind it lies more than two decades of enduring collaboration, professional trust, and a mutual understanding that eliminates the need for noisy arguments—something not every author-director pair can achieve.

From teacher-student relationship to creative soulmate

Few people are unaware that Hung Lam was once a student of Tran Dang Nhan when they studied at the School of Performing Arts II (now the Ho Chi Minh City University of Theatre and Film). Over time, that teacher-student relationship transformed into a close-knit creative partnership, respecting each other and working together towards achieving theatrical success.

"The Smile of the Sea" was the first play that director Hung Lam staged, based on a script by Tran Dang Nhan in 2003.

Since 2003, Hung Lam has been staging plays by Tran Dang Nhan. To date, seven plays have been performed at the IDECAF theater, becoming works of both artistic value and high box office success, captivating audiences of all generations: "The Smile of the Sea," "The Cosmic Wine," "The Sorcerer Descends the Mountain," "Need Someone to Love," "Fragrance of Love," "Colors," "Each Soul Keeps Its Own," etc.

These are not just statistics, but a testament to a collaborative creative process, where the script doesn't exist in isolation, but is always conceived through dialogue.

"Tailor-made" for the IDECAF stage

What's remarkable about the Tran Dang Nhan – Hung Lam duo is their flexibility in creative roles. Some scripts are written independently by Tran Dang Nhan, but there are also projects that originate from a preliminary idea by director Hung Lam, which the two then discuss, brainstorm, and refine into a complete script.

The process didn't stop at the draft on paper. The author and director revised, discussed, and considered every detail to perfectly tailor the script to the cast of the IDECAF Theatre – where each actor has their own unique acting style, requiring the script to be "alive," flexible, and open-ended.

According to Tran Dang Nhan, this is the biggest advantage: when the team understands each other, they not only create great works but also sell tickets – a criterion that cannot be overlooked in the current theater scene in Ho Chi Minh City.

Author Tran Dang Nhan

Overcoming the "curse" of author-director conflict

In the world of theater, the relationship between the playwright and the director is often fraught with conflict. In many cases, the script is altered, the director is accused of encroaching on the director's territory, and the playwright becomes impatient with a production that differs from their initial vision.

Tran Dang Nhan viewed the issue calmly: "It all depends on one's perspective. Every director has their own version and creative way of telling a story, so the author shouldn't be impatient about this."

That is the perspective of an experienced writer who believes in collective creativity and understands that the stage is a composite art form – where a script only truly comes to life on the stage.

Continuing the tradition of golden couples of the stage.

At 73, Tran Dang Nhan views his creative relationship with Hung Lam within the broader context of Vietnamese theatrical history. He mentions Ha Trieu and Hoa Phuong, the playwrights who created a brilliant era for Cai Luong theater; Bui Quoc Bao and Hoang Hiep, who produced many valuable scripts; and today, Dinh Toan and Quang Thao, who continue to write new creative works.

There, the common ground is creative talent and mutual trust and respect, core elements that enable the theater not only to survive but to thrive sustainably.

Projects are coming up.

The script "Stealing Hearts," which participated in the 2024 Creative Writing Camp organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association in Phan Rang, is a new project in the collaborative journey of the two artists. In addition, according to Tran Dang Nhan, many collaborative projects for the new year have been prepared, although they cannot be announced yet.

Without fanfare or ostentation, the relationship between Tran Dang Nhan and Hung Lam quietly nurtured the stage through professional trust, mutual understanding, and a rare dedication to their craft.

They create together, share responsibility, and focus on the audience. With the explosion of social media, there have been numerous cases of authors and directors attacking each other online after a few projects.

Amidst the myriad changes in Ho Chi Minh City's theater scene today, the story of "never arguing" is a beautiful memory from the birthday of a talented director.

It was also a professional lesson on how artists communicate with each other to keep the spotlight shining.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/vi-sao-dung-7-vo-an-khach-hung-lam-chua-bao-gio-cai-lon-voi-tran-dang-nhan-196251214085417001.htm