On a stage littered with traditional Vietnamese paraphernalia including conical hats, bamboo objects and terra cotta pots, French and Vietnamese actors laugh and cry along with the fate of their characters.
Vietnamese musicians set the scene, with the play revolving around the strength of tuong drums and dan bau monochord.
French and Vietnamese actors speak to each other in their native languages, but somehow spectators from either group manage to follow the play.
The actors are rehearsing Antigone Viet nam a joint production between the French Monte-Charge Theatre and the Viet Nam National Theatre of Tuong.
Following the Cercles de Sable (Sand Circle) show, this is an occasion for Vietnamese tuong (classic drama) to meet European masked theatre once again, in a new project featuring a classic character who has withstood the test of time.
"The second French-Vietnamese show put on by our theatre and the tuong theatre is dedicated to the courage and engagement of Vietnamese women," said Alain Destandau, the French theatre’s director.
"Antigone is a female heroine of Occidental theatrical repertoire by Sophocles. She’s a character who’s both fragile and strong at the same time. She has an unshakeable sense of honour and responsibility which pushes her to sacrifice her life to defend her values."
The name of the play is, in the director’s eyes, the perfect merger. "The rapprochement of our two cultures in the show naturally led me to choosing the title Antigone-Viet Nam," said Destandau.
Pursuing dreams
According to Destandau, the story of Antigone could be a parabolic story of Viet Nam, filled with tragedies and courage towards a final victory.
The scenario, written and staged by Destandau, is about Tiane, a nice simple girl born into a royal family. Whatever happiness she enjoys as a child is stripped from her once the war breaks out. Her father and brothers all die, leading to her uncle appropriating the throne.
Since women were not allowed to bury men at the time, she accepts sacrificing herself to bury her brother. Just as she faces death, doves that she had previously liberated from their cage come back to save her.
"There are many messages that I want to convey to the public. The most important is that I want to call on all men and women to pursue their dreams. Everything you want to do and that you think is right, try your best to achieve it.
"I think it’s also important to convey that women are still submissive to men, in Viet Nam and in so many other countries," the director noted.
"This play will allow us to refine the artistic relationship between the tuong and the masked play – join together our art forms, immerse French actors into the art of tuong and Vietnamese actors into the Occidental art, in order to produce a sharp meeting between the two theatre styles," said Destandau.
The 30 costumes, set to be finished by May 22, are being created by Minh Hanh.
"The costumes will highlight the contrasts between the characters, and between war and peace. The costumes’ colours change with the different scenes," said Hanh.
"At the beginning, the family is happy and prosperous, so the costumes will be bright. After the war breaks out, the family members kill each other, and the ambience gets heavy. The costumes will be in strong solid colours, mainly black…. I want to highlight the mystery of the play," she said.
The six main roles are divided between French and Vietnamese actors. The three French actors are Betina Schneeberger, Richard Cayre and Alain Destandau; and of the three actors of tuong theatre, Loc Huyen will play Antigone.
"Audiences will understand by seeing our gestures and facial expressions the emotions we want to convey. There will be no language barrier in the show," said Destandau.
"Tuong is performed much the same way as European masked theatre. The two forms of theatre are like brothers. Both art forms are expressed through body movement and gestures and facial expressions. Even the costumes are similar," he added.
The show will be ready for the Hue festival in 2008, and will hit theatres in Ha noi and Hcm city before going to the Festival d’Avignon in France in July. — VNS
Tag: Festival , Vietnam , Hue Festival , Hue , Hcm City , Viet Nam , Vietnamese , Women , Culture , Hcm , Ha Noi , Festival French troupe performs Antigone Viet Nam
*Related News:
Patriot Nguyen Dinh Chieu’s birth and death anniversary observed - Ben Tre province
First festival to be held on Long Bien Bridge
Bach Ma Mountain offers primitive beauty
Guidebook promotes top 100 attractions
Hanoi’s 105-year-old bridge in the spotlight - Long Bien Bridge
Vietnamese cultural days in Russia scheduled for Sept.
Tourism village to exhibit culture of all 54 nationalities
Rock-hewn gardens of human diversity - Ha Giang
Festival for children to kick off in town
Sea tourist season launched in Hoi An - Phu Ninh tourism festival