This year’s festival featured a diverse array of theatrical genres, including Tuong, Cheo, Cai luong, and spoken drama. Actors from various professional backgrounds joined the festival fueled by a passionate dedication to art, confidence, and a wholehearted commitment, devoid of pursuit for monetary gain or any specific accolades. Setting aside life’s myriad concerns, they took to the stage as true performers, delivering performances marked by simplicity and authenticity, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
On the morning of November 8, with the approval of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, the City Cultural Center hosted a meeting to review the Hanoi Amateur Stage Festival 2023 and outline the proposed action plan for grassroots activities in 2024.
The festival left rich emotions for the residents of the capital city.
Launched in April 2023, the event saw centers for culture, information, and sports across districts and towns diligently adhering to the festival plan and regulations. They crafted program content, ensuring thorough training to participate in the municipal-level festival.
The municipal-level competition involved actors and amateur art groups from 18 districts, towns, and counties. It took place at two venues: Cluster 1 on the evening of October 11 at the City Cultural Center (7 Phung Hung, Ha Dong), and Cluster 2 in the afternoon and evening of October 12 at the Center for Culture, Information and Sports of Dan Phuong District. Each district and town presented a segment from a traditional stage production (Tuong, Cheo, Cai luong, etc.) or a short theater piece, lasting between 20 to 35 minutes.
Delegates attended the Festival Briefing.
Assessing the artistic merit of the festival, People’s Artist Nguyen Hoang Tuan, Chairman of the Hanoi Stage Association and Chief Judge of the Festival, enthusiastically affirmed that the Hanoi Amateur Stage Festival 2023 exceeded expectations. The participating units displayed dedication, precise training, and seriousness in their performances. The festival left both the jury and the Hanoi audience with a myriad of emotions. This year’s event covered a full spectrum of stage genres, including Tuong, Cheo, Cai luong, and spoken drama. Actors from various professions approached the festival with intense artistic passion, confidence, and a dedication untainted by financial motives or the pursuit of any particular accolades. Overlooking life’s complexities, they stepped onto the stage as genuine performers with a simple, unpretentious acting style, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
Chief Judge Nguyen Hoang Tuan evaluated artistic achievements of the Amateur Stage Festival.
The Amateur Stage Festival 2023, encompassing genres such as Tuong, Cheo, Cai luong, and spoken drama, allowed each participating team the flexibility to choose a genre that best showcased their strengths. Over the two days of competition, the judging panel noted that the participating teams demonstrated precise selection of topics and genres that aligned well with their respective capabilities.
In the category of spoken drama, this year’s festival featured numerous short plays and theatre pieces that reflected pressing contemporary issues or tackled themes such as war and social issues, leaving a profound impression on the audience.
In the challenging realm of Tuong, there were commendable excerpts from classical dramas during the Amateur Stage Festival 2023. Despite the advanced age of the non-professional actors, their spirit, passion, and genuine enthusiasm were truly commendable. These actors, though senior in age, delivered performances rich in inner strength, with resonant voices, almost indistinguishable from their professional counterparts. This stands as a valuable asset for the amateur stage community.
Cheo, a genre widely embraced by the participating teams, showcased the strength of community-based performing arts in the capital. The teams displayed notable prowess in this category, with a diverse range of Cheo performances that excelled both in singing and acting.
Cai luong, while somewhat understated in this year’s festival, did not fall short in making a lasting impression. Regardless of quantity, the teams participating in this category shone and left unforgettable impressions.
Despite the commendable results achieved, Chief Judge Nguyen Hoang Tuan highlighted certain areas for improvement and lessons learned from the Hanoi Amateur Stage Festival 2023. Some acts lacked precision, failed to captivate, lacked action, and exhibited a somewhat casual performance style. Additionally, backstage management revealed disorderliness, with issues such as leaving microphones on while entering the stage, speaking off-mic during performances, and disruptions affecting the competition. Chief Judge Nguyen Hoang Tuan expressed hope that every member of the performing arts teams from districts, towns, and counties would perpetuate their artistic passion to contribute to the growing cultural and artistic movement at the grassroots level.
Director of the City Cultural Center, Ms. Ly Thi Thuy Hanh, Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee, evaluates the organizational work: “The Organizing Committee warmly commends and acknowledges the dedicated efforts of 18 out of 30 participating units in aligning with the city’s activities. With the overarching goal of preserving the cultural essence of the nation, conserving and promoting traditional art forms, and enhancing the overall amateur stage movement, these units collaborated wholeheartedly with the City Cultural Center to execute this festival responsibly. In terms of organizational efforts, the festival was held at two locations: the City Cultural Center and the Center for Culture, Information and Sports of Dan Phuong District. The Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee expresses sincere gratitude to the leadership of the Dan Phuong District People’s Committee for guiding the Culture-Information and Sports Center in Dan Phuong District and various functional departments for their active coordination throughout the festival. They successfully mobilized a large number of traditional stage art enthusiasts from Dan Phuong District, contributing significantly to the festival’s success.” At the City Cultural Center, the Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee appreciated the sharing and enthusiastic participation of the Representatives of the Elderly Association in Ha Dong District and its members. Their active presence added fervor to the festival, becoming one of the factors contributing to its success. The Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee is pleased that some units introduced new talents, involving young individuals who engaged and experienced classic roles in traditional Cheo art. This, she believes, is a testament to the festival’s success.
Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee, Ms. Ly Thi Thuy Hanh, evaluates the organizational work.
Recognizing the contributions of the participating units in the Hanoi Amateur Stage Festival 2023, the Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports has decided to award certificates and commendations for 48 prizes at the festival. These include 2 first prizes, 9 second prizes, 7 third prizes, and 30 specialized consolation prizes.
Two first prizes were awarded for the excerpts from Cheo performances: “Seeking a Poem” from Dong Anh District and the humorous play “Areca Tree” from Hoang Mai District.
9 Second Prizes were awarded for various performances, including Cheo Scene: “Meeting an Old Friend” – Hai Ba Trung District; Cheo Excerpt: “Thi Mau Goes to the Pagoda” – Ha Dong District; Cheo: “Love Story of Vu Dai Village” – Dan Phuong District; Tuong: “Tears of a Distant Past” – Quoc Oai District; Short Play: “The Happy House” – Ba Dinh District; Cheo Excerpt: “The Left Letter” – Thanh Tri District; Short Play: “Rich Pretender, Poor Truth” – Soc Son District; Short Play, Comedy: “Village Love, Neighborly Affection” – Gia Lam District; Short Play: “Dream of Becoming Human” – Cau Giay District.
7 Third Prizes were awarded to Cheo Excerpt: “Good News from a Distant Island” – Bac Tu Liem District; Short Play: “Yellow Flowers on Green Grass” – Son Tay Town; Short Play: “No One’s Sole Responsibility” – Long Bien District; Short Play: “A Time of Mistakes” – Chuong My District; Cheo Excerpt: “Village Affairs” – Thach That District; Tuong Excerpt: “The Old Man Carrying His Wife to See the Festival” – Hoan Kiem District; Short Play: “A Valuable Lesson” – Thanh Xuan District.
Deputy Head of the Organizing Committee, Ms. Ly Thi Thuy Hanh, awarded the First Prize to Dong Anh District and Hoang Mai District.
Units achieving Second Prizes
Units achieving Third Prizes
30 specialized Consolation Prizes: Best Staged Performance Prize: Cheo Scene “Meeting an Old Friend” – Hai Ba Trung District.
Preservation and Promotion of Traditional Arts Performance Prize: Tuong “Tears of a Distant Past” – Quoc Oai District.
Outstanding Actor Prize: Minh Hieu as Veteran Long – Dong Anh District; Thu Huong as Po-Lieng – Dong Anh District; Quynh Van as Po-Lang – Dong Anh District; Thuy Hai as Mrs. Tam – Hoang Mai District; Mau Thanh as Linh – Hoang Mai District; Tuan Anh as Secretary of the Residential Group Party Cell – Hoang Mai District; Ngoc Anh as Mrs. Anh – Ba Dinh District; Nguyen Hieu as Mr. Hieu – Ba Dinh District; Nguyen Phuong Linh as Thi Mau – Ha Dong District; Xuan Chien as Mr. Son – Soc Son District; Quoc Khanh as Hamlet Head – Soc Son District; Nguyen Hong Men as Mrs. Hoa – Gia Lam District; Nguyen Van Tan as Mr. Tam – Gia Lam District; Nguyen Thi Hoa as Mrs. Tam – Thanh Tri District; Nguyen Hoang Hai as Veteran Luyen – Hai Ba Trung District; Kim Yen as Thi No – Dan Phuong District; Cong Chi as Chi Pheo – Dan Phuong District; Nguyen Thanh Tra My as Mrs. Tinh – Cau Giay District; Nguyen Trong Manh as Truong – Cau Giay District; Meritorious Artist Thanh Luc as Dao Duy Tu – Quoc Oai District; Huong Ly as Ngoc Mai – Quoc Oai District; Thu Huyen as Mrs. Tam – Son Tay Town; Do Ngoc Anh as Mrs. Dop – Thach That District; Anh Tuyet as Mrs. An – Thanh Xuan District; Dinh Ly as Soldier Huy – Bac Tu Liem District; Vu Van Duc as Soldier Tien – Bac Tu Liem District; Trang Nhung as Land Officer – Long Bien District; Quang Tuan as Ca Lap – Hoan Kiem District.
At the meeting, the Director of the City Cultural Center, Ly Thi Thuy Hanh, presented the proposed Work Plan for the grassroots movement in 2024: Organizing the Singing and Dancing Festival themed “Echoes of the Red River”; The “Stars of the Century” Festival; and the Traditional Cheo Clubs Exchange Festival…