Vote for the 30th Golden Apricot Awards - 2024: 4 staging techniques to create a beautiful impression

Which play will be awarded the 30th Golden Apricot Statue - 2024, the answer will be on January 8, 2025

This year's voting list includes many new plays at 2 festivals (dramas in Ho Chi Minh City and reformed opera in Can Tho City), but the Play category that audiences and readers are interested in are 4 plays: "The Last Dream" - Hoang Thai Thanh Stage, "Lost in Bangkok" - Thanh Nien Theater, "The Person with 9 Death Sentences" - WE Entertainment Company Limited and "Theater Ghosts" - Thien Dang Stage.

New milestone of "The Last Passion"

A scene from the play "The Last Dream" - Hoang Thai Thanh Stage

Journalist Linh Doan (Tuoi Tre Newspaper) commented that "The Last Dream" with the 2024 version of Hoang Thai Thanh Stage has many changes that make the audience more anxious. Director Ai Nhu still proves her ability to stage in detail to enrich the audience's emotions through each performance. "The Last Dream" does not have bad characters, but the cruelty of life makes them struggle in the net of injustice, making the audience sob, feel sorry, and ache with the lives in the play.

In that play, Meritorious Artist Thanh Hoi and director Ai Nhu boldly gave roles with psychological weight to young people. Artist Tri Quang confidently played the role of Hai Khuong, Ma Ran Do played the role of a doctor... "This decision seems risky because if not careful, it will reduce the effectiveness of the play. However, the young actors were challenged to have the opportunity to learn the profession and strive to overcome themselves. That is the precious heart of the seniors who care for and love their juniors" - journalist Linh Doan commented.

Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong believes that the new direction of Hoang Thai Thanh Stage is to invest in young actors to engage in plays with psychological weight. "The play has created a synchronous effect in the lively and lyrical staging technique. That creative space has given young people the confidence to act authentically and in a new way, thereby promoting their talents, making a new mark for Hoang Thai Thanh Stage" - Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong emphasized.

Journalist Nguyen Dinh Khiem (HTV Literature and Arts Magazine) commented: "The play is well-staged and engaging. The characters' psychology is carefully exploited, touching the audience's emotions. The play's content is about family, promoting moral values, and reaching the public's hearts. This is one of the best plays of 2024."

"Lost in Bangkok" is fun and meaningful

A scene from the play “Lost in Bangkok” - Thanh Nien Theater (Photo: IDECAF)

Director Ton That Can, Permanent Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association, commented that Thanh Nien Theater has had many plays that attract many young people to watch plays, which is the unique feature of this stage, in which "Lost in Bangkok" has entertainment elements but is full of humanity and meaning.

Journalist Hoang Kim (Thanh Nien Newspaper) said that the play always updates hot information from social networks, so that the characters can criticize gently but very satirically and deeply. "The actors in this play are always youthful, creating refreshing laughter and the way director Hong Ngoc stages the play always creates youthfulness and charm" - journalist Hoang Kim commented.

"The Man with 9 Death Sentences" - an attractive Vietnamese historical opera

A scene from the play “The Man with 9 Death Sentences” - WE Entertainment Company Limited

Journalist Linh Doan said that this is one of the Cai Luong plays that was praised in the 2024 National Cai Luong Festival. The play was carefully and seriously staged and also showed the heart of the predecessors for the younger generation. Director Hoa Ha, playwright Hoang Song Viet, actors Bao Tri, Van Ha... have wholeheartedly supported young actors such as Hoang Hai, Thy Trang, Vo Minh Lam... to have more good roles in their artistic journey. "Each character in the play is carefully crafted to create impressive performances.

In particular, Hoang Hai, with the role of Le Van Duyet, was given many more "exercises" by director Hoa Ha, which may have been a bit too much, with the hope that he would make the most of his efforts and fully exploit his singing and acting abilities. "The person carrying 9 death sentences" is not only a good cai luong play, portraying the image of the talented and virtuous Ta Quan Le Van Duyet in the hearts of the people of Gia Dinh, but it is also an opportunity for young people to learn from good teachers and become more mature in their profession," emphasized journalist Linh Doan.

Sharing the same thoughts, journalist Thuy Trang (Culture Newspaper) commented: "The play exploits the story of Le Van Duyet's trial of Huynh Cong Ly, depicting the noble image of a patriotic and people-loving mandarin, associated with the heroic history of Saigon - Gia Dinh. The play brings to the audience intense and profound emotions about the virtues of a great mandarin. Perhaps that is why the play still retains its current value.

Under the direction of director Hoa Ha, the play not only maintains the traditional rhythm but also incorporates many modern elements, helping the audience clearly feel Le Van Duyet's love and sacrifice for the people."

"The Ghosts of the Theater" - Thanh Loc's strong mark

A scene from the play "The Ghosts of the Opera" - Thien Dang Stage

Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong likes the layout to make the situations in the play "The Ghosts of the Theater" of Thien Dang Stage attract viewers, blending into the interactive effect, both surprising and drawing the audience into the story of the dark side of showbiz.

"The success of the play is the combination of many new elements from music, stage design and above all, Thanh Loc's very standard acting direction" - Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong said.

According to director Ton That Can, director Thanh Loc touched the hearts and found sympathy from the audience with his subtle storytelling: both creating bitter laughter and creating a message so that the factors of cause and effect, good and evil in life are present very convincingly behind the glitz of the entertainment industry.

With Thanh Loc's unique staging techniques, the play has made progress and created creative sublimation for the cast of Thien Dang Stage.

The audience will be the one to decide which work wins the 30th Mai Vang Award. The four works that made it to the voting round have made a good impression, showing the efforts of drama and reformed opera directors always aiming at audiences who love the stage.

In particular, through 4 works, the acting of the young cast has shown much progress. The four directors have created sublimation in emotions, creating opportunities for young actors to shine, thereby placing faith in a solid legacy. That is also what the Mai Vang Awards always aim for.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/bau-chon-giai-mai-vang-lan-thu-30-2024-4-thu-phap-dan-dung-tao-dau-an-dep-196241206205414905.htm