Surprised by the person who played the role of Chi Pheo by writer Nam Cao

Using musical instruments to create the scene of Vu Dai village

On the evening of March 25, at the Ho Chi Minh City Dance School stage, the radio play Chi Pheo directed by Vu Phuc An had its first performance. The play recreates the classic work of writer Nam Cao in the form of a radio drama.

The performance is an activity within the framework of the graduation project of a group of students majoring in communications at FPT University, Ho Chi Minh City.

The work also brings a fresh perspective through the combination of voice acting and sound effects.

Instead of using props as backdrops, the production team used sound-producing props as the primary means of storytelling.

Not only focusing on voice and foley effects, the play also incorporates traditional musical instruments such as flutes, zithers, big drums, drums, cheo singing, nursery rhymes... to create the setting of an ancient Northern Vietnamese village. The crew's rehearsal process took place from October 2024.

The production team used sound-producing props as the primary means of storytelling.

Director Vu Phuc An said all sounds in the play were created directly, from footsteps, wind, to the sound of dishes hitting each other.

“Images can easily impact perception, while sound stimulates the imagination more strongly, giving the audience a space to feel the story in their own way,” the director shared.

AARON TORONTO plays Chi Pheo

The special feature of this play is that American director and producer Aaron Toronto plays the role of Chi Pheo. Aaron Toronto was successful with the movie Dem toi hong hong (2022) - reaching the milestone of 25 billion VND after only 4 weeks of showing.

Initially, the role of Chi Pheo was assigned to Hoang Luan - a young Vietnamese actor. However, due to the actor's personal reasons, director Vu Phuc An decided to seek a new direction.

American director and producer Aaron Toronto plays the role of Chi Pheo.

Having lived in Vietnam for over 20 years, Aaron Toronto spent time learning the culture and language to authentically transform into his character. His biggest challenge was speaking with a Northern accent, using many old words and dialects.

Director Vu Phuc An said that Toronto has a very good alcohol tolerance. To experience the feeling of being drunk, he drank an entire bottle of wine corked with banana leaves. The next morning, he woke up in a daze like Chi Pheo after a hangover.

“The play appeals to me because of its humanity, teaching people to understand. Don't just judge a person by their appearance, look deep inside," Aaron Toronto shared.

The characters Thi No and Chi Pheo in the play.

In the work, Meritorious Artist Pham Huy Thuc plays the role of Ba Kien, actress Hong Van plays the role of Thi No. Meritorious Artist Dinh Linh is in charge of the sound.

Many veteran artists have praised Chi Pheo. Director Tuong Phuong affirmed that when watching Chi Pheo, he was reminded of his childhood memories of listening to plays on the radio. He also expressed his appreciation for Aaron Toronto for researching Vietnamese culture and portraying the role of Chi Pheo with passion and emotion.

Dr. and director Hoang Duan highly appreciated the way the play was led, especially the narration that helped the audience separate the artists from the characters. He noticed that the audience did not dare to clap after each act to maintain the atmosphere of the play.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/ngo-ngang-voi-nguoi-dong-vai-chi-pheo-cua-nha-van-nam-cao-post1728528.tpo