Author: Le Duy Hanh

Previously, seeing the familiar motorbike parked against the wall of the entrance to the Small Stage Theatre's office meant that author Le Duy Hanh was present at the Ho Chi Minh City Theatre Association.

Leaving behind a rich legacy.

Artists who have been involved with the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association all feel a sense of emptiness whenever they mention author Le Duy Hanh - the steadfast captain who steered the city's theater ship steadily through the waves.

For 25 years, the familiar image of his motorbike and small stature remained, as he commuted daily from his private home (in a small alley on Dien Bien Phu Street) to the beloved "5B" shared house of the theatrical artists.

On September 6, 2023, author Le Duy Hanh passed away, departing to the realm of eternal remembrance. Those who remain, though perhaps having overcome their grief, will still cherish the memories of him deeply.

Three of his plays received the State Award for Literature and Arts in 2001: "Bui Thi Xuan's Final Act," "The Night Sun of the Century," and "Southern Sky." These are all excellent and valuable works; every year, in competitions to find young theatrical talents, contestants from both the North and South use these plays to compete.

People's Artist Tran Minh Ngoc said that author Le Duy Hanh is strong in all four "fields": traditional opera, reformed opera, spoken drama, and single-actor scripts, such as: "Ngoc Han's Confessions", "Performing a Play Alone", "The Queen and Two Kings", "The Holy King of the Le Dynasty", "The Swan's Dress", "Poisonous Flower in the Garden", "Moving the Capital", "Night Monologue", "Returning to the Land of Memories", "The Pain of Humanity"...

"For 25 years as a leader of the association and also as an author, he contributed to building a magnificent theatrical home, leaving a great legacy for generations of artists," - People's Artist Tran Minh Ngoc observed.

Author Le Duy Hanh in the live show "Southern Melodies" by Meritorious Artist Thanh Sang.

The torch that guides the way

Author Le Duy Hanh was born in Tay Son, Binh Dinh. During his student years in Saigon, he excelled academically and in 1972 was selected to study in the United States for a doctorate. However, instead of going abroad, he joined the resistance in the war zone and was later sent to North Vietnam for further studies. After 1975, he requested to return to South Vietnam to work and published a collection of short stories and memoirs. Unexpectedly, he then switched to the field of theater and remained dedicated to this art form until the end of his life.

People's Artist Le Thuy recalled: "In 1980, the first script by author Le Duy Hanh, 'Ngoc Han's Confessions,' staged by the Ho Chi Minh City Performing Arts Troupe, unexpectedly became a theatrical phenomenon. At that time, Meritorious Artist My Chau as Ngoc Han and Tuan Thanh as Nguyen Hue rose to prominence with their impressive singing and acting styles. In just a few years, the play had reached 700 performances, a number many theater troupes could only dream of."

According to experts, regardless of style or form of expression, author Le Duy Hanh's writing is sharp, full of character, and possesses creative perspectives; every one of his works captivates the public.

Meritorious Artist Thanh Thanh Tam, one of the artists who received guidance and support from him, confided: "Author Le Duy Hanh has encouraged me a lot in my career, giving me many lessons from the stage to life. It can be said that he is a guiding light for the younger generation of artists, directors, and authors to follow."

In the field of theater in Ho Chi Minh City, author Le Duy Hanh has made a significant contribution to nurturing young talent, who today have become key stars of many privately run theaters such as: Thanh Loc, Hong Van, Minh Nhi, Quoc Thao, Ai Nhu, Thanh Hoi, My Uyen, Trinh Kim Chi, Ngoc Trinh…

Author Le Duy Hanh has also effectively promoted the development of many theaters in Ho Chi Minh City, from the Tran Huu Trang Award to the Autumn Theater Festival and the Ho Chi Minh City Comedy Theater Festival. He has also accompanied, encouraged, and supported artists, authors, directors, and set designers... to help them strive for creativity and bring profound humanistic values ​​through each work.

Author Le Duy Hanh (third from the right) always cares for and looks after the elderly artists at the Ho Chi Minh City Artists' Retirement Home.

In the context of socialized theater, author Le Duy Hanh became the "leading figure" of this model – exemplified by the Ho Chi Minh City Small Stage Theater (5B Vo Van Tan). Among the vast collection of scripts he left behind, countless handwritten scripts are still preserved by his family. Many of these scripts reflect social life but have yet to be explored or staged.

Remembering author Le Duy Hanh, those who love the theater and admire the heart and talent of a captain who dedicated his life to the "sea of ​​theater" will feel, in every beat of the stage each night, the lingering emotion from his compassionate heart, as he urged the succeeding generation to always practice their profession with integrity and seriousness, striving for noble values ​​for Vietnamese art.

To commemorate the first anniversary of the death of author Le Duy Hanh, the Vietnam Theatre Association and the Vietnam Writers Association are launching two books: "Anthology of Cai Luong Scripts by Author Le Duy Hanh" (Theatre Publishing House under the Vietnam Theatre Artists Association) and "Le Duy Hanh - Memories: Anthology of Works" (Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House).

Meritorious Artist Thành Lộc said that in the 1980s, young directors trained at the School of Dramatic Arts II (now the Ho Chi Minh City University of Theatre and Film) graduated but no art organizations would hire them. So the Ho Chi Minh City Theatre Association established the Experimental Theatre Club (at 5B Võ Văn Tần Street, District 3, also known as Theatre 5B). As the general secretary, Mr. Lê Duy Hạnh created a "living space" for newly graduated young directors at Theatre 5B. This theatre introduced many new and innovative artistic styles, from staging to thematic ideas, attracting public attention.

Later, the Ho Chi Minh City Theatre Association organized the first Experimental Theatre Festival, which gained nationwide recognition, followed by the second festival with the participation of art troupes from the North. It can be said that the success of the 5B theatre model owes a great deal to Mr. Le Duy Hanh. From here, young directors had the opportunity to develop their creative abilities, and new directorial names emerged: Tran Canh Don, Kim Loan, Phu Hai, Minh Hai, Hong Van...

"I was fortunate enough to spend 10 years as an actor at the 5B small theater. Thanks to that experience, my acting skills developed comprehensively. If we're talking about the person who helped young directors and actors launch their careers and develop their creative abilities, it's none other than Mr. Le Duy Hanh. We will always remember him as an older brother in the arts," said Meritorious Artist Thanh Loc emotionally.

People's Artist Huu Danh said: "I am a traditional opera artist with a passion for writing plays. It was Teacher Le Duy Hanh who guided me, strictly taught me, and illuminated every word, every rhyme, and even the thematic ideas, so that I could compose and stick with the profession. Afterwards, I won many awards for my traditional opera scripts, all thanks to my teacher."

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tac-gia-le-duy-hanh-nguoi-cua-mien-nho-196240803211022414.htm