Vietnam’s first theatrical work made up of circus and cai luong (reformed arts) – Cay gay than (The Magic Stick) – has recently been launched in Hanoi.

Circus tricks will enrich cai luong (reformed arts) in the new piece.
(Photo courtesy of the Vietnam Circus Federation)

 The Magic Stick is run by the Vietnam Circus Federation and the Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre.

 Speaking at the opening ceremony, the director of Vietnam Circus Federation, People's Artist Ta Duy Anh, said the play is expected to lay the foundation for more collaboration between the two art forms.

 The Magic Stick resulted from the collaboration between Vietnam Circus Federation and the Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre following an order by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

 It is the first work within a joint art project of two units entitled  Huyen Su Viet (Vietnamese legendary history) that includes four works praising the four immortals in traditional Vietnamese mythology – Tan Vien (the God of the Mountain), Saint Gion, Chu Dong Tu and the Mother Goddess Lieu Hanh, he said.

 The artists and creators will devote themselves in creating a serious and quality work of art that can be introduced to both domestic and international audiences, Anh added.

 The Magic Stick is the stage adaptation written by the late renowned author Hoang Luyen inspired by the legend of the love between Chu Dong Tu and Princess Tien Dung.

 The original script was revised and cut in half by author Le The Song, Luyen’s son-in-law, to suit the mode of performance.

 The play will be staged by many experienced Vietnamese artists and performed by more than 100 talented artists from both Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre and the Vietnam Circus Federation.

 Modern sound and lighting technologies will also be integrated into the play for advanced visual and sound effects.

 The project Vietnamese Legendary History is an art innovation that combines many innovative elements with the aim of honouring the traditional cultural values of the nation and attract more audiences to the theatrical stage, said co-director of the play Tieu Trung Kien, who is the acting director of Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre.

 According to Kien, Vietnamese performing arts are facing many difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the artists are determined to overcome with innovations to draw more viewers to the theatres.

 The Magic Stick is an emerging endeavour of art makers. This combination will help to improve the weaknesses and promote the advantages of two types of arts. Certainly, from the experiments of the creative crew, the audience and colleagues will see the transformation of both reformed and circus arts, he added.

 The Magic Stick will be staged at the end of November.