Cheo stage of rustic artist from The Voice of Vietnam (VOV)
“Cheo stage of rustic artist”, a program in English from The Voice of Vietnam (VOV), is ready to download on AMX.
Vietnam’s northern region is the cradle of several genres of traditional theatre including ‘Cheo’, or traditional theatre. Cheo is a wonderful combination of dance and singing in the form of music theatre. The actors and actresses dance and sing to tell the play’s story. Set costumes, make-up, language, and behavior are associated with each character in a Cheo play. For years, driven by a passion for “cheo”, the residents in Thach That district on the outskirts of Hanoi have worked hard to preserve the Cheo theater.
About the program
More than half a century ago, a group of famous Cheo artists in Dai Dong commune, Thach That district founded a Co Phong cheo troupe with the intention of restoring and preserving the ancient cheo art of Vietnam. It was the first private cheo troupe dedicated to researching, conserving, and promoting the ancient art. The troupe attracted other famous artists performing classic cheo plays. The restoration of these ancient plays boosted the troupe’s reputation throughout northern provinces. Khuat Van Vinh, former Director of the Cultural Center of Thach That district, said: “The Co Phong cheo troupe was a famous troupe of the Doai region with many artists. It trained many actors and actresses and taught cheo to people in many communes. It is thanks to this troupe that the people of Thach That still know the ancient cheo art.”
The Dai Dong Commune People’s Committee began to restore Dai Dong’s cheo troupe in 2006. Every Saturday and Sunday, the club members come to the communal house to rehearse cheo. The troupe currently has more than 40 members, all of whom are villagers with a passion for cheo. Everyone in Dai Dong commune: farmers, phone repair workers, retired teachers, and photographers share a same love for traditional cheo. Thach That district offers cheo courses with teachers from the Vietnam Cheo Theater. The most recent course drew 50 students from several communes.
For more details, please contact: Nguyen Quang Vinh via email Vinhnq40@gmail.com