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The play "Once Upon a Time" is a collaboration between the French Institute in Vietnam and the ATH Theatre and Arts Workshop, with creative participation from both French and Vietnamese artists. The work draws inspiration primarily from folk tales and legends, including "The Pillar God of Heaven"—a story about the origin of the world, "The Dragon and the Immortal"—a story about the origins of the Vietnamese people, and "The Legend of Betel and Areca"—illustrating the fundamental connection between humans and nature.
Taken from the book "Nhat Da Lagoon and Other Vietnamese Legends" by writer Tran Huy Minh, these three mythical tales have been passed down to this day and share a striking commonality: a harmonious blend of imagination, the supernatural, and realism. They combine to create a colorful performance, in which each story unfolds and resonates with the others.
The play was created based on the cultural exchange between Vietnam and France.
Driven by the idea of a form of popular theater that offers cultural and educational opportunities to everyone, French director Quentin Delorme aims to take audiences on a magical and wondrous journey through a theatrical work suitable for all ages thanks to its diverse and innovative forms of expression.
The performance brings together Vietnamese and French artists with the aim of combining two languages, two cultures, aesthetic trends, and their historical and contemporary perspectives. Through this experimental theatrical space, the two cultures are subtly blended.
“In those days, nothing was born, the world was in chaos. Then heaven and earth separated, the moon and the sun were born, and humankind appeared. They had to fight for their land, with the help of the Buddha.”
Director Quentin Delorme skillfully takes the audience back to the roots of a richer, more communal, and humane culture by recreating classic Vietnamese fairy tales. Will the audience be surprised to see these familiar stories retold from a completely new perspective? By recreating three classic legends: "The Dragon and the Immortal," "The Legend of Ho Gươm Lake," and "The God of Mount Tản Viên," the director not only aims to affirm the value of traditional culture but also seeks to find similarities between Vietnamese culture and other cultures around the world.
Suitable for all ages, the performance promises to take viewers on a fascinating and unique journey through diverse theatrical forms.
"Once Upon a Time" is a place where everyone can find themselves, whether the audience comes from Vietnam, France, or other countries, whether they are children or adults, and regardless of their social status, because the play utilizes global cultural norms: music, video projection, comics, puppetry, Greek tragedy… Therefore, the work will be an exciting and fascinating journey, delivered through rich forms of artistic expression.
Featuring artists such as Étienne Rousseaux, Marianne Seguin, Nguyen Nhat Bich, Hayley Nguyen Ngoc Mai, Le Doan Thai Binh..., the play promises to take viewers on a fascinating journey through diverse theatrical forms, combining sounds from Asian and European musical instruments. The play will be performed on September 21-22 at the Alexandre Yersin International French School, Long Bien, Hanoi.
