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Foley - The Identity of Radio Drama
Radio drama is a unique form of drama whose core is the foley technique. This means that the story told in the play does not require any acting or improvisation between the actors; they do not need to wear makeup or memorize scripts as we usually see on traditional theater stages.
Radio drama is a unique form of drama with foley technique as its core.
In fact, in the case of radio drama, the actor can even hold the script and read their lines, just like in the final scene of the movie Killers of the Flower Moon. The unique and brilliant aspect of this art form is that the sounds are reproduced directly on stage by foley players and other musicians without any digital intervention or post-production editing.
Audiences will hear every footstep realistically, the sound of trickling water simulated from real water combined with familiar objects, adapted to the situation to create the effect. The objects brought onto the stage are always everyday items such as shoes, sandals, bowls, chopsticks, spoons… to create absolutely realistic sounds and evoke strong emotions in the viewers. Even the sounds of wind, birds, or insects are recreated directly on stage through creative use of musical instruments in combination with the musicians.
Sound is now also part of the performance. The foley players and orchestra are not hidden behind a velvet curtain but naturally participate under the stage lights. Together with the actors, they create a harmonious "audio-visual" interaction, together creating a work of art that touches the soul of the viewer through the sense of hearing.
The foley players and orchestra members are not hidden behind a velvet curtain but are naturally part of the spotlight.
Foley is an art form named after Jack Donovan Foley, an American sound engineer who was considered the father of sound reproduction in film in the 1920s; this was also the time when cinema was undergoing a groundbreaking transition from silent films to films with sound.
The film in which Jack Foley applied his technique to create the sound effects was "Show Boat," released in 1929. The technique involved using everyday objects to create a sequence of sounds synchronized with each character's action in the scene, and these sounds were recorded live. Over time, to improve the sound quality in films, the art of foleying developed further and began to be recorded and then edited to perfection, contributing to an enhanced cinematic experience for audiences.
The technique of this method involves using everyday objects to create a sequence of sounds synchronized with each action of the character in the scene, and these sounds are recorded directly.
Radio drama was also very popular in the US from the 1940s and was performed both on stage and in studios so that audiences could enjoy it via radio. However, specifically for radio drama, even in the US, audiences still preferred to watch it live on stage to satisfy their auditory senses and discover what the foleyan performers would bring to this sonic feast.
Until the 1960s, the emergence and rapid development of radio and television caused this art form to gradually decline. It wasn't until the age of the internet and digital technology that it unexpectedly revived. While it's unlikely that radio drama will ever return to its golden age, this is still a positive sign, as a unique art form that offers aesthetic enjoyment through listening has not faded with time.
Radio drama is very different from traditional drama in that it involves absolutely no acting. If there is any acting, it's only through the actors' expressions during their role-playing; otherwise, there will be no set, backdrop, or any props whatsoever.
The stage is simply a series of emotionally charged voices recreating inner feelings, and the foley players are intently focused on recreating the scene. This can be both an advantage and a disadvantage of radio drama. Because of its unique form of expression, radio drama appeals to a select audience, as they are required to concentrate more and use their imagination to construct images based on the sounds on stage.
But the main advantage is the opportunity for the imagery to freely and spontaneously take shape in the viewer's mind. At the same time, the audience will be curious to see firsthand what other sounds the foley artists can create, how the melodies and pitches will be varied and expressed. How can a single step be altered to distinguish whether it's a male or female movement? Or how does the sound of an old man picking up food compare to the clumsy clacking of chopsticks by a small child? This is both a challenge for this art form and a draw for many art lovers to radio drama.
Radio drama in Vietnam - A beginning of revival
In Vietnam, this art form is gradually gaining attention and affection from audiences, especially young people. Last March, the performance of the radio drama "Chi Pheo" by director Vu Phuc An was a success, filling the seats with over 300 audience members in Ho Chi Minh City. The performance was also part of a graduation project titled "Promoting radio drama to young people in Ho Chi Minh City," undertaken by FPT University students and members of the LKLK (Loc Koc Leng Keng) team, with the aim of bringing radio drama closer to the general public, especially young people.
The radio drama "Chí Phèo" directed by Vũ Phúc Ân was performed in Ho Chi Minh City last March.
Members of the LKLK (Loc Koc Leng Keng) team
The play, featuring artists such as Aaron Toronto (director of the film "Brilliant Night"), surprised the audience with his distinctly Vietnamese portrayal of Chí Phèo. Alongside him were Meritorious Artists Phạm Huy Thục, Nguyễn Hồng Vân, Cẩm Linh, Nguyễn Quốc Việt, and others. Meritorious Artist Đinh Linh directly performed music with traditional Vietnamese instruments like the flute, piccolo, and percussion, creating a colorful and emotional musical feast.
Pham Thao Ly (performance manager) said that the idea for the radio drama came entirely from director Vu Phuc An. According to the director, sound plays an extremely important role in all forms of art and entertainment. Clearly, sound adds many details to a story; it helps express the state and emotions of the characters, thereby directly impacting the audience's perception.
“When talking about entertainment, we often use the terms 'audio-visual,' but in reality, the 'visual' element is always emphasized and valued more than the 'auditory.' Recognizing the often overlooked significance of sound, director Vu Phuc An embarked on realizing the idea of reviving radio drama – focusing solely on exploiting sound and performing it directly on stage,” Pham Thao Ly shared.
Recognizing the often overlooked significance of sound, director Vu Phuc An embarked on a project to revive radio drama – focusing solely on sound and performing it live on stage.
The performance of "Chí Phèo" was just the beginning of LKLK's journey to build a community that loves and embraces radio drama. In the future, other familiar classic Vietnamese literary works will continue to be performed and presented through sound on the radio drama stage, contributing to a unique spiritual joy for the audience and reviving an art form that was thought to have faded into oblivion.
In Vietnamese, we have a very beautiful phrase, "to hear." Why are "hear" and "see" placed together? Isn't it true that sound contributes to the visual aspect, painting in our souls countless beautiful scenes and overflowing emotions? If sound weren't so important, Ngo Thuy Mien wouldn't have been able to write "Autumn for You," which says:
I heard the autumn rain falling on the leaves.
I heard the golden deer singing a love song.
And I hear it when autumn comes.
Bring affection, bring love.
I heard it, I heard the autumn spirit whispering that we love each other…
And just imagine how those foley players would have to create such a performance when they're on a radio theater stage."Autumn rain blankets the falling leaves"so that we can"I hear the autumn spirit saying we love each other."The aesthetic pleasure we experience from radio drama comes from the sounds themselves, and the stories told through those sounds gradually paint their own unique lines in each of our imaginations. A world opens up, a form enters the realm of art, and an opportunity arises for us to attentively enjoy it.
The aesthetic sense we derive from radio drama is an aesthetic sense derived from sound, and the story from that sound gradually paints its own unique picture in each of our imaginations.
