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The "Stories of Hang Street" live tour at the ancient house at 87 Ma May Street is part of a series of activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Hanoi (October 10, 1954 - October 10, 2024). The program, organized by the Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Old Quarter Management Board in collaboration with the Youth Theatre, aims to recreate the lifestyle of a family selling medicine in the capital during the period 1930-1945.
Meritorious Artist Le Anh Tuyet, a familiar face at the Youth Theatre and also one of the program's authors, shared: "The tour of the ancient house at 87 Ma May Street is already familiar to many tourists. Therefore, we want to bring a newer experience, helping visitors not only admire the ancient beauty of the house but also truly feel the breath of life of the people who once lived here."
Visitors to Hanoi in October have the opportunity to experience the lifestyle of Hanoians nearly 100 years ago at the ancient house at 87 Ma May Street in the "Stories of Hang Street" live tour.
The story revolves around a family with a long tradition of practicing traditional Chinese medicine, consisting of a grandfather, his wife, and their Western-educated son. Initially, the son had no intention of following in his family's footsteps. However, upon seeing his grandfather unable to cure his seriously ill daughter, he devoted himself to researching and exploring various remedies combining Eastern and Western medicine to save her. The play is almost entirely dialogue-free, relying primarily on body language to make it easily understandable for foreign visitors.
Visitors will have the opportunity to watch the performance of "The Story of Hang Street," featuring actors from the Youth Theatre.
"The work we created was very carefully crafted, not only telling the story of the family that sells medicine, but also reflecting the common characteristics of people in Hanoi," shared Meritorious Artist Le Anh Tuyet.
The reenactment of the setting was authentically recreated by Ms. Tuyet and her colleagues, depicting the life of a family selling traditional Chinese medicine in the past. The team meticulously researched and collected items from reputable traditional medicine pharmacies. Some antique items, such as medicine-cutting knives, were also included in the performance to realistically recreate life in the old house at 87 Ma May Street.
The play has almost no dialogue, relying mainly on body language so that even foreign tourists can easily watch and understand it.
The interior of the old house is a space for experiencing traditional medicine-making activities.
With the advice of historical experts, every small detail in the house, from the tea set to the medicine jars, was carefully selected to ensure historical and cultural accuracy. This meticulous attention to detail contributes to creating a vibrant and authentic living space, transporting visitors back to the past in a vivid way.
The reconstruction of the setting was done by Ms. Tuyet and her colleagues, drawing on information from traditional medicine pharmacies and historical experts, with respect for history.
The "Stories of Hang Street" live performance tour officially launched on October 9th, initially on weekends with 36 guests per group; there are two evening tours each day, lasting 45 minutes, with the play itself lasting approximately 30 minutes. The official ticket price has not yet been announced. Meritorious Artist Anh Tuyet hopes to bring the live performance tour to a wider audience in October.
