The Youth Theatre’s latest production is an experimental play entitled 100 Phut Cuoi Cung Cua Han Mac Tu (The Last 100 Minutes of Han Mac Tu) directed by stage veteran Le Hung.

The play, written by Phan Cao Toai and performed with a background classical music by J S Bach and composer Trong Dai, is the first piece performed by the Youth Theatre’s Troupe 3 using a combination of verbal poetry and body gesture.

The play was inspired by the poet Han Mac Tu, the pseudonym of Nguyen Trong Tri, who was born into a poor Christian family in the central province of Quang Binh. He became a well-known 20th century poet for his romantic poems. He was one of the founders of the school of tho dien (crazy poetry), a dark world of words expressing horrible images and the sounds of a spirit suffering from endless pain.

In 1936, he contracted leprosy and was treated in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa’s Quy Hoa Hospital where he died.

Nicknamed the "pen and ink guy," he brought forth beautiful verses that have stood the test of time. The new play introduces his poetry to audiences with drama, originality and emotion, brings us the miraculous world of his poetry, loves, life, and death. The works is a colourful picture of highly artistic value. Han Mac Tu remains to be discovered by poetry lovers.

"The play is a colourful and romantic picture that helps us understand the inner contradictions within him," said Ta Kim Cuong from Man Anh San Khau (Screen and Stage) magazine.

The opening scene of the play depicts the struggles of mother in labour. Le Hung places a team of men on stage, one of whom receives the baby from the mother. Han Mac Tu is born, but who he will be depends on fate.

Fate is title for the first part of the performance. Fate causes Han Mac Tu to suffer both spiritually and physically, persecuted by an incurable disease and his love marrying another. He is banished to the sanitarium in Quy Hoa.

The stage during this section is designed simply in white with broken objects and powdered lime representing the disease and pain of the poet.

The second part, Heartbreak, leads the audience further into the world of dreams and memories. Le Hung has built a beautiful and creative set around the central image of the moon close to Han Mac Tu’s poetry and life.

The third part, entitled Delirium, enacts the tug-of-war between the spirit and flesh of Han Mac Tu, the fight between life and death. The poet still wants to be loved and to live in order to give life to his verses.

But, it’s a losing battle. The final part, Eternity, takes place after the passing of Han Mac Tu. The poet no longer belongs to this life, but his verses remain with readers forever.

Han Mac Tu is portrayed in the play by three actors. Cong Dung plays Han Mac Tu, while his body is portrayed by Hoang Tung and his soul by Nhu Lai. Cong Dung’s student-like appearance is well-suited to people’s image of the young Han Mac Tu.

The actor conveys the poet’s spirit which is still joyous despite loneliness and tragedy. Whenever the moon rises, lyric poetry streams out, drowning the bodily pain of the poet.

Le Hung successfully meets the challenge of creating a performance through bodily gesture. The audience also gets a nude scene, representing images of beautiful lovers under the moonlight in the poet’s dreams.

"Many people guess that, due to sex scenes, children under 16 age are not allowed to watch. But I think that the beautiful sex scenes are not the problem. This drama features insanity, pain and tragedy which are not suitable for children," said Le Hung.

The theatrical performance has little dialogue, highlighting the poetry recital by a Hue-based music student who has an impressive and suitable voice.

With obvious love for the poetry of Han Mac Tu, the play expresses the search for a reason to live, of determination, courage and passion.

The play is a co-operative production of the Vietnam Association of Theatrical Artists and the Youth Theatre to be performed in the 2nd International Theatrical Experiment Festival in Hanoi by the end of this year. (VNS)