by Ngoc Le
 |
|
Veteran of the stage: Reformed theatre actress Kieu Phuong Loan (dressed in white) as heroine Trung Trac in Drumbeats in Me Linh. — VNS Photo Ngoc Le |
HCM CITY — "I'll never turn my back on theatre until my last breath," an emotional Kieu Phuong Loan declared, ten years after she was coaxed to step back on stage following a self-imposed seclusion.
Her return was enjoyed by fans of theatre last Friday at the Hung Dao Theatre in District 1.
Loan, now 60, had dropped out of the theatrical circles after she lost both her mother and brother. She was convinced to come back by her colleagues, friends and fans still pining for her talent.
A graduate from the Sai Gon National College of Performing Arts which is now the HCM City Conservatory of Music, she quickly became the lead actress of a cai luong (reformed theatre – a south Vietnamese folk opera) troupe, which was named after her when she was just 15.
Specialising in emotional roles, her bass, melancholy voice and elegant posture onstage won her legions of fans, particularly in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta.
Last weekend also brought together many famous artists of the two generations: the golden era or the heyday of cai luong theatre around four decades ago, including Le Thuy and Thanh Sang; and younger artists keeping the art's flame alive, like Vu Linh, Kim Tu Long, Cam Thu and Tuan Thanh.
Loan replayed roles that made her reputation in selected scenes from various dramas.
The audience was fascinated and charmed by her august and stately acting that adopted the roles of powerful women or great heroines with ease.
She was superb in depicting the characters' majesty and complex psychological characteristics.
"She can really bring to life Trung Trac's psychological dilemma when the national heroine has to sacrifice her husband for the cause of our country's liberation," said Nguyen Thu Ha, 29, a cai luong fan from District 1.
Ha said Loan's powerful eloquence made her feel the pain that came from the bottom of the heart.
In fact, Loan was chosen to replace legendary actress Thanh Nga in the classical role after the latter was assassinated more than 30 years ago.
"Loan was arguably the most successful substitute for the role," Ha said, adding that she prefers veterans because their acting is more true to life and carries greater depth.
"It's a surprise that a 60-year-old actress can still perform beautifully and convincingly," she said.
Nguyen Tat Thang, 40, said the show fully "deserved my cash".
"With the experience of more than 40 years of acting, she breathes life into her roles and makes them really fascinating," he said.
He said he was charmed by Loan's portrayal of the ugly queen in Legend of Love, where she is caught between two opposite sentiments," cruelty and blind love for a young painter.
"She really disappears into her characters," said Thang, a senior state official in District 4 who took his wife and children to the show.
Loan had once shifted from cai luong to drama and earned equal success with troupes like Kim Cuong and Phuoc Chung.
"Many of her roles fit her so perfectly that no other actors can replace her," said actress Kim Cuong, who was once Loan's mentor when she debuted in drama.
"She was as gorgeous in drama as she was in cai luong theatre," she added, noting that to an actress like Loan, nothing is more painful than leaving the stage.
Actress Le Thuy, one of Loan's close friends, said she really appreciated Loan's dedication to the art form, given her engagement in drama.
"She has loved cai luong since she was a little girl," she said.
"At this old age, we're really happy to sing and act on stage again because we're not sure for how long we can still do that," said Thuy, who is three years older than Loan.
Admitting that "theatre was in my blood", Loan said she had no courage to get back onstage for the last 10 years, fearing she could not perform as well as she used to.
"I was even more nervous than the first day I got onstage because I was not sure how I would be received after a long absence," she said after the show.
The audience's applause left her in no doubt that they want her back in the spotlight. — VNS