HA NOI — The Lang Toi (My Village) circus, with acts reflecting features of the daily lives of Vietnamese villages, will return to the Ha Noi Opera House with a single performance next Friday.

Lang Toi is a new-style circus in which traditional circus acts are embellished with light and music and human drama. No animal acts are utilised.

Established in 2003 under the direction of Nguyen Lan, Le Tuan and Nguyen Nhat Ly, the circus has toured internationally, visiting such countries as France, Belgium, China, and South Korea. In 2005, it had up to 100 performers.

"Unrelated acts are no longer a trend of world circuses," said Tuan. "Instead, each show will be a programme with specific ideas and content to send certain messages to the audience."

Lang Toi tells a simple story about a Vietnamese village in the north on a normal day during war and during peace time. Bamboo trees fill the stage, and artists use bamboo poles and baskets in their performances.-VNS