A scene from The Last Summer by director Chi Trung. It won for Trung title of Best Director prize at a festival featuring works by noted playwright Luu Quang Vu. — Photo Courtesy of the Youth Theatre

HA NOI (VNS)– Meritorious artist Chi Trung from the Youth Theatre was awarded the Best Director title at a festival featuring works by noted playwright Luu Quang Vu (1948-88) here yesterday.

Another 16 actors won gold medals and 34 won silvers for acting in 12 dramas, cheo (traditional opera) and cai luong (renovated opera) during the festival organised here last week.

According to the jury, Trung's staging of Vu's play, Mua Ha Cuoi Cung (The Last Summer), clearly expressed the director's and the whole team's effort to make the already-popular 1980's script fresh and relevant to today.

The play featured some cinema effects to produce interesting features. "Video clips were introduced between the scenes to enlarge stage space," said People's Artist Le Tien Tho.

A ceremony was also held to celebrate the Viet Nam Theatre Day, which falls on the 12th day of the eighth lunar month.

Some theatrical artists, who have made considerable contributions to the nation's theatre, such as People's Artist Nguyen Dan Quoc and Meritorious Artist Ta Xuyen were praised at the ceremony. —VNS