The play ‘The Legend of Youth’ was recently staged and introduced to the public in Vietnam on the occasion of Vietnamese Women's Day (October 20).
It tells the story of ten heroic young female volunteers who sacrificed their lives at Dong Loc Junction (Ha Tinh) in 1968, to safeguard the transport route linking to the southern front during the national salvation war against the US.
The play has received enthusiastic appreciation from experts and drawn much attention of the public, especially today's young generation, as it helps them better understand the contributions and sacrifices of Vietnamese youths during the fierce war for national reunification.
This is also a play featuring many new experiments in staging and stage design as it allows the audience to interact and integrate into the re-enacted wartime space.
Professor Israfeel Shaheen, Head of the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, Dhaka University, said he was moved when reading the script of the play, which was translated into English by Do Minh Thu.
He added that the play also touched the hearts of his colleagues, and it helps them understand more about the young generation of Vietnam during the wartime and get the answer to the question of how the Vietnamese people won the war to reunite their country.
Impressed by the play, Professor Israfeel Shaheen contacted author Le Quy Duong and invited him to direct the adaption of his play to introduce to the Bangladeshi audience.
By doing so, he wants to share the play’s message “Live a worth-living life” and promote the aspiration for peace, independence, freedom, and human values to the young generation of Bangladesh.
Israfeel Shaheen shared that in the context of a volatile world with conflicts and wars, the story of 10 young women who sacrificed at Dong Loc Junction helps today's generation better understand peace and human values, and calls for an end to wars and conflicts globally.
It is worth mentioning that these are real stories of real people of Vietnam who volunteered to fight for their Fatherland and for peace in their country. The play will help Bangladeshi audiences learn more about the people and life in Vietnam, and understand how they won against powerful invaders like the Americans.
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The production team of the Bangladeshi version of the play ‘The Legend of Youth’ from the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, Dhaka University. |
The play ‘The Legend of Youth’ also provides valuable lessons for Bangladeshi playwrights, directors, and artists on how to create characters, develop the story in a new staging styles.
In addition, it encourages creativity, exploration and experimentation, and promotes dialogue on urgent issues such as war in the contemporary world.
To prepare for adaption of the play in Bangladesh, a large stage will be set up recreating the fierce war scene in Vietnam.
Each actor and artists of the play is encouraged to read and learn documents about Vietnam's resistance war against the US and the story of sacrifice of the 10 young female volunteers at Dong Loc T-junction, in order to help them “feel” the character they will play.
Director Le Quy Duong instructed the Bangladeshi production unit to set up an outdoor stage before embarking on the official production in early 2024.
The rehearsal of the Bangleshi version of the play was held successfully, leaving a deep impression on the audience.
