Village’s dedication saves art of tuong

      Villagers maintained the classical drama through decades of war and hardship, keeping it safe for future generations.
The oldest resident of Khuong Ha Village in Quang Binh Province doesn’t know exactly when tuong (classical drama) first appeared in the village, but he does know that tuong plays have been performed for hundreds of years.
Whenever the villagers were forced to evacuate their homes during the decades the country was plunged into war, they would carefully pack up the tuong scripts and hide them somewhere safe. Countless houses were destroyed and hectares of crops were burned, but the scripts remained safe until the nation was liberated.
Khuong Ha villagers began to rebuild their lives. They founded a tuong troupe and revitalised the important tradition.
In the early days, someone who loved tuong sent his descendants to study tuong singing in the southern province of Binh Dinh. Eventually this group returned to the village and set up the first tuong troupe, which performed throughout the region.
Now Khuong Ha is the only village with a tuong troupe operated with funds raised by the local people.
At the age of 90, Tran Dai still remembers how his childhood was interwoven with the village’s tuong performances. He never missed a play.
"Gradually tuong soaked into my mind. I don’t know when I began to love it," Dai says. "I could sing and dance. Then I learned to write scripts and directed several plays – it’s fun."
Dai is not unique. Many villagers have studied the art of tuong. When an actor grows sick or can’t perform, it isn’t hard to find a replacement.
In spite of their poverty, villagers do all they can to support tuong. Each family in the village is assigned a night to cook supper for the artists after a performance. Rich families arrange a big feast, while poorer families cook a giant pot of porridge.
"Whether the meal is hearty or not, the artists, host and village dignitaries still form a circle and enjoy it in a cosy atmosphere," Dai says.
Precious tradition
Khuong Ha village’s tuong has had many ups and downs. When French invaders withdrew from Viet Nam, Khuong Ha villagers began practising again in earnest. But their preparations were soon interrupted when war broke out with the US not long after.
Khuong Ha artists gave up singing tuong. Instead they broke into small groups and sang revolutionary songs to inspire the soldiers. When the country finally reached independence, they poured this energy back into performance. Costumes, scripts and facilities were thrown together and the troupe was back in action.
The Khuong Ha tuong troupe wasn’t officially re-established until 1995, says Pham Ngoc Phan, head of the troupe.
"Thanks to the encouragement of the local government and the contribution of the villagers, the troupe was founded with 16 members, including 13 singers and three musicians," Phan says.
The troupe performs on Tet (Lunar New Year) and during other festivals, thanks to the sponsorship of the villagers. Despite this generosity, the troupe often has to perform in threadbare clothes.
"Most of the costumes were sewn decades ago, but we can’t afford to buy new ones," Phan says.
When they remove their costumes, the performers return to their lives as farmers in the field. Tuong may feed their soul, but not their bodies. Some artists must earn a living far from the village, but they always come back when there is a chance to perform. However, Phan still worries that one day the troupe won’t have any lack actors, especially since there is no plan in place to train future generations.
"When we perform, the children surround us, wide-eyed. They are eager when I teach them to sing. I have found some talent among them, but that’s all," Phan says.
"Limited funds and young blood are our biggest problems," he says.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism invited the Khuong Ha troupe to join a 20-day training course organised at the Central Tuong Theatre in Ha Noi, where amateur artists get the chance to practise new plays and train with experts.
Tran Van Thai, the communal party committee secretary, says this is an opportunity for Khuong Ha Village’s tuong develop in the modern era.
"We’re happy that tuong is still loved and welcomed," he says.
Historian Nguyen Khac Thai remembers a performance by the Khuong Ha troupe where he saw a girl carrying a paralysed old woman on her back so the elder could enjoy the play. The expression on the old woman’s face moved him and made him understand the importance of tuong to the people.
"The stage art of tuong has been nearly 100 per cent preserved by generations of Khuong Ha villagers," Thai says.
Phan’s troupe includes artists between 25 and 55 years old.
"The new blood has added vitality. Before, the troupe consisted of only grey-haired singers," he says.
Rich or poor, young or old, generations of Khuong Ha villagers grew listening to tuong lullabies. As adults, those who did not become tuong artists themselves devoted themselves to helping the art develop. The drum-beat of tuong thud thud thuds in their hearts.