Tuong developed as tourist product

      "Vietnamese tour operators should take tourists to sites of traditional art performances such as tuong (Vietnamese classical drama) together with splendid landscapes in older that foreign tourists can know more about Vietnamese culture and arts. Vietnam can also develop this genre of art in market orientation to attract more tourists," said Janvan Hois, a tourist from the Netherlands at an talk show at Hong Ha theater, 51 Duong Thanh street, Hanoi early last week. The event was organized by Greenzoom Organization as part of the project "Awake tuong 2009".
Tuong was established in the 12th century. In the 17th century it was very much in vogue. The tuong plays consist of songs and dances which are highly stylized, conventional and imbued with symbolism.
Tuong focuses on the spirit and includes strict rules on speaking, singing and dancing. Tuong also uses a form of synecdoche (figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole) with the actors substituting gestures for words. Viewers use their imagination to go from a stick to a horse, from a paddle to a boat. Mountains, hills, rivers, dawn, twilight, horse riding and battlefields are all presented on stage by using a minimum of accessories and technical equipment.
Stylized characters are identified by their accompanying music and their make-up or their masks.
Developing tuong as a national tourist product
Tuong is worthy to become a typical tourist product for foreigners to understand more about the country.
The Vietnam Tuong Theater in Hanoi presents tuong plays at Hong Ha theater at 5pm every Wednesday and Thursday. Attendance is modest, so the theater is making DVDs to promote the art more widely, said artist Hoang Khiem, director of the theater.