(VOVworld)- Vietnamese acrobats have staged a circus drama called “My Village” more than 300 times in several countries and received much acclaim. The performance embraces the Vietnamese culture and Vietnamese people’s soul.

\ Photo: Tuan Le

“My Village touches audience’s hearts”, “My Village embraces Vietnamese culture”, “My Village- Vietnamese beauty”, “My Village-the triumph song of rural Vietnam”, and “Vietnamese circus drama awakens potential” – these are the titles of a few articles about the “My Village” circus performance of the Vietnam Circus Federation. The play features typical historical and cultural characteristics of Vietnam through installation arts and acrobatic techniques: somersaults, swinging, prestidigitation, pantomime to the accompaniment of Vietnamese folk tunes and chants.

The Vietnam Circus Federation mobilized most of its artists for the drama which won loud applause at its opening overseas in 2009. Since then, Vietnamese circus has become better known to the international audience. Pham Xuan Quang is Deputy Director of the Vietnam Circus Federation:“My Village” involves foreign artists so it embraces contemporary styles with  a combination of dances, sound and lights. This performance style is imported from Europe, which is different from traditional Vietnamese circus”.

Photo: Hoang Ha

“My Village” depicts the life of northern people through the use of bamboo.  Bamboo plays the central role in the play whose 20 acrobats and musicians are directed by Nguyen Lan, Le Tuan and Nguyen Nhat Ly. In this play, humans and bamboo create beautiful, adventurous and creative gestures. The performance, accompanied by traditional music, recreates daily activities of northern rural Vietnam. People’s Artist Tam Chinh said “My Village” shows off the artists’ outstanding technique and helps foreigners understand Vietnam. Based on typical Vietnamese cultural and historical characteristics, the circus drama takes the audience on a peaceful, lively and romantic journey. Mr. Quang again: “The play is very interesting and beautiful because it embraces Vietnamese soul and characteristics. It has been performed at the Hanoi Opera House and the Cheo Theater. The circus is new and new to the Vietnamese audience”

Following a world-wide trend, My Village is in the form of a 'new circus' in which traditional circus skills are performed with lighting and music effects in order to create a dramatic story and characters. As its name implied, a Vietnamese audience will remember their childhood, the cock crowing, the sounds of buffaloes and cows wandering about the farm, and the crystal clear sound of a flute in the early morning.

In a village built from bamboo trees, the most typical features of daily life in northern Viet Nam's rural areas are vividly illustrated through acrobatics, juggling and traditional music.