Cheo is a form of popular theatre
in Vietnam that has its roots in ancient village festivals.
It consists of folk songs with
pantomime, intrumental music and dances, combined with instructive or
interpretive sketches dealing with stories from legends, poetry, history or
even daily life. Also brought into play are acrobatic scenes and magic. Cheo
tells tales of chiefs, heroes and lovely maidens and offers an eclectic mix of
romance, tragedy and comedy.
Traditionally Cheo was composed orally by anonymous authors. Today's playwrights compose cheo operas along traditional lines : the characters in the plays sing time-tested popular melodies with words suited to modern circumstances.
The costomes, makeup, gestures
and language create typical characters familiar to every member of the
audience. The props are simple. As a result, there is a close interchange
between the performers and the spectators.
A Cheo play could be put on stage
in a large theater, but it could also be performed successfully on one or two
bed mats spread in the middle of a communal house with a cast of only three: a
hero, a heroine and a clown.
The sound of the Cheo drum has a
magical power and upon hearing it, villagers cannot resist coming to see the
play. The clown in a cheo play seems to be a supporting role, but actually he
or she is very important to the performance. The clowns present a comic
portrayal of social life, with ridiculous, satirical words and gestures, they
reduce the audience to tears of laughter.
The national Cheo repertoire
includes among others Truong Vien, Kim Nhan, Luu Binh - Duong Le, and Quan Am
Thi Kinh, which are considered treasures of the traditional stage.
Cheo opera is an integral part of
Vietnamese theater and is well-enjoyed by people in both country and town, and
by foreign spectators as well. It is particularly relished by foreign tourists
and overseas Vietnamese on a visit to their country of origin.
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