Boy Mung becomes a scout while searching for mistletoe leaves to cure his mother's asthma, in the play ''Tough Childhood''.
From Phung Quan's writing, the story of teenage scouts in the early years of the resistance war against the French is recreated on the musical stage. The work had its first two performances on August 23 and 29, the 81st anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, attracting a large audience, including many young people.
The play was staged by Meritorious Artist Le Anh Tuyet from the adapted script by Bui Hong Que, selecting slices from characters such as Mung, Quynh Son Ca, Tu Dat. The work focuses on Mung (Nam Anh) - a boy living with his mother who has severe asthma. He joined the Young Reconnaissance Team of the Tran Cao Van regiment because he knew there were mistletoe leaves in the training ground, hoping to cure his mother's illness. From a person who did not understand the word "reconnaissance", he gradually integrated and even achieved success by becoming a "living map", guiding the soldiers to fight the enemy.
Glad discovered that Kim Dieu (Quang Thien) secretly took the commander's map to give information to the enemy, but in the end he falsely confessed, causing his teammates to suspect that he was a Vietnamese traitor. Hearing the news, his mother collapsed and her illness worsened. When his mother passed away, Mung still couldn't resolve the injustice. When he was vindicated, it was also time for him to sacrifice.
Besides Mung's story, the work honors the qualities of the young scouts in the National Guard. They are Tu Dat (Quoc Chi) who is strong and sincere, Quynh Son Ca (Ton Son) who encourages team spirit and spreads the belief in victory through music, Vinh Sua (Minh Anh), and Luom (Phuong Xu) who have the courage of youth.
The work does not simply recount the past but intertwines narrations from children in the present. They are placed in a situation where they learn about history to stage a musical, thereby better understanding the sacrifices of previous generations, and have the responsibility to study to contribute to the country.
According to director Anh Tuyet, Violent Childhood is a massive novel, each chapter is a different character. However, among them, she chose to tell about Gospel, thereby building an emotional story line. The artist did not build the main scene in Hue as in the original work, but integrated Hue chants, appearing in the segment Remembering Mother.
Choosing a young cast, even some who have just graduated, is a big challenge for the crew. Before rehearsals, director Anh Tuyet often "passes the fire" on the actors, sharing her own experiences in the military environment, her feelings, and her gratitude towards her ancestors' generation.
Music, stage design, and lighting are the unique features of the play. Artist Anh Tuyet said the melodies are like a continuous flow, with all levels of sadness, happiness, intensity, and romance, to bring history closer to the audience. The work includes about 10 songs, performed by musician An Hieu - Deputy Director of the Military Symphony Orchestra, Military University of Culture and Arts.
According to the musician, letting the music keep the audience engaged for nearly two hours is a challenge. Besides, the melodies must retain the quality of childhood, fighting spirit, friendship, family love, and honor sacrifice. Because he read novels from a young age, combined with being in sync with poet and screenwriter Pham Van Anh - who is responsible for the lyrics - helped his music composition process go quickly. Almost every day, he can finish a song.
Among the songs, the impressive musician, Forest Road, Remembers Mother - a song that highlights Mung's inner world. Amidst the bombs and bullets, the character still has a moment of silence, remembering the days spent with his mother, longing to return. The musician chose pop ballad colors for the scene, which are gentler and deeper after the battle scenes, evoking viewers' emotions.
Entering the Youth Theater auditorium, the audience feels like they are immersed in the fighting life of young scouts. The stage has hills, reeds, and lighting that highlights the dangerous forest path, partly portraying the hardships of war, while honoring the courage and enthusiasm of the teenagers.
Hoang Ha, 27 years old, Hanoi was excited to see the musical version of Violent Childhood, impressed with the setting, energetic cast, and music that matched the emotional flow, but had more expectations for the script. According to the audience, the work still lacks a climax, but recognizes the team's efforts when adapting the novel. The play will also be performed on September 12, 20, 26.
The musical Cruel Childhood is a collaboration between the Vietnam Youth Theater and Kim Dong Publishing House, part of the School Theater project. Through that, the unit wishes to awaken the love of art, develop creative thinking, and convey lessons about love and responsibility to family and community. The theater has introduced a number of works such as Golden Flower Farm, The Cat Who Teach Seagulls to Fly, Pinocchio, The Wooden Man, Nam Dong Military Region, No Family.
Violent Childhood was drafted by writer Phung Quan in 1968 and completed in 1986. In 1990, the work was awarded the Children's Literature Prize of the Vietnam Writers' Association. The book was adapted into a film of the same name produced by Giai Phong Film Studio in 1989, directed by Meritorious Artist Nguyen Vinh Son.
In 2012, the novel won the Good Book Award. Writer Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong once commented: "There is a precious jewel of time reserved to give to people, which is childhood. The pearl is magical, pure but too fragile, cannot be found a second time in life. And there is a generation of Vietnamese people who have never held a pearl in their hands. Phung Quan's fierce childhood was written for that generation."
