The festival was held from May 17 to May 23 at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, China, under the theme of playwright George Bernard Shaw and his works.

Competing against entries from China, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and other countries, “Pygmalion” drew strong interest from international audiences through its Vietnamese-inspired adaptation of the British classic.

The festival brought together leading theatre training institutions from across Asia and beyond, including the Central Academy of Drama and Shanghai Theatre Academy of China, Chung-Ang University and Chungwoon University of the RoK, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts of Singapore, the Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture, the Mexican Academy of Cinematic and Dramatic Arts, and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

The Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema participated in the festival with “Pygmalion”, which had previously been staged successfully in Hanoi.

Written in 1912, “Pygmalion” tells the story of phonetics professor Henry Higgins and flower seller Eliza Doolittle, played by Nguyen Minh Tra. While centred on language transformation, the play also offers a deeper reflection on class, prejudice and the right to be recognised.

Directed by Duong Thi Thanh Huyen, the production retained the spirit of the original work while changing its storytelling approach. Rather than closely following classical European staging, this adaptation of “Pygmalion” brought a fresher and more vivid style, with strong associations to contemporary Vietnamese society.

The stage design for “Pygmalion” was minimalist, centred around the Dong Ho folk painting “Thay do Coc”. The play featured no scene changes, with all actors remaining on stage throughout the performance, creating a fast-paced, lively and engaging production.

According to director Duong Thi Thanh Huyen, the play was subtly adapted in a Vietnamese style while preserving the essence of British classical drama through its dialogue, aristocratic gestures and original setting, with visual elements reflecting Vietnamese cultural identity.

From its first performance at the festival, the play, marked by strong Vietnamese cultural influences, left a strong impression on international audiences and won the Outstanding Performance award, contributing to the introduction of Dong Ho folk paintings, folk music and traditional dance to international friends.

Vietnamese theatre artists to attend online Asian festival

The Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema will perform King Oedipus at the 6th Asian Theatre Schools Festival (AETC) held online due to COVID-19 in Beijing, China, from May 18 to 23.