Meritorious Artist Le Anh Tuyet directs the production, with Bui Hong Que as playwright. It is set to premiere in August. Set during the anti-French resistance war in Hue, the musical recounts the story of young scouts. Despite wartime bombings, they retain their youthful innocence, patriotism, and desire for freedom.
Beyond recreating war memories, the production fosters a dialogue between today's youth and previous generations, helping audiences appreciate the value of peace. The production team aims to make history more accessible to young audiences by blending contemporary stage art with modern musical language. Director Le Anh Tuyet stated that staging and performing "fierce childhood" seeks to instill ideals in teenagers and cultivate compassion.
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Director Le Anh Tuyet (center, front row) with the production team of "fierce childhood" at the commencement of staging on 14/5. _Photo: Vietnam Youth Theater_ |
"fierce childhood" was drafted by author Phung Quan in 1968 and completed in 1986. The novel centers on 13-14 year olds in the Tran Cao Van regiment's Youth Reconnaissance Team, including Luom, Mung, Quynh son ca, and Hoa den. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they shared enthusiasm, patriotism, and a determination to fight for peace.
In 2012, the novel won the "Sach Hay" (Good Book) award. Author Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong once commented, "There is a precious gem that time reserves for humanity, and that is childhood. A magical, pure, yet fragile gem, never to be found a second time in life. And there was a generation of Vietnamese people who never held this gem in their hands; Phung Quan's 'fierce childhood' was written for that generation."
Poet Nguyen Trong Tao remarked that reading the novel is like "revisiting a part of Vietnamese childhood history, imbued with emotion, admiration, and pride."
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Two volumes of "fierce childhood," published by Kim Dong Publishing House. _Photo: Fahasa_ |
Phuong Linh
