When the stage speaks for the Vu Lan season

Letters that make actors cry

Before the Vu Lan festival, the stage of the Vietnam Youth Theater is still lit up until late at night. Actress Thanh Tu and the theater's artists are still diligently practicing for "Grandma's Wish", a play performed in the program "Gratitude for Birth" in 2026 on the occasion of the full moon of July.

In the play, Thanh Tu plays a mother whose husband is a martyr. After her husband sacrificed himself, she stayed single, raising her only child to adulthood alone. The child went far away, and she stayed with the old house and her husband's keepsakes.

The real letters of the martyrs are included in the play, becoming the material for the artists to tell the story of a woman who dedicated her whole life to preserving memories and love for the deceased.

Thanh Tu said that she has read and heard many stories about mothers and wives whose husbands sacrificed in the war. However, when directly reading the real letters of the martyrs, the emotions still exceeded the preparation of an actor.

There were times when I couldn't continue reading because the emotions were too big. I had to crumple the letter and give it to my child. That was real emotion, not an arrangement for the role" - the actress shared.

As the "mastermind" of the play, director Dao Duy Anh said that he chose to tell the story from those who remained. After the sacrifice of soldiers on the battlefield, there are mothers and wives silently carrying losses, waiting and preserving memories for the rest of their lives.

I want to emphasize the sacrifice of mothers and wives in the rear. They have endured losses, raised children and preserved families during the war years" - the director said.

With a duration of about 20 minutes, the play must condense a story that lasts for decades. The director cleverly chooses small details to depict the character, including the old house that the mother resolutely does not want to change despite being supported.

For the mother, the old house is not simply a place to live but also preserves memories of her husband and a part of her life. Old things sometimes carry values that new things cannot replace" - director Dao Duy Anh shared.

Through the image of the mother, the play evokes losses often behind separations and asks viewers a question about how we treat loved ones when they are still by their side.

Performance night speaks for words

From the story of the mother in "Grandma's Wish", the "Gratitude for Birth" stage continues to open up moments of silence about parents, grandparents and feelings that people are sometimes hesitant to express in words. These are also familiar stories in Vu Lan season performances, when the stage becomes a place where audiences encounter their own close emotions.

Actress Thanh Tu said that after many years on stage, she realized that there are lines that only appear for a few minutes but can evoke a lot of emotions.

Many times when I go on stage, I just act according to the character and then emotions come naturally. There are lines that when spoken touch my own emotions, making me think of grandparents, parents and things I once wanted to say. I think the audience can also have moments of empathy like that" - the actress confided.

For Quynh Trang (stage name Trang May, actress of the Vietnam Youth Theater), the stage sometimes becomes a place for her to look back at things in real life that she easily overlooks. Especially with roles about family affection, the actress realizes that there are words that seem simple but young people often hesitate to tell their parents.

For me, loving words are not the most difficult thing to say, but apologies. I may think that my parents will understand, but an apology said at the right time is sometimes very meaningful" - Quynh Trang said.

Vu Lan season performances therefore often leave behind private moments of silence. Some people are silent before the image of a mother, some audiences suddenly remember their parents in their hometown, and some people realize that they haven't said a word of love in a long time after the program ends.

For artists, those moments are also what make them want to continue telling stories about family love. Because sometimes, a story on stage is not only for the character but also opens up a space for viewers to look back at their loved ones who are by their side.