The new wave of plays and recovery signals
Ho Chi Minh City theater is accelerating production, with dozens of new plays in just the first 3 months of the year, from psychological drama, comedy to experimental. This shows that the theater is gradually operating according to market logic, instead of "freezing" as before.
Some typical plays recently show a trend of exploiting familiar contemporary life and literary materials in a new approach. The play "Chung nha" by Thien Dang Theater, inspired by Nguyen Huy Thiep's short story "Khong co vua" (No King), is an example. The work does not simply recount a family story but pushes conflicts to a higher level, delving into psychological and human instinct rifts in the cramped urban living space.
This approach reflects a remarkable movement: Theater is finding depth in drama instead of just relying on entertainment elements.
In addition, the trend of "renovating" old materials is also being strongly exploited. Performances in other stages such as Truong Hung Minh stage with the play "Nang lanh 44", Hong Van stage with the play "Nguoi vo ma" are also attracting no less attention.
Adapting from literature, folklore or classic works not only helps reduce content risks but also creates a bridge with audiences who are already familiar with the original. However, the key point is not in choosing what material, but in the way of recounting the story in modern theatrical language.
Notably, many plays today have begun to pay more attention to rhythm, stage art and cinematic nature in staging. The increasing number of plays creates internal competition, forcing each work to clearly define the audience, style and media, helping the theater gradually escape the subsidy thinking and move towards the cultural industry.
From production of plays to ecosystem problems
Despite signs of recovery, Ho Chi Minh City's theater is still facing a paradox: Many plays are staged but not all plays have a long lifespan.
This shows that the problem is not in the number of plays, but in the ability to build a complete ecosystem for the theater. A play, if placed in the logic of the cultural industry, must not only stop at the staging stage but also be associated with a value chain including promotion, distribution, long-term exploitation and even expansion to tourism, education or digital platforms. In fact, most theaters still operate according to a single model: Staging plays - selling tickets - ending. Lack of connection makes each work almost "swim on its own" in the market, making it difficult to create a spreading effect. Meanwhile, in developed markets, a successful play can last for years, even becoming a cultural tourism product.
To solve this problem, Ho Chi Minh City theater needs a shift from the thinking of "making plays" to "making products". Meaning that each work must be seen as a long-term project with a clear development strategy, instead of just a short-term event.
In parallel, connecting with other fields such as tourism, education and digital media will open up new space for the theater. Plays can become cultural experiences for tourists, teaching materials in schools or content exploited on online platforms.
The appearance of new plays is creating motivation for Ho Chi Minh City's theater, but to achieve a breakthrough, a new operating structure is needed, where each play lives in a vast creative ecosystem.
