Entertainment

Two exhibitions and a funky experiment play by Vietnamese artists would entertain Hanoians and expats alike this weekend. The play “Antigone - Am Mu” The play Antigone – Am Mu. Photo: XplusX Studio Antigone, the first written and the last in the timeline of Sophocles’ Theban trilogy, will be delivered to the Vietnamese public by XplusX Studio in a completely new version named Antigone – Am Mu. Taking the philosophical concept of Singularity as the main theme, XplusX Studio starts their first experiments in Immersive Theatre, to bring out a new unique theatrical experience to the audience. Freely moving between the digital discussion spaces and the performance spaces of the play, the audience can choose to focus their experience on whatever artistic activity takes place during the performance, engaging themselves in happenings both inside and outside the main flow of the play. The premiere of Antigone – Am Mu will take place on the Discord platform. The …

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The need for entertainment among Hanoi dwellers re-emerges after social distancing This time last year, while capital citizens might have been enjoying hanging out on the beach hundreds of kilometers away from home or having their weekend dinners in fully packed restaurants, the fourth Covid-19 wave has completely inhibited these practices. Instead of vacationing far from home, people are exercising greater caution and choosing amusement venues closer to home to ensure their safety and privacy. In fact, in response to the question "what to do for entertainment in Hanoi", the common answer is just encapsulated in a few certain activities such as eating out, going for a coffee, watching movies, or shopping in popular urban malls, all of which people are still reluctant to engage in at the moment. As a result, currently, many young adults or families have been turning to suburban attractions rather than gathering at downtown plazas. A spokesperson for a resort in Ba Vi claimed that …

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Two funky exhibitions by Vietnamese artists would entertain Hanoians and expats alike this weekend. Manzi Art Space and the Goethe Institut offer amazing shows this November in Hanoi. The solo show by Hanoi-based artist Nguyen Tuan Cuong titled “Fragment of Nostalgia” will be held until the end of November at the Manzi Art Space, No 14 Phan Huy Ich Street, Ba Dinh District. Meanwhile, the installation art entitled “LoveCore” by AP Nguyen will be displayed at Manzi Art Space, No 2 Hang Bun Lane, Ba Dinh District. The space of Fragments of Nostalgia exhibition by Nguyen Tuan Cuong. Photo: Manzi Art Space ‘ Fragments of Nostalgia ’ features Nguyen Tuan Cuong's latest lacquer works, continuing his signature series of still life paintings. Overstepping its own boundaries of the familiar serenity and stillness, Cuong’s practice this time has gone further than the subtleties in the technique or the poetry in the representation. The lyricism has become more …

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The thousand-year-old culture of Vietnam is so rich in theatrical tradition – be it plays, comedies, tragedies or musicals – that each region seems to have its own operatic form. A performance of The Cup of Poison to celebrate the 100th anniversary of local western-style theatrical plays being staged in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of vietnamplus.vn The north has the hugely popular cheo plays performed in village courtyards for the entire public to enjoy. The centre possesses the more sophisticated, in-depth tuong plays, often taking place in roofed venues and performed for royalty, while the south has the heart-stopping melancholic tunes of cai luong plays and their lengthy lyrics that include up to 99 words in a single breath. While tuong (classical drama) and cheo (popular opera) were traditional theatrical plays, cai luong (reformed drama) was a renewed musical style born in the early 20th century by incorporating vong co (nostalgic) melodies into the plot. Around …

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HCM City People’s Committee on November 18 announced the immediate shut-down of bars, karaoke parlours, spas, and massage venues due to complicated developments of the COVID-19 outbreak in the city. Entertainment services once again halted in HCM City. The urgent announcement comes just two days after restrictions were lifted at many entertainment venues. But the u-turn has been deemed necessary after a spate of new infections. HCM City also orders its Department of Health to continue working with the city’s Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control to develop a set of standards, which aims to evaluate the risk in reopening these venues. Detailed instruction is also expected to be issued right after the standard set is announced. On November 16, HCM City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 3900 on "Safe and flexible adaptation and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic", which allowed entertainment services including bars, beauty …

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Nearly one month after the easing of Covid-19 restrictions and implementing pandemic prevention and control measures under the Prime Minister’s Directives 15 and 16, some cultural, art and sport activities have been resumed in HCMC. HCM City Book Street Answering the questions asked by the Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sport Mai Ba Hung said that the municipal People’s Committee has issued three among five safety standards for the organizing of activities in the fields of festival, cultural and sport events, sporting training activities, reading, art performances, photography, fine arts and museum. The safe criteria for discos, dancing clubs and game parlors have not been launched and put under adjustment in accordance with the new normal state. He noted that HCMC is at the Covid-19 alert level 2. All gatherings and other events attracting huge crowds of people must be clearly defined their locations that are placed under …

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Cinema lovers nationwide will be given the opportunity to view several Japanese movies wherever they are through the Japanese Film Festival (JFF) Online, with the event scheduled to get underway from November 15. A scene in Japanese film ‘Dance with me’. The initial phase will see five Japanese films screened between November 15 and November 21. The films were previously introduced at JFF Online 2020 and Japan Hour last year, including ‘Dance with me’, ‘Gon, the Little Fox’, ‘Little Nights, Little Love’, ‘The Great Passage’, and ‘Tora-san in Goto’. The second phase is set to run from February 14, 2022, to February 27, 2022, and will see the participation of 20 movies. Along with these five movies, the second phase will introduce ‘The flavour of green tea over rice’, ‘Tokyo marble chocolate’, ‘Documentary’ and some others. The films represent a variety of genres, including comedy, musical, drama, romance, animation, and documentary. Information about the …

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HÀ NỘI — As the entertainment industry stages a gradual recovery from the pandemic and domestic funding sources remain limited, Netflix has launched a film fund with the aim of supporting lesser-known filmmakers in Việt Nam, creating more opportunities for their voices to be heard. This community includes female filmmakers, creators living in localities far from the hubs of Hà Nội and HCM City, as well as people in difficult economic circumstances. The fund is worth up to VNĐ5 billion (US$192,300). Netflix establishes a fund to promote the development of the film industry in Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of YeahOne The fund was announced in a livestream event titled "Cinema Beauty – Việt Nam Creative Economy Fund" on October 31 with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, representatives of the Hồ Chí Minh City Film Association and many Vietnamese artists. YeahOne Entertainment Company in Việt Nam will manage the fund on behalf of Netflix. Speaking at the …

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Tran Hoang Ai Nhi, the Vietnamese representative at Miss Intercontinental 2021, failed to progress to the Top 20 finalists during the grand final held on October 29 in Egypt. Ai Nhi represents Vietnam at Miss Intercontinental 2021 This comes after global beauty website Missosology had placed her 16th in its predictions for Miss Intercontinental 2021. 23-year-old Ai Nhi is currently a model residing in Ho Chi Minh City, with the Dak Lak-born girl standing at a height of 1.71 metres tall and measures 86-60-90. She has previously acquired some experience in beauty contests, securing a top 10 position in the Miss World Vietnam pageant back in 2019, and finishing among the top 22 of Miss Vietnam 2020. The Miss Intercontinental 2021’s final night took place on October 29 in Egypt, with the crown being awarded to Cinderella Faye Obeñita of the Philippines. The winner stands at 1.70 metres tall, measures 84-60-86 cm, and graduated from tourism management faculty. The …

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A Vietnamese mandarin hat said to be from the Nguyen Dynasty has sold for 600,000 euros (about VND15.6 billion) at an auction in Barcelona, Spain. The initial price offered by Balclis Auction House was 500-600 euros. However, when the auction opened, many bidders participated, causing the price of the antique hat to increase by 1,200 times compared to the estimate. In the end, this Nguyen Dynasty antique was sold for 600,000 euros, excluding tax, to an anonymous Vietnamese collector. A Vietnamese mandarin hat believed to be from the Nguyen Dynasty has sold for 600,000 euros at an auction in Spain. — Photo courtesy of Balclis Auction House According to sources of Việt Nam News, the final bidder is a businessman with a special love for Hue. He was determined to bring this mandarin hat back to Vietnam and will donate this artifact to Hue at the right time. On the website of Balclis Auction House, the hat was simply described as "Vietnamese Mandarin cap from the …

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