Written by Vũ Khắc Khoan in 1969, Misconception (Ngộ Nhận) is a play about the social reality at the time of its creation while also transcending its era to encompass philosophies about the laws governing both the natural and supernatural worlds. It touches on the profoundly deep meanings surrounding the formation of life and the universe, the yearning for freedom, and the journey toward the eternal truth of humanity. Ultimately, this life is merely a play, nothing more; those who recognise the laws are the ones who attain freedom. The cleverly uses the characters “Author” and “Audience” to pose a question of doubt: Is Heaven truly the Omnipotent Being? And how much can humans know about themselves and this vast, mysterious universe? In this “realm of delusion” that is human life, how many things do we truly know, and how many of our perceived truths turn out to be deep-rooted misconceptions? How to know is a significant question mark, one that seems to exceed our limitations. However, perhaps the answer can be found in the simplest things: when one lives true to their obligations and mission, and nevertheless does not forsake freedom and noble love.
However, the vastness and complexity of the content are not the only challenges for this play. The cast consists of students from the Oak Forest Collective, coming from various professions, including those who have no prior knowledge of performing art, which is also no small challenge. In six weeks, the students learn to analyse the script and technique of adaptation so that the play preserves its meaning while remaining accessible to the audience. Working with limited resources, students learn about theatre structure, staging and performing skills. The director Tony Le Nguyen, remarkably has embraced them all with his enthusiastic spirit and overflowing excitement. He transformed every obstacle into motivation and skilfully guided the entire group to reach their goal.
Performance Date & Time: Saturday, June 27, 2020, 9:30 am,
Venue: Steiner Teacher Training Center, 200 Yen Phu, Hanoi
