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Drama Café - A New Style in Ho Chi Minh City

Drama Café is a new style which is favoured by the youth in Ho Chi Minh City. It is a form of drama performed in a unique space of the café, giving an unforgettable experience to the audience.
Curious about this new form of art, we visited Duong Nhu Café at 305/16 Le Van Sy, Ward 1, Tan Binh District to watch a drama entitled “Ghost in the House of Death” performed by the Kich Doi Troupe.  Like other cafés in the city, Duong Nhu Café has a cozy space where one can both enjoy drinks and watch a drama for 90,000VND.  The stage was set up on the second floor with a total area of only 2m2. It was designed simply with some props and is so near the 30 seat-area for audiences that the artists need not use a microphone. Sometimes, they also perform in the space for the audience. The dramas performed at this café are often shorter than those in large theatres.

With these dramas, the café attracts a large number of drama enthusiasts and those who like this new form of performance. In this space, the artists and the audience become interactive and closer and there is not any gap between them. At this café, the audience can learn about all the stages in a drama, such as staging, dividing scenes, sounds, light, disguise and backstage.



Artists put on makeup before their performance at Drama Café. 

The unique space inside Drama Café. 

The audiences are both enjoying delicious drinks and watching interesting dramas. 

Audiences and actors are very close and friendly.  



A scene in “Ao anh nhan tam” performed by the Kich Doi Troupe in B&W Café in Thu Duc District.


Artists successfully act in a drama.


A scene in a drama performed at Drama Café.

Drama Café gives relaxing moments to audiences. 


Drama Café attracts a large number of young people in Ho Chi Minh City.

While waiting for the performance, Ngoc Quang, a student from the University of Culture said, “I like the interactive contact between the artists and the audience at the café”. According to Hong Trang, head of the Kich Doi Troupe, members of the troupe are young and share a great passion for the art so they want to bring the drama close to life and help the audience feel relaxed after a hard-working day.

With a unique space of both a mini theatre and a café, Duong Nhu has now become an ideal destination for those who love drama and enjoy delicious drinks.

 
Story: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat - Photos: Thong Hai

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