A O LANG PHO

15–18 March

The Civic

NOUVEAU CIRQUE DU VIETNAM

THE SEASON OF

While Nouveau Cirque du Vietnam’s previous show, Lang Toi, portrayed Vietnamese rural life, A O Lang Pho goes further by depicting the evolution of modern Vietnamese society and its inhabitants. Immersed in the heart of life in a peaceful Vietnamese hamlet, the audience follows the evolution of villagers toward a modern society.

From the calm and serene village atmosphere, the audience is slowly taken to the restless and noisy world of the city: from the softness of the traditional songs to a joyful moment of hip-hop battle…

But if Lang Toi invented and presented a world organised around bamboo, the major aesthetic innovation of A O Lang Pho is the central object of the basket. The audience will discover it in all its forms – from sumptuous boats in the form of a basket, to the most simple and common kitchen utensils – for a distortion and a very circus use of these beautiful objects.

The artists come from all backgrounds: acrobats, jugglers, martial arts and street dance performers. Each of the 15 roles reflects the personality of the artist who personifies the role. Five accompanying musicians play traditional Vietnamese instruments but also instruments that are more modern and adapted to the new Vietnamese drama.

In this new show, the music is based on traditional music from South Vietnam, called Cai Luong, a kind of sung drama.

In 2005 the show Lang Toi was born out of an artistic creative project to develop new forms of Vietnamese circus. In 2012 A O Lang Pho came about like a younger brother, the offspring of Lang Toi and a natural progression, one that could reach out to the world.

The word ‘A O’ derives from ‘Lang Pho’, which is difficult to translate, but loosely means ‘Village and City’. That title is intended to convey the contrast between the countryside and the cosmopolitan, between the old and the new. Like urbanisation anywhere else in the world, the cookie cutter motif and the race for modernisation will gradually erase the cultural essence and traditions of each particular geographic zone in Vietnam, as is happening over the globe. A O Lang Pho captures Vietnam with all its beauty and authenticity as we, the creators, have experienced it. We are creating the images and vibe of the village along with the arrival of the city. Vietnam is changing very rapidly and it is an interesting transition. It used to be more like a village than a city and every time I come back from abroad I see changes – the pace of life here has increased. People have a lot more desire to develop. We are endeavouring to portray all of this on stage in the most truthful way possible.

A O Lang Pho also represents a beacon of hope and asks Vietnamese people to look deeply at the rich cultural assets they still have, and to bond better with their fellow countrymen and with nature, with this very land that has been nourishing them.

ARTISTIC NOTETHE SHOW

COMPANY CREDITS

Designing Tuan Le Nguyen Nhat Ly Nguten Lan Maurice Nguyen Tan Loc

Director Tuan Le

Musical Director Nguyen Nhat Ly

Artistic Director Nguyen Lan Maurice

Choreographer Nguyen Tan Loc

Lighting Designer Le Brozec Cyril

Technical Manager John Carroll Romuald Simmoneau

Lighting Technician Paul Deschamps Bernard Espinasse

Stage Technician Nguyen Duy Chan

Sound Technician Mai Hoai Nam

Tour Administrator Nguyen Anh Phuong

production: lune production executive production france – europe: théâtre sénart – scène nationale co-production: cirque-théâtre d’elbeuf, pôle nationale des arts du cirque – haute normandie, théâtre sénart – scène nationale with the participation of centre national de création et de diffusion culturelles de châteauvallon

PERFORMERS

Troop leaders Nguyen Van Dung Nguyen Anh Minh

5 musicians Do Trong Thai Luong Thang Long Nguyen Kim Hai Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao Nguyen Truong Tho

15 acrobats Dang Tram Anh Nguyen Khanh Linh Nguyen Thi Lien Nguyen Ton Doan Khanh Bui Quoc Huy Dinh Van Tuan Do Manh Hung

Le Tien Tho Nguyen Nhat Quang Nguyen Van Thanh Pham Van Son Tran Ban Tin Tran Duc An Truong Chinh Phu Quach The Nam

auckland arts festival season sponsored by colenso bbdo

1hr 10mins no intervalphotography: nguyen the duong

with support from institut français

Why do you use circus to tell your stories?

Circus is the one genre that is dear to the three creators’ hearts, one that we are all passionate about. Circus is the medium, the technique and the bridge to transfer the visuals and messages that we want to communicate to audiences. Performance today has so much going on in terms of music, lighting, props and set, but the most crucial thing is still portraying the artists’ true emotions and ideals on stage. Our work goes beyond entertaining – we are sharing and bonding with the audience.

What props and materials are used in this production?

Most of the props and the scenery in A O Lang Pho are made from real life tools or a modification of the bamboo and rattan ware that is commonly used by fishermen and farmers in Vietnam. These are the same materials used daily to fish, farm, perform house chores and make a living.

The props, with their obvious connection to daily life and ritual, carry with them the essence of Vietnamese culture. In the show, they represent the life of rural Vietnamese villagers, their energy, spirit, hope and dreams as they are increasingly drawn into an urban world.

Can you tell us something about the ‘Cai luong’ music that is featured in the show?

‘Cai luong’ is better described as a form of sung drama than a music style. It can be viewed as the new form of ‘Dan ca tai tu’, which was a traditional improvised musical form usually performed by amateurs. During the time of French colonialisation ‘Cai luong’ was born from the mix of ‘Dan ca tai tu’ and the classical theatre brought to Vietnam by the French. ‘Cai luong’ has also been largely influenced by Chinese Opera and in fact is sometimes referred to as Vietnamese Opera.

Q&A WITH TUAN LE AND NGUYEN NHAT LY

Is there a strong tradition of circus in Vietnam? Circus was introduced into Vietnam at the beginning of the 20th century.

It started with French, Japanese, English and even Mexican circus. There wasn’t really any established tradition of Vietnamese circus until 1956, when the National Vietnamese Circus was founded. Over the last 60 years, Russian, Chinese and French circus (prominent during the colonial period) have all largely influenced Vietnamese circus. The first generation of Vietnamese circus artists were predominantly trained by masters and instructors from Russia and China, but now there is a Vietnam Circus School.

Performances have gone from solo acts that featured characters, props and ethnic musical instruments from the local culture’s folklore, to entire circus-based productions that tell a story.

Since 2005, government theatres and resident city circus troupes have created children’s productions, drawing on fairy tales, famous stories or foreign literature, combined with famous songs to celebrate particular occasions.

How did Nouveau Cirque du Vietnam come about?

After creating the first version of Lang Toi, with the support of the National Circus of Vietnam, Nguyen Lan Maurice, Nguyen Nhat Ly and I formed Lune Production and began touring under the banner of Nouveau Cirque du Vietnam. Tradition is the foundation and inspiration for our creativity and we use contemporary circus techniques to tell our stories. Our vision is to inspire Vietnamese culture and to showcase it to world audiences through quality entertainment. Since we started the company, five of our ‘new circus’ productions have been seen in Vietnam, with two of them – Lang Toi (My Village) and A O Lang Pho – touring to the international stage.

Nguyen Nhat Ly was born in France, but spent his childhood in Vietnam. He is one of the two founders of Art Ensemble, an organisation that educates Asian children about traditional music. He has a special love for the rich culture and heritage of Vietnam and this is evident in the mesmerising sounds of both traditional and contemporary musical instruments he has brought to productions including A O Lang Pho and his many critically-acclaimed collaborations.

Born in France, Nguyen Lan Maurice trained at the National Circus School in Vietnam as a child. When the family moved back to France in 1985, he started to perform with Cirque Plume before becoming artistic director of circus school Arc en Cirque. He was involved in the first version of Lang Toi, and as a training director on this and subsequent shows, A O Lang Pho and Teh Dar, he has strived to create art from a place of no preconceptions.

After beginning as choreographer at Ho Chi Minh City Puppet Theater, Nguyen Tan Loc later took up the position of choreographer and dancer at Ho Chi Minh City Symphony and Orchestra Theater. He was awarded a scholarship at Tokyo’s Fujisato Ballet School and in 2008 founded Arabesque Dance Company. Arabesque aims to develop a contemporary dance language combining traditional dance aesthetics and classic ballet, and has produced a variety of artistic and culturally rich productions.

Tuan Le started his stage career with juggling at the age of six and by 14 had joined Berlin’s Ufa Fabrik as a juggling artist. He is the first and only Vietnamese artist to sign a long-term contract with Cirque du Soleil as a solo artist and the first Asian to receive the Award of Excellence from the International Jugglers’ Association. He has created work for Teatro Zinzanni and Cirque du Soleil, including most recently Toruk, Cirque du Soleil’s Avatar-inspired production, and he is the founder of Nouveau Cirque du Vietnam.

CREATIVE TEAM

TUAN LEDirector

NGUYENNHAT LYMusical Director

NGUYENLAN MAURICEArtistic Director

NGUYENTAN LOCChoreographer

Patron The Governor General, Her Excellency The Right Honourable Dame Patsy Reddy, GNZM, QSO

Board of Trustees John Judge (Chair) Angela Clatworthy Rick Carlyon Evan Davies Sarah Judkins Tarun Kanji Margaret Kawharu MNZM Jim Moser Ben Taufua Fred Ward

Founding Friends Adrian Burr Graeme Edwards Friedlander Foundation Dame Jenny Gibbs Sir Chris & Lady Dayle Mace

Official Suppliers ABE’s Bagels Delmaine Fine Foods Mojo PwC Russell McVeagh

Chief Executive David Inns

Artistic Director Jonathan Bielski

Business & Finance Director Shona Roberts

Accounts & Payroll Administrators Suzanne Watt Mirena Tomas

Executive Assistant Josie Maskell

Office Manager Donna Lynskey

Head of Programming Dolina Wehipeihana

Senior Programme Manager Tama Waipara

Programme Manager Angela Green

Programme Assistant Tanya Muagututi’a

Producer’s Assistant Aroha Rawson

Creative Learning & Community Engagement Manager Tracey Marama Lloydd

Creative Learning & Community Engagement Assistant Natasha Lay

Programme Administrator Helen Winskill

Project Coordinator, Whanui Noma Sio-Faiumu

Whanui Project Assistant Amo Ieriko

Technical Manager Nick Tomlin

Technical Administrator Catherine Hart

Artist Liaison & Logistics Manager Megan Andrews

Artist Liaison Assistant Sophie Williams

Production Manager Vicki Cooksley

Festival Playground Operations Managers Charlotte Crone Gareth Baston (Boris)

Head of Staging Andrew Gibson

Head of Lighting Andrew Meadows

Head of Sound Sandy Gunn

Head of AV Simon Baker

Marketing & Communications Director Thierry Pannetier

Marketing Contractor Sally Woodfield

Content Editor Tim Wong

Campaign Executive Alistair Kwun

Media & PR Manager Siobhan Waterhouse

Media & PR Assistant Josephine Granese

Marketing Intern Ellie Tapsell

Sponsorship Executive Jessie Congalton

Sponsorship Assistant Gill Saker

Designer Barny Bewick

Ticketing Manager Karen Cartwright

Ticketing Assistant Laura Aldis

FESTIVAL PEOPLE

Auckland Arts Festival is a place for ambitious ideas by storytellers, provocateurs and creators.

The Festival reflects our contemporary, cosmopolitan city with its many communities. It challenges artists and audiences to be bold and take a risk. Through the work of artists from Aotearoa and across the world, we aim to unify, uplift, enlighten and inspire the people of Tamaki Makaurau and our many visitors.

Taking place annually in March, 2018 marks the 10th Auckland Arts Festival. This year more than 200,000 people are expected to attend the Festival, which comprises more than 50 events taking place in all corners of the Auckland region and many of which are free.

CONTACT

+64 (0)9 309 0101 info@aaf.co.nz

Level 5, Wellesley Centre 44-52 Wellesley Street Auckland City 1010

PO Box 5419 Wellesley Street Auckland 1141, NZ

aaf.co.nz

WITH THANKS Mitchell Pham & Shane Kerr at Augen Software; Mike Lee at Hello Mister; Quynh Anh Vu and The University of Auckland Vietnamese Students Association

CORE FUNDERS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

CORPORATE PATRONS

AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL

The Clyde Graham Charitable Trust managed by

MAJOR FUNDERS

FUNDING PARTNERS

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

PLATINUM PATRONS Janet Clarke and John Judge, Sir Roderick and Gillian, Lady Deane,

Andrew and Jenny Smith, Sir James Wallace (Wallace Foundation), Fran Wyborn

GOLD PATRONS

Bill and Frances Bell

SILVER PATRONS Julie and Brian Cadzow, Jeremy Collins, Christine and Richard Didsbury, Trevor and Jan Farmer,

Friedlander Foundation, Kent and Gaye Gardner, Dame Jenny Gibbs, David Levene Foundation, Sir Chris and Lady Dayle Mace,

Heather Simpson, Sonbol and Farzbod Taefi, Walker and Hall Trust

BRONZE PATRONS John Barnett, John Billington QC,

Rick and Jenny Carlyon, Rosslyn Caughey, Jo and John Chaplin,

Mark and Angela Clatworthy, John and Jo Gow, Rochelle McLaren,

Kate Plaw, Fran and Geoff Ricketts, Michelle and Will Rouse,

Martin and Catherine Spencer, Lady Philippa Tait, Fred and Nicky Ward,

Sally Woodfield and David Inns, William and Sarah Yates

JADE PATRONS Lisa Bates and Douglas Hawkins,

John and Victoria Carter, Graham Cleary, Martin Cooper,

Amber Coulter and Andrew Lewis, Tarun Kanji,

Jim Moser, Chris Simcock and Camilla Hope-Simcock,

Angela Temata and Vanessa Morgan

A STANDING OVATION FOR ALL THE FUNDERS, SPONSORS, PATRONS, AND SUPPORTERS WHOSE GENEROSITY LETS US BRING THE WORK OF GREAT ARTISTS TO THIS WONDERFUL CITY.THANK YOU

FESTIVAL CLUBAll roads at the Auckland Arts Festival lead back to the iHeartRadio FESTIVAL CLUB at the Aotea Centre, a hangout space and music stage for audiences, artists and the creative community to meet, mix and celebrate.

In the centre of the Aotea Arts Precinct, this comfortable and upbeat pop-up club is your place to gather before and after a show, grab a delicious meal from a bespoke menu, enjoy live music from instrumentalists and DJs, or unwind over the long summer nights with an ice-cold beverage.

Aotea Centre

1–25 March DAILY UNTIL LATE

In partnership with

Food and drink curated by ArtDego

FESTIVAL CLUB designed by Angus Muir