Farewell to "village chief" Van Hiep

Artist Van Hiep breathed his last at 5:30 am yesterday (April 9), at the age of 71. Although he had not been awarded any title by the State, he had long been considered by the public as a people's artist.

Van Hiep's full name is Nguyen Van Hiep, born in 1942, originally from Lac Trung, Thanh Tri (Hanoi). Graduating from the first class of the School of Theater and Drama (now the University of Theater and Cinema), Van Hiep was accepted to work at the Vietnam Drama Theater.



Artist Van Hiep

With a small body, a haggard face, and a casual style, comedian Van Hiep is often assigned the role of a kind and honest old farmer. His roles, whether positive or negative, have in common the fact that they bring laughter to the audience. Those who lived in the same era as Van Hiep know that he is an artist who is always dedicated. The role that marked Van Hiep's relationship with comedy was the play Ngheu, So, Oc, Hen by director Duong Ngoc Duc. With the role of Oc, he created a distinct impression in acting: a very cunning and wise Oc but also charming and attractive. In particular, the TV show about "Van Hiep Village Chief" with two comedians Quang Teo and Giang Coi created a unique image of a "village chief" that cannot be confused... He always finds a way to express the script so that it is both original and has its own creative mark. Therefore, the saying "Consider it comprehensively" by artist Van Hiep has been widely "popularized" among the public.

In addition to the comedy roles that left a deep impression on the audience, artist Van Hiep also left his mark with serious roles on the stage of the Vietnam Drama Theater, in which the role of Vinh in the play Song of Dien Bien was an impressive role, highly praised by the artists. To the point that director Doan Hoang Giang had to exclaim: Van Hiep acted like he had a ghost!

Famous for "entertaining" people, artist Van Hiep had an unhappy personal life. For more than 20 years, he raised his children alone when his wife went to work in Germany and did not return. The comedian couple lived apart but did not divorce. In the last years of his life, artist Van Hiep faced constant illness and a financial situation that was not very comfortable...

HT (synthesis)