Meritorious Artist Dam Loan: Comes from an aristocratic background, whose husband is Chairman of the Vietnam Theater Association

Meritorious Artist Dam Loan is a veteran artist, with decades of experience in the profession. Her family background is not average, especially her 40-year marriage with People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau, admired by young artists and audiences.

Meritorious artist Dam Loan is the youngest daughter in a well-off family of 10 siblings. There is an old saying that the youngest child enjoys the rich, but the youngest child suffers, perhaps that is why Dam Loan has been pampered by the whole family since childhood. The most beautiful memories of Dam Loan's childhood are the times when her father took her to eat steamed duck noodles, bought fish lanterns in Cho Lon with a mobylette, was taken by her brother Hai to buy a piano, and was trusted by her mother. her grocery store key case.

Dam Loan's father was a famous shoemaker in Saigon since the 1940s. Her sisters were all teachers, Dam Loan herself was a student at Gia Long - a prestigious school for girls at that time in Saigon. . After finishing high school, Dam Loan became a student at the School of Theater Arts 2. Just after graduating, Dam Loan was a well-known young actress.

But not long after, people saw her marrying a not-so-famous director - that person is now director, People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association. Meritorious Artist Dam Loan and People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau knew each other because they studied at the same school. Tran Ngoc Giau studied under Dam Loan for a course. At that time, Dam Loan was a rare prominent female face, so all of Tran Ngoc Giau's first productions had her participation. Working together for 3 plays, the two invited each other to "contribute rice to cook together".

It was a surprising marriage not only for many people but even for the people involved. Because People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau was born and raised in a poor countryside in Tien Giang province. His father was a resistance officer, and his mother worked as a fish trader.

Considering her family background and social status at that time, everyone thought that Dam Loan would have to marry a rich guy, not "marry" an unknown person whose house was half on the shore, half on the beach. Under the sea in the far away land of Go Cong.

Meritorious Artist Dam Loan himself once shared in the newspaper : "When I heard the news that Mr. Giau and I were getting married, my friends were shocked. Even I was surprised to myself why we got married so quickly, because there was nothing between us. There's no time to be lovers" .

The two got married during the typical difficult time before the years of reform, 1984. At that time, the director was just a name that sounded luxurious, but in fact, his main job was to ride his bike every morning. take ice cream from the street. And a somewhat famous actor like Dam Loan at that time could only buy an old motorbike with the money he had saved after many years of performing.

The happiness of a young couple is waking up in the morning to see their partner smiling slightly but their eyes are full of tension because they are about to face a day of hard work that they have become accustomed to. Because of poverty, no one dares to think about having children. It's hard to make a living, but that's also the time when they put the most enthusiasm and passion into their work. Thanks to that, the names of Dam Loan and Tran Ngoc Giau were quickly recognized by the public.

Dam Loan emerged through fateful roles in "Overcoming the Curse" (as Dau), "Girlhood is Far Away" (as Diem), "Storms Don't Buy" (as Bang Tam)... At this time His name was buzzing, just a few more steps to reach the peak of glory when suddenly Dam Loan silently disappeared from the stage. It was a difficult decision that was not made overnight, not in a day or a month.

Dam Loan temporarily retired to raise the family and take care of the children at her husband's request. Because every time she puts on a play or makes a movie, her husband goes away for a few months before returning. Dam Loan cannot do anything else because the children need someone to take care of them and the house needs to be kept warm.

But that disappearing silence does not mean that Dam Loan has peaceful days. Or to be more precise, there were times when she was depressed and watched her youth and passion pass by with many regrets. That was the most difficult but also the proudest time for Meritorious Artist Dam Loan when looking back at his life.

People's Artist - director Tran Ngoc Giau was born in 1959 in Go Cong, Tien Giang, his father was a resistance officer, and his mother worked as a fish trader. During high school, he did a movement play in school, adapted the long story "The Test Horse in the Schoolyard" into a play, then created and performed it himself. After 1975, he passed the entrance exam to the School of Theater Arts 2 (now Ho Chi Minh City University of Theater and Cinema). Graduating as valedictorian in 1983, he was retained by the school as a lecturer. For the past 40 years, besides teaching, People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau has also been a famous show director at professional theater festivals and performances nationwide. Not only does he create plays, he also dabbles in Cai Luong, folk songs, opera, Cheo, television dramas, movies... Currently, he holds the position of Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association.

Not only are they husband and wife, they are also professional friends. At this time, both Dam Loan and Tran Ngoc Giau worked together in the Youth Theater Art Group. When working with her husband, Dam Loan often supplements the pieces proposed by him by embellishing, building personality, and creating an impression of the character. As for roles not directed by her husband, she always received his encouragement and sympathy. It is love that helps Dam Loan overcome difficulties and limitations to live in the field of art, which has no limits for sublimation at every time and place.

Although her love for theater is deep, Dam Loan still takes on most of the family work to share her husband's hard work, so that he can focus on his profession. When her two children were young, she often arranged the housework in order to feel secure.