“The Devil Lives Among Us” – A Profoundly Humanistic Graduation Performance by Class 27 Acting Students

On the evening of June 11, 2025, the graduate showcase of Class 27, majoring in Acting for Stage and Screen, unfolded with professionalism and deep emotion. Through the play “The Devil Lives Among Us”, the students offered a vivid farewell to the stage, a tribute to their profession, and to their unforgettable years at university.

Considered a challenging play, the Acting for Stage and Screen students of Class 27 chose to confront the thorny realities, portraying imperfect lives and unsettling truths: human instincts, family tragedies, and the rupture between reason and compassion.

Adapted from the short story “No King” by the late writer Nguyen Huy Thiep, “The Devil Lives Among Us” marked a milestone in the growth of these young actors after four years of rigorous training and passion. The play is weighty, rich in literary symbolism and psychological complexity. The story begins with everyday tensions within a family: the eldest brother insisting on marriage, while the younger brother develops forbidden feelings for his sister-in-law, leading to jealousy and simmering pain that eventually erupt into savage acts. Beneath it all lies a potent allegory - of morality in erosion, of power in corruption, and of the “devil” that represents the instincts, desires, and darkness silently coexisting with the “human” within us all.

With meticulous direction, compelling performances, and thoughtful stage design, the play left a strong impression on both the jury and the audience. The students’ smooth, emotional, and profound delivery surprised many with their maturity as actors, despite being at the very beginning of their careers.

Witnessing the growth of this young generation on stage, People's Artist and Director Dao Ba Son shared, “At first, we were genuinely concerned because the students were so young. Youth is a beautiful thing, but it is also a major challenge when portraying characters with such depth and complexity. Yet they chose not to avoid it - they chose to dive in. What I value most is the way they approached their roles with creativity and their spirit of progress. Watching their journey from clumsy beginnings to tonight’s brilliance on stage - there is no greater reward for an artist.”

Nguyen Minh Hong Cam, representing Class 27, expressed heartfelt gratitude: “We sincerely thank our lecturers, families, friends, and fellows of Class 27, those who have stood by us and supported us throughout these four years. Special thanks to the family of the late writer Nguyen Huy Thiep for allowing us the opportunities to fully immerse ourselves in a work rich in humanistic depth. As we graduate and head toward different paths, the stage will always remain a part of our lifeblood - a place where we began, and one that will never truly close. Thank you for listening to the last story we tell under the name ‘students.’”

News: Xuan Nhi
Photos: Trung Quan