“Water puppet plays avoid complicated themes and emotions. Nguyễn Hoàng Tuấn, Director of Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater, said the themes of the show are simple and familiar to Vietnamese people. From the beginning to the end, audiences can only see the puppets and a small folk orchestra that performs live, not the puppeteers stand behind a curtained backdrop in a waist-deep pool. VOV’s Ha Ngan has the story.Ī Vietnamese water puppetry show means puppets performing on a shimmering water stage accompanied by music and singing. In today’s show, let’s take a closer look at the making of water puppets and discover how they are controlled. Puppeteers cleverly manipulate wooden puppets on a special stage covered in water. A guide book says “Not watching a performance of water puppetry means not visiting Vietnam yet.” A water puppetry performance provides great fun and excitement for their audiences. Want more Vietnam travel ideas? Sign up for our newsletter to receive our best stories in your inbox.(VOVworld) - Vietnamese water puppetry is a unique folk art, believed to be more than 1000 years old. Below are some of the best places to enjoy a show across the country:ĥ7B Đinh Tiên Hoàng St., Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoiģ61 Trường Chinh St., Thanh Xuân District, Hanoiĥ5B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai St., District 1, HCMCĢ Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm St., District 1, HCMC Within the cities, you can find several water puppet theatres presenting traditional and modern performances. A beautiful outdoor stage hosts fantastic shows worthy of the village’s 300-year-old tradition. Here you will find one of the last remaining water puppet workshops in Vietnam and learn about the making of the puppets. Some shows include depictions of Vietnamese folktales, which always carry a moral.įor a deeper understanding of the Vietnam’s water puppets, visit Đào Thục Village on the outskirts of Hanoi. The brightly coloured puppets recreate daily life in Vietnam’s northern villages, including duck herding, fishing, rice planting, boat rowing, and royal parades. Tễu is an iconic character, a whimsical storyteller who will lead you through different scenes and stories as they unfold on stage. On both sides of the stage sit the musical ensemble who bring the stories to life using their voices and traditional instruments.Ī traditional show always starts with an introduction to Tễu, the comedic host. These pools are decorated with red tiered roofs, flags, and parasols to resemble an altar inside Vietnamese communal houses.
Today in Vietnam, water puppet shows are not presented in flooded rice paddies but in pools of water. It takes decades to become a master water puppeteer. The puppeteers skillfully maneuver the puppet’s arms using bamboo sticks and strings. The puppeteers’ secret lies in the material of the puppets themselves, which are made of buoyant fig wood and painted with lacquer. Puppeteers stand in water throughout the show, and use the movement of the water to create drama, perfect the illusion, and tell a story. Múa rối nước is a physically demanding craft.
Many centuries later, water puppetry ( múa rối nước) still fascinates audiences, and is a cherished intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam. Under the reign of the Lý Dynasty in the 12th century, the country’s best water puppet troupes were chosen to entertain the king and guests, marking a new high for the art’s social status. Water puppetry as a folk art form evolved from serving everyday people to a show for royalty. The first shows were hosted in the harvested rice fields, which could be filled with water to create a watery stage. About one thousand years ago, water puppets were added to the list of performances at these festivals. Here’s a brief introduction to Vietnam’s wonderful water puppets.Įvery year during the annual rice harvest, farmers in Vietnam’s Red River Delta region would gather for folk singing and dancing at village festivals. Watch scenes of village life on an ever-changing stage, learn about festivals and traditions, and get to know quirky characters inspired by Vietnamese personalities. Vietnam’s water puppetry opens a window into local culture, and is a fully realised art form enjoyed by young and old. You don’t have to be a child to be entertained by water puppets.
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