Despite its ancient roots-or perhaps because of them-the shows draw little attention from local Vietnamese viewers, especially millennials. “When our children and later generations see performances they will be just like the original versions,” he said. The tropes haven’t changed much, and neither have the hand-carved wooden figures of animals, boats, farmers or fish painted in brilliant golds, reds and greens, according to Chu Luong, the director of Thang Long theater. The shows traditionally featured age-old fables and mythical lore, like the famous Hanoi parable about a Vietnamese king’s treasured sword that was used to fight off Chinese invaders. The earliest record of the performances is on a 12th century stele that still stands at a pagoda in northern Ha Nam province, but historians say water puppetry likely originated even earlier. “I could really see people fishing, dancing and all the different performances that happened.” Vietnam is the birthplace of the centuries-old art form that emerged in the northern rice paddies as entertainment for farmers. “I’ve never seen a puppet show that way with the water,” American tourist Caroline Thomoff told AFP after a show. The shows at Hanoi’s Thang Long theatre have become a staple on the well-trodden tourist circuit and draw thousands every week, including many first-time viewers. Some of the puppets weigh as much as 10 kilograms (22 pounds) and the largest ones, like the one-meter-tall (three-foot) fairy, require four people to manipulate. “But our years of training and experience helps us control them,” added Hoai, who like many of her colleagues graduated from Hanoi’s College of Theatre and Cinema. “The puppets are pretty heavy… and the water also creates resistance,” said puppeteer Nguyen Thu Hoai, who swapped her galoshes for flip-flops between sold-out shows. Backstage behind a thin bamboo screen, around 20 puppeteers slosh around waist-deep in rubber overalls wielding the marionettes with long rods.
HANOI: In a darkened theatre in central Hanoi, a wooden dragon emerges from a pool to the sound of cymbals crashing in a traditional water puppet show that lures hundreds of tourists daily but is largely shunned by locals. In a unique performance like no other, historical stories are told through puppets on water.HANOI: This picture shows water puppets performing at the Thang Long theater in Hanoi.-AFP A popular tourist spot, it stays open all days of the week. And when in Vietnam, there is no better place to experience it than at The Thang Long Water Theater in Hanoi. Thang Long Water Puppet Theater offers the most authentic experience with a Vietnamese orchestra playing traditional songs about agricultural harvests and mythical legends that are acted out by puppets in a pool of water. A famous ancient Vietnamese tradition, water puppetry has been in practice for thousands of years. Aside from the general admission fee of VND 100,000, there's an additional camera or video fee if you wish to photograph or film the show. The theatre is modern and usually shows 17 short sketches within a one-hour performance. It is also advisable to pay more to get closer to the action as the theatre seats a few hundred people and the puppets are not that big. Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hanoi with tickets selling out well in advance so it’s worth booking yours as soon as you arrive in town.
The Vietnamese tradition of water puppetry dates back to the 11th century when the rice fields got flooded and the villagers made entertainment by standing in water with puppets. The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is the best place to witness the eponymous art form integral to the country.
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