![]() ![]() The deeply engaging Myanmarese puppet mastery of yoke the or “little people” is believed to have originated during the Konbaung dynasty (1752-1885). In many parts of the country, shows are still performed in open-air spaces, but in big cities like the capital Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, a majority of the performances are staged in auditoriums where dramatic lighting adds to the experience. These performances depicting Vietnamese life and folklore are accompanied by a live traditional Vietnamese orchestra that sets the tone for the story. Manoeuvring the dolls is no easy task – puppeteers in waist-deep water stand behind split bamboo screens and use long bamboo poles and strings to manipulate the movement of the puppets. The ornate, lacquer-painted wooden figurines, which include characters of farmers, fishermen and dragons, weigh up to 15 kilogrammes and stand anywhere between 30 and 100 centimetres tall. This Vietnamese form of water puppetry dates back to the 11th century, when farmers in the Red River Delta would entertain village folk with puppet shows using flooded paddy fields as the stage. Most stories are drawn from the ancient Indian epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as the Panji tales, a cycle of stories about a legendary Javanese prince. The highly entertaining performances, accompanied by lively gamelan music, take shape as the puppets appear behind a thin white cotton screen, illuminated by the backlight of oil lamps, or in modern times, lightbulbs. The various puppets are controlled by a dalang, the master puppeteer who also functions as the storyteller, and voices the myriad characters in the show. These intricately carved puppets, crafted out of buffalo or goat hide, range anywhere from 25 to 75 centimetres tall and are mounted on bamboo sticks, their hinged limbs attached to sticks, enabling their movement. "We will provide audiences a stage of light and sound effects,” Hoà said.Southeast Asia is home to a rich heritage of shadow puppetry, but one of the most mesmerising is wayang kulit, an art form from Indonesia’s Java island. They are working on new shows called Trâu Đá Bóng (Buffaloes Play Football), Cá Chép Hoá Rồng (Carps Turn into Dragons) and Rồng Phun Lửa (Dragons Spit Fire), which are scheduled to debut next week. Hoà has trained a group of ten young actors of the Dừa Xanh troupe to be professional in water puppetry. He worked for leading traditional theatres in Hậu Giang Province and HCM City.Īfter becoming involved in water puppetry in 1990, he began to use knowledge and experience in cải lương to enhance his skills on the new stage. Hoà had a deep passion for puppetry when he was a cải lương (reformed opera) actor for the Bến Tre Cải Lương Theatre in the 1970s and 80s. “We offer talks about Vietnamese puppetry and its history and development during various periods after every show to help young audiences improve their knowledge on the art,” said puppeteer Tiến Hoà, the troupe’s art director. In Bến Tre, water puppet performances were popular in the 1980s but they have not caught much attention from young people in recent years. Colourful puppets are made of wood and controlled from the chamber next to the stage by strings and underwater nests. Water puppetry has been performed on a stage with a pool of water for a thousand years. ![]() ![]() “We hope Bến Tre people, particularly youngsters and children, will be entertained and learn more about the country’s culture and lifestyle through our puppetry.”ĪNCIENT ART: In Việt Nam, water puppetry has been performed on a stage with a pool of water for a thousand years. “We spent a lot on building a stage to introduce water puppetry and its artists who have used their art to keep traditional Vietnamese theatre alive,” said Phạm Tấn Vũ, managing director and producer at Dừa Xanh. Messages about patriotism and national heroes are also included.ĭừa Xanh actors have been working several hours a day to show off their skills in puppetry, music and dance. The shows feature characters from Vietnamese fairy tales and highlight themes of love, friendship, bravery, self-respect and honesty. ![]() – Photo courtesy of the producer.īẾN TRE – The private art troupe Dừa Xanh (Green Coconut) is offering water puppet performances in Bến Tre Province’s Culture and Cinema Centre. WATER PUPPETRY: Talented actors of Dừa Xanh, one of Bến Tre Province’s private art troupes, offer water puppet performances at the province's Culture and Cinema Centre. ![]()
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