WATER PUPPET SHOW HANOI
Water Puppet Show Hanoi. The Thang Long Water Puppet Troupe of Hanoi demonstrated the age-old skill outside Sage Gateshead. This summer's International Festival of Rivers and the Sea included a magnificent Vietnamese water puppetry presentation.
Water Puppet Show Hanoi Information:
1. Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
57B Đinh Tiên Hoàng St., Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
2. Vietnam Puppet Theatre
361 Truong Chinh St., Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi
Opening hours: 3:30 pm - 5 pm - 6:30 pm - 8 pm - 9:15 pm daily and Sunday at 9:30 am
From 150.000 VND - 250.000 VND
The method was developed over a thousand years ago in northern Vietnam to commemorate the conclusion of rice harvests, mark religious festivals, and, subsequently, amuse the royal court. Unknown outside of Vietnam until recently, the art form offers a look into ancient Vietnam's cultural life and times, particularly the stories and legends that entertained and amused peasant farmers and fishermen.
Puppetry is a theater genre that uses a rice field, river, or pond as a stage. Visitors watched as the puppets, some standing two feet tall and weighing up to 15 kilos, were moved over the water's surface using a system of underwater poles, rods, and strings. Many are so massive and complicated that they take two or three people to move them. The puppeteers stand waist deep in the water, shielded from the audience by a pagoda. Some of the acts include Dance of the Dragons, Triumphant Return, and Dance of the Fairies.
The History of the Water Puppet Show Hanoi:
Water puppets may entertain anybody, not just children. Water puppetry in Vietnam provides insight into local culture and is a fully realized art form liked by both young and old people. Watch scenes from rural life on an ever-changing stage, learn about festivals and traditions, and meet colorful characters inspired by Vietnamese characteristics. Here's a quick overview of Vietnam's beautiful water puppets.
Every year during the yearly rice harvest, farmers in Vietnam's Red River Delta region would assemble at village festivals to perform folk singing and dance. Water puppets were introduced as an entertainment during these festivities over a thousand years ago. The initial concerts were held in harvested rice fields that could be filled with water to create a wet stage.
Water puppetry as a folk art form progressed from serving ordinary people to performing for royalty. During the reign of the Ly Dynasty in the 12th century, the country's top water puppet troupes were chosen to amuse the king and guests, setting a new high for the art's social prominence. Many centuries later, water puppetry (mua roi nuoc) continues to amaze audiences and is a valued intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam.
Mua roi nuoc is a physically difficult craft. Puppeteers stand in water throughout the act, using its movement to generate drama, enhance the illusion, and convey a tale. The puppeteers' secret lies in the puppets' material, which is buoyant fig wood lacquered with lacquer. The puppeteers expertly manipulate the puppet's arms with bamboo sticks and strings. It takes decades to become an expert water puppeteer.
In Vietnam, water puppet shows are now performed in pools of water rather than flooded rice terraces. These pools are ornamented with red tiered roofs, flags, and parasols to represent the altars seen in Vietnamese community dwellings. On both sides of the stage, the musical group performs the story with their voices and traditional instruments.
Water Puppet Show Vietnam Performance:
A classic presentation begins with an introduction to the comic host, "Tễu". "Tễu" is an iconic figure, a whimsical storyteller who will guide you through various scenes and stories as they develop on stage. The colorful puppets depict daily life in Vietnam's northern villages, such as duck herding, fishing, rice cultivation, boat rowing, and royal parades. Some performances feature portrayals of Vietnamese folktales, which always have a moral.
To learn more about Vietnam's water puppets, visit Đào Thục Village on the outskirts of Hanoi. You may learn how to make water puppets at one of Vietnam's last remaining workshops. A stunning outdoor stage presents spectacular performances befitting of the village's 300-year legacy. There are various water puppet theatres in cities that showcase both traditional and modern shows.
How to book Thang Long Water Puppet Theater tickets?
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, located near Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of Hanoi, is the most well-known site to see water puppet acts in Vietnam. It was founded in 1969 and was formerly known as the Hanoi Kim Dong Art Troupe. Asia Record Center recognized the theater as "the only theater in Asia performing water puppetry continuously 365 days a year". The Thang Long puppetry ensemble performs at international art events in Paris, New York, Barcelona, Helsinki, Sydney, Seoul, and Bangkok, in addition to serving home audiences. Water puppet plays presented by Thang Long Water Puppet Theater will captivate any audience with their unique creative quality, which blends tradition and contemporary.
57B Đinh Tiên Hoàng St., Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
- Standard tickets cost 150.000 VND (~6 USD).
- VIP tickets cost 250.000 VND (~10 USD).
It is important to note that ticket pricing may fluctuate over time. To get the most up-to-date information, visit the official website.
How to book Vietnam Puppet Theater tickets?
The Vietnam National Puppet Theater is the country's largest puppetry art facility, dedicated to the preservation and development of traditional theatrical art. With over 60 years of experience, the Vietnam National Puppet Theater has consistently presented exceptional puppet and water puppet presentations to both Vietnamese and international guests. Some popular productions at this theater include "Ugly Duck," "Children's Moon," "Rhythm of the Homeland," "Spirit of Thang Long," and "Wimpy Witch."
361 Truong Chinh St., Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi
- Standard tickets cost 120.000 VND (~5 USD).
- VIP tickets cost 400.000 VND (~18 USD).
It is important to note that ticket pricing may fluctuate over time. To get the most up-to-date information, visit the official website.
The Hanoi water puppet play is a unique kind of Vietnamese traditional art that tourists should not miss when visiting Vietnam's thousand-year-old capital city. Hanoi water puppet shows will give you a better insight into Vietnamese culture by telling you stories from ancient folklore and history. Hanoi water puppet plays, which are typical of the rice farming culture and have been designated by UNESCO as a global cultural heritage, captivate audiences throughout the world with their use of colorful puppets to portray Vietnamese traditional tales.
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