Situated just a few meters from Hoan Kiem Lake is the
Thang Lung Water Puppet Theater. This 45 minute show is one of a kind as the
stage is set on water and the puppets swim and ride on boats on the water
stage. Puppeteers stand in knee deep water behind a bamboo screen as they bring
their puppets to life.
The theme
of the skits is rural and has a strong reference to Vietnamese folklore. It
tells of day-to-day living in rural Vietnam and Vietnamese folk tales that are
told by grandparents to their grandchildren. Stories of the harvest, of fishing
and of festivals are highlighted.
Singers
of chèo (a form of opera originating in North
Vietnam) sing songs which tell the story being acted out by the puppets. The
musicians and the puppets interact during performance; the musicians may yell a
word of warning to a puppet in danger or a word of encouragement to a puppet in
need.
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