Water Puppet Theater, Hanoi

The Thang Long Water Puppet Theater in Hanoi seeks to preserve an ancient Vietnamese art form developed in the Red River delta in North Vietnam. Water puppetry or Mua Roi Nuoc was performed in shallow flooded paddy fields and ponds of the Red River delta. The theater is a well known Vietnamese cultural event and theater troupes have travelled around the world and performed at cultural exchanges and art festivals.

The puppets are mounted on poles hidden under a shallow pool of water. There are performances that portray life in a typical Vietnamese village. Elaborate performances tell tales from legends and myths of rural Vietnam. The brightly colored puppets are made of lacquered wood. The unique special effects of light and water make the show unique. The performance is accompanied by an orchestra that uses traditional Vietnamese musical instruments like drums, flutes, drums and the Dan Bau that resembles a harp. Songs are sung during the performance and stories are told in the native tongue. The puppets are expressive and one does not need to know the language to enjoy the story. Well known performances include the Dance of the Fairies, Dance of the Dragons and the Legend of the Restored Sword.

Each show lasts for about one hour. Cameras are allowed and visitors are sometimes given cds of the music or vcds of the performance when they purchase tickets.