This apparatus extends behind the stage curtain to the hidden puppeteers who stand in waist-deep water. During performances, puppeteers control their puppets through a pole-and-string apparatus concealed by the pond water. Puppets range in height from 12 to 40 inches (30 to 100 centimeters) and in weight from two to ten pounds (one to five kilograms). Puppeteers carve their puppets from the ubiquitous fig tree and waterproof them with resin from the lacquer tree. Vietnamese Traditional Water Puppetry features photographs and detailed architectural drawings of the two oldest stages still hosting puppetry performances in Vietnam: the Thay Pagoda stage (dating to the Le Dynasty, 1533-1708) and the Dong Temple stage (dating to 1775). Due to their solid construction, some of these stages have survived until the present day. As it evolved over the centuries from folk art to a more established art form, the simple theater stages of wood, bamboo and cloth developed into permanent structures. Many towns and villages in this area feature communal ponds, and it was in these public spaces that the art of water puppetry first developed in the eleventh century AD. Water puppetry has its origins in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. To help western readers understand Vietnam-specific references, the book features excellent footnotes that clarify various points in the text. According to the authors, the goal of the book is to provide readers with insights into the historical development of water puppetry, its roots and roles in traditional Vietnamese society as well as the stories, language and songs featured in this enduring form of folk entertainment. The authors cover the emergence of water puppetry guilds, the workings of water-based theater and the evolution of puppet characters and story lines.
Co-authored by Nguyen Huy Hong and Tran Trung Chinh, this 79-page softcover features numerous full-color photos of water puppetry-known as roi in Vietnamese. The Gioi Publishers of Hanoi printed the second edition in 1996. To learn about this 800-year-old art form, which prominently features severed heads, there is no better book than Vietnamese Traditional Water Puppetry. But amphibious Vietnamese water puppets beat all these diverse strands of puppetry.
And in America Jim Henson created Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and all the other members of the madcap Muppet gang. Europe offers the rambunctious Punch and Judy, not to mention fantastic nose-growing marionettes like Pinocchio. Sure, Indonesia has the graceful Javanese shadow puppets and Japan the bunraku theater with black-clad ninja puppeteers. Just don’t forget your travel insurance before you head out to catch a show.Puppetry has a long and varied history that spans the globe, but only in Vietnam do puppets slice off each other's heads. The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi is now considered one of the best places to enjoy this ancient art – just remember not to shout “He’s behind you!” Looking forward to puppet time – photo: Chuwa (Francis)Īlmost a thousand years later the only thing that has really changed is the location. Originating from the rice fields of northern Vietnam, farmers working in the flooded rice paddies would perform water puppet shows not only for entertainment, but also to amuse the spirits who might otherwise be causing mischief. A water puppet, on dry land – photo: momo Accompanied by a traditional orchestra, these intricate shows tell stories of local folklore passed down through the generations.
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The puppeteers move their puppets using a series of bamboo rods and rope hidden beneath a pool of water, giving the illusion that the puppets are walking on water.
Think of it as a more refined Punch & Judy show with less shouting and a lot more water! And the band played on… – photo: Tom Caswell Water puppetry is a Vietnamese tradition that dates back almost a thousand years. Vietnamese water puppets – photo: chriskay
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