Unique & Interesting Water Puppet Show

Many people think that water puppet show is just an entertainment for children but it is actually a special performance for everyone. You will have a nice time relaxing with interesting stories performed by different puppets, together with many Vietnamese folk songs supporting the puppet scenes

Water puppet show & its original history

Water Puppet Show is a very unique art form created by Vietnamese Peasants in the Red River Delta. Dated back from 11^th century, thanks to farming environment with a lot of river system, ponds & lakes in the delta, when finishing rice harvest, the farmers invented their part-time entertainment by using different special puppets performing in the water environment with supporting tools of string & poles to tell their stories of farming activities or their daily life. Time passing by, local people have preserved this art form till now in spite of being only limited to a few villages in northern Vietnam. This tradition is unique to North Vietnam but has recently found its fame on stages all over the world; so it’s a nice choice to see the puppets perform in their original location at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre when doing your trip to Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam

Water Puppet Show MC

The show of water puppet

The special element of water puppetry is the use of the water surface as a stage for performance. The stage for performance which is a space in front of the puppet house is called puppet house or water house ( Thuy Dinh), and built in the pond or lake with balanced architecture symbolizing the communal house roof in Vietnamese rural areas. By performing the old traditional water puppet show, daily activities and customs of Vietnam peasants are vividly expressed.
The puppeteers stand behind a curtained backdrop of puppet house and control the puppet with a strings & bamboo poles hiding under the water surface. At some point, they discovered that the water was an excellent medium for puppetry: it not only concealed the puppeteers' pole and string mechanisms, but it also provided exciting effects like waves and splashes

What to see in a water puppet show.

The water also provides the best setting for the puppeteers' theme: day-to-day village life such as farming, fishing, frog catching, buffalo fighting, and children's games of swimming contest .Besides village life, scenes include legends and national history of Hoan Kiem lake, four holy animals of phoenix, turtle, dragon & unicorn. Performances of up to 18 short scenes are accompanied by a Vietnamese orchestra playing traditional music using drums, wooden bells, horns, bamboo flutes and cymbals. There are also authentic Vietnamese folk songs telling the story that is being acted out by the puppets.

Water Puppet Show 3

Water puppet stage & puppeteers

Where to see water puppet show

Watching water puppet shows, the audiences will feel the atmosphere of village festivals reflecting locals’simple dreams in Red Delta.Thanks to local and international shows, Vietnam puppet performers have made a very large contribution to promoting a unique art of Vietnam to regional and global friends.
There are a few theaters with water puppet show in Hanoi such Truong Trinh theater (far from the downtown), Bong Sen Theater (limited seats & shows) & Thang Long Theater.Among them, Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hanoi with many daily shows during the day and its location right in Hanoi old quarter.To have a good view of the performance, it is our advice to get the tickets of the front-lined seats ( 5 usd) closer to the stage.The theatre is modern and usually shows 18 short sketches over a 45 minute performance.

The location of Thang Long Water Puppet Show

In order to enjoy this interesting show, you can book the tickets yourselves or it is a better way to take part in our guided Hanoi city to ur operated daily to explore different famous attractions in Hanoi, including with water puppet show.This Hanoi Tour surely provides you with valuable insights of Hanoi’s history, culture & people.For more information about Hanoi capital or Hanoi tour packages,feel free to drop us an email to goldenholidaytravel.vn@gmail.com, we will feedback you with useful consultancy for your enjoyable vacation in Hanoi, Vietnam.

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Hi Ban

I hope you havent't forgot us. If you have I have included a photo of us in attach file.I promised to e-mail you when we get back. Sorry for the delay but we had so much shit to sort out when we've got back home.

Thanks very much for giving us a tour of Hanoi. Without you two, we would of missed a hell of a lot of Hanoi which we never had the time to explore.

When we were in the south, we came across a lot of English and Irish backpackers that were heading to Hanoi and we've recomended you and the taxi driver Binh to them. I hope they contact you two when they get to Hanoi and give you business.

So so much had changed since I left Vietnam. Some changes are positive and a lot of negatives but people link yourself and Binh will keep up the traditions.

I hope that you will get this e-mail. If you do please reply.

Since we've came home, I've had so many ideas about starting a business venture in Vietnam and and hoping that you might want to be be part of the it.

Alec (Hung)

Alec Hung & Challote from UK

Dear Ban,

Sorry for being late.

I tried to write you a letter several times, but I couldn't finish the letter. I don't know why.

I am still in winter vacation, so I have been very lazy, frankly speaking. And I miss you and the other good people I met in Vietnam. You cannot imagine how much it is!! As for our meeting, let's put it aside for my next trip, possibly that would be the coming August. At that time, we can have time to talk a lot about Vietnamese school system and other interesting things. Don't you think??

And I am so happy to know that you think my voice is tender in different songs... *^^*

By the way, how's it going with your new business? Is it going well? I'm sure you will be successful because you are quite ambitious and intelligent. You agree, Ban?? ^^

When my school starts, I cannot tell anything about Vietnam without talking about you to my students... I get impressed a lot, surely yu know that. Right?

I will attach the picture you took together in my next mail because my camera battery is out. Sorry about that!!

It's Saturday today. I wonder what you are doing at this moment in Vietnam when I am writing to you. Keep in touch often. OK?? ^^

Take care and be well & happy

Your friend,

Hwayoung Lee from Korea

Ms Hwayoung Lee from Korea

Hello Mr Ban,
What a surprise to hear from you and a good one. yes I do remember you quite well....as Black Dan? Is this right?
It has been 5 years since I was in your country. a long time, but I remember how bright and funny you were and also how polite!!!
So, have you a family to look after now? A wife and some beautiful children?
I hope all is well with you and you have plenty of work to do.
I am taking a break at my work as it is Christmas time here and everything stops and family get together. I know you have TET around the corner and I wish you much success and good fortune for the next year. Which animal will it be next year for TET, I wonder? And which year you born in?
I am still working with flowers. Iam known as a florist and my job keeps me pretty busy. I enjoy it very much as I love to make beautiful things from flowers and stones, dried things from Mother Nature and sometimes with man made stuff as well.
It is quite funny that you emailed me at this time as I have been thinking of coming over to Vietnam alot lately and may do next year sometime. I missed out on a few places I would love to go ( Hoi Ann), and re visit some places I have been to last time. Are you still a guide?
All the best.

Julie

Ms Julie deVis- Australia