The Ancient Art Of Water Pupperty (roi nuoc)

Today Paige and I went to see a performance of the Water Puppets, a show that shouldn't be missed by any visitor to Hanoi.
Having seen this performance and enjoyed on a holiday 2 years ago I thought I would take Paige again. When I told her we were going to see the Water Puppets she was very excited as she seemed to remembered them. It was interesting to see her excitement as the performance started. The show isn't in English but with the small written program in hand and with the music playing it is easy to follow the story line.

Paige just loved it, I think her favorite part was when the sparkler fire work came out with the dragon water puppets.

Picture: The water stage with the puppets

Here is a bit more information on this interesting performance form;

Vietnamese water puppetry is an age-old art that is intimately tied to the rural culture of rice farmers.

Origin and History - A unique form of Vietnamese puppetry called mua roi nuoc can be traced to the Red River delta region of northern Vietnam in the twelfth century. An inscription dating to the Ly dynasty provides the first record of a water puppet performance. It was given in 1121 in honor of the longevity of king Ly Nhan Tong, but no one knows how long rural farmers had been performing before then. Over the centuries, as with many other kinds of artisans and craftsmen in Vietnam, the puppet makers and puppeteers formed guilds in a few of the villages.

Picture: A scene of a march

Characteristics and Operation - The puppets are carved from fig wood, decorated with bright colors, and covered with numerous layers of lacquer to make them waterproof. They have movable heads and arms and are mounted on a base that features a rudder and acts as a fulcrum for the strings that control the upper body. The puppets measure 18-36 inches in height and weigh 20-30 pounds. The figures exhibit a variety of forms: humans of all sorts, animals like water buffalo and cormorants, mythological beings like fairies and dragons, and familiar objects like boats and fish traps. The puppeteers stand in waist-high water behind a curtained backdrop and control the figures with bamboo rods and string mechanisms below the surface. Complex maneuvers can make dragons exhale smoke or fish shoot sprays of water at the audience.

Picture: Water puppets dancing

The Stage - In ancient times, shallow ponds and rice paddies were the stages for impromptu shows. The water surface was an integral part of the play. It concealed the legs of the puppeteers and provided exciting effects like waves and splashes. The rest of the puppeteer's body was hidden by a curtained frame. The simple theater stages of wood, bamboo, and cloth developed into permanent structures as the folk art evolved over the centuries to a more established form. Some of these stages still exist and date to the Le dynasty (1533-1708). In modern times, the stage is a water-filled tank with a platform alongside for the orchestra. The puppeteers are concealed from the audience by a pagoda-like structure that covers half the tank and provides a backstage area for maneuvering and storing the puppets.
Performances - A typical performance consists of 18-25 short scenes lasting a few minutes each. Themes include humorous aspects of daily life, fairy tales, folk legends, and national history. A small orchestra accompanies the vocalists and provides dramatic effects with drums and cymbals. Fireworks also figure in some of the stories.

Picture: Musicians play and sing during the performance

Picture: Puppeteers at the end of a performance