A new programme exploring water puppetry introduced by Thang Long Puppetry Theatre offers the audience a fresh inspiration from the traditional art form.

Nguoc Xuoi Roi Nuoc programme offers a fresh chance to explore water puppetry. Photo kinhtedothi.vn

Nguoc Xuoi Roi Nuoc (Water Puppetry: Odds and Ends) is a new product launched by Thang Long Water Puppetry Theatre in co-ordination with creative group TiredCity.
Linh Nhat Phuong, a member of TiredCity said the group wanted to introduce tales around the art and spread its beauty.
The series of events included an exhibition titled “A Water Puppetry Troupe”; a talk show gathering young audience and puppeteers at the theatre; a visit to the puppetry stage; a performance of 14 excerpts of the most distinguished folk shows displaying 400 traditional water puppet tales like “Thang Long Festive Drums”, “Dragon Dance”, “Teu’s Performance”, and “Working in Rice Field”.
“TiredCity wants to create a playground for audience, especially the youth, to explore the folk art, which has been a national pride, and an indispensable food for the mind of locals,” he said.
Meritorious Artist Chu Luong, the theatre’s Deputy Managing Director, told Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper that through the programme, he has seen the youth’s concern in folk arts, in general and water puppetry, in particular.
“We have admitted for a long time that this is a cultural heritage, yet we have not paid enough attention to it,” he said. “We have focused on exploiting it but forgetting long-term investment in it.”
He said through the young people’s questions at the talk show, he understood their desire to get close access to the art.
“We distributed only 100 tickets for the show but many more people registered for it,” Luong said. “TiredCity group’s initiative has provided our theatre and the art sector suggestions to have proper measures to attract the youth to traditional culture.”
The programme is one of the theatre’s efforts to overcome serious income loss resulting from the sharp reduction in the number of international guests due to the COVID-19 pandemic.