DiverseCity: Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

Water puppetry is a traditional art form that represents Vietnam’s cultural identity and is widely accepted as a sophisticated piece of work. Acted on the surface of water, the performance is accompanied by a traditional Vietnamese orchestra that provides music with drums, wooden bells, horns, đàn bầu (a monochord), gongs and bamboo flutes. The story the puppets act out is sung by singers of chèo (a form of opera originating in North Vietnam), and there is an interactive element between all of them during the performance where the musicians will give warning calls or words of encouragement to the puppets.