Water Puppet Show

By Ed on April 15th, 2008 - Credibility Check - Photos

It might sound like something for the kids, and without a doubt children would enjoy this, but the 8pm performance last night was completely sold out and those attending were almost all adults.   The show was very entertaining and the skills of the puppeteers amazing.   Over the course of an hour they ran through dozens of skits with many different water puppets.  The way it works is the puppeteers move the puppets using long sticks that are hidden below the water just as they would if they were in the village paddyfields hundreds of years ago when this performing art was created.  They use the puppets accompanied by musicians and singers to tell various amusing stories - although the words were all in Vietnamese the explanations were made obvious by the puppets' actions.  Definitely take an evening and check out a Hanoi water puppet performance.  The cost was about USD3 per first class ticket - the concierge at our hotel was able to arrange tickets for us - there are a number of performances - the theatre is nearby the lake a short walk from the Metropole and Hilton Hotels.