12 Oct 2019 - Hanoi Day 1: Thang Long Water Puppet Show

After dinner, we proceeded to Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre and got ready for the Water Puppet Show, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Hanoi.

We heard that the entire show is in Vietnamese so we bought the English audio guide for VND30,000 each.  However, we found that it actually did not help much......

The moment we entered the theatre, we were mesmerized by the beautiful stage props.  Shows at this modern theatre are performed in a pool of water as the stage for the puppets. The puppets are controlled by no more than eight puppeteers hiding behind a bamboo screen.

The theatre is a lot bigger than what I've expected and I'm glad we bought the second row seats from the stage.

Performances are accompanied by a Vietnamese orchestra playing traditional music using drums, wooden bells, horns, bamboo flutes and cymbals.

This tradition is unique to North Vietnam but has recently found fame on stages all over the world  So it’s a rare treat to see the puppets perform in their original location at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.

Most of the shows recount Vietnamese folk tales and legends with topics including the celebration of the rice harvest depicted in a humorous fashion.

The performances usually include a number of short sketches rather than one long story, taking the audience on a journey of ancient village life, agricultural harvests and dances of mythical creatures. Most shows also feature the famous Legend of the Restored Sword of King Le which tells the tale of Hoan Kiem Lake and the giant tortoise. The live music plays an integral part of the show with singers often shouting words of encouragement to the puppets.

It was a unique show and highly recommended.  The ticket price is quite reasonable.

Watch the highlights of the show below to have an idea on what to expect.
It was about 9pm when we left the theatre and the entire place around Hoan Kiem Lake was crowded with people.  Very happening.......  :-)

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