Thang
Long water puppetry is a traditional art form with distinctive
culture identity of Vietnam. it came to existence, developed
and diversified over a thousand years ago in the Red River
Delta. Thanks to unique performances on the water, Thang
Long water puppetry art is famous and highly appreciated
all over the world. We, artists of Thang Long Water Puppetry
Theatre, are very proud of bearing the name of a thousand-year-civilization
capital, which has brought up the water puppetry art for
over ten centuries. Vietnam water puppetry has won all hearts
of a large number of audiences thanks to Art Festivals,
which we have attended in Japan, Switzerland, Australia,
Thailand, Spain, Portugal, Hongkong, Denmark…
On
this October, we, Thang Long puppeteers, have a great honour
of introducing this unique art to a large number of American
and Vietnamese people in America. We hope that Thang Long
water puppetry performance in America will help us more
and more understand about each other.
Vietnam
News: Vietnamese puppeteers in America.
According
to the latest news, a water puppet troupe from Vietnam is
going to perform in the North and South California. An article
"Vietnamese puppeteers test US water" of TT in
"Living" column of San Jose mercury News on October
5th ,1995 introduced this water puppetry art form as well
as the coming performance calendar as followed:
"The cacophony of musical instruments such as bamboo
flutes, bronze drums, gongs, xylophones comes from the tormentor
in dim light. As soon as the sound stops, the introduction
of the program announces the beginning of the show. Ducks,
snakes, dragons and monkeys puppets that made up with flags,
dance and dive under the surface of the water. The shows
were performed thousand years ago on the surface of ponds
and rice-fields of the Red River Delta in North Vietnam
called "mua roi nuoc" (water puppetry). In North
Vietnam, where the number of population is high, land for
agriculture is rare, water has been an important factor
of daily activities. Hardworking farmers invented this unique
art to satisfy themselves and their children.
In
early days, water puppetry showed daily life of villagers
such as farming, fishing, romance, children playing. And
now, the topics of the plays are also picked from ancient
legends, myths and historic stages…"
Next week, audiences will have a chance of watching this
unique art with the first show of Thang Long water puppetry
troupe in America. This group is performing in California
since this October 9th, in San Francisco, Santa Cruz and
Southern California. The first show will be staged on Tuesday,
at 6 p.m., at 45 Fisherman Wharf, San Francisco.
