HCM CITY – HCM City has two new venues for puppetry and circus art at Trần Hữu Trang Theatre and Children’s House of HCM City.

Most of the puppet performances will be held at Trần Hữu Trang Theatre on 136 Trần Hưng Đạo Street in District 1 at 9:30 am every Saturday and Sunday.

Nguyễn Đức Thế, director of Southern Arts Theatre, said that puppet artists have had few opportunities to perform due to the lack of venues and expensive rental costs since the city’s puppet and circus teams began working together two years ago.

Now that Trần Hữu Trang Theatre has lent its support, more children will be able to enjoy their shows.

The latest one-hour puppet play Huyền Thoại Biển (Sea Legend), whose plot is inspired from Ông lão đánh cá và con cá vàng (The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish) and Nàng tiên cá (Mermaid), will be staged as well as other plays.

Children’s tickets are VNĐ70,000 (US$3) each, while an adult ticket is VNĐ100,000 ($4.4).

“I’m so excited for the puppet show. It’s been many years since I last went to a show and I want my daughter to experience one of our country’s important signatures,” Thanh Tâm, 59, told Việt Nam News.

The Children’s House of HCM City at 169 Nam Kỳ Khởi Nghĩa Street in District 3 will hold mostly circus performances at 9:30 am every Saturday and Sunday and at 7:30 pm every Saturday.

The first show is set to be held on July 22, with “Clown Festival” being the main theme.

The 90-minute show will be performed by artists from Mặt Trời Đỏ (Red Sun) and Bầu Trời Xanh (Blue Sky) circus teams.

A children’s ticket is VNĐ70,000 ($3), while an adult ticket is VNĐ120,000 ($5.3).

Artist Phi Vũ said that though the two venues were not meant for professional puppet and circus shows, they provide opportunities for artists to showcase their talents, especially to the younger generation.

He added that bigger shows with different themes would be held in the future.

Thế said that he had been seeking city approval to build a temporary venue for puppet and circus shows with 600 seats on Lữ Gia Street in District 11, while waiting for the permanent one that will be built next year. He added that he would have mobile stages to encourage artists to go on tours. – VNS