Actors at Phương Nam Theatre, one of HCM City’s leading private theatres, will offer water puppet performances at the HCM City Museum of History every weekend. — Photo courtesy of the producer

HCM CITY — The Phương Nam Theatre will offer new water puppet performances at the HCM City Museum of History every weekend this summer.  

Two shows, called Trâu Vàng Nghinh Tiếp (Golden Buffalo) and Cá Chép Hoá Rồng (Carps Turn into Dragons), will debut next week.

They feature characters from Vietnamese fairy tales. Themes of love, friendship, bravery, self-respect and honesty are highlighted. 

After every show, talks about Vietnamese puppetry and its history will also be included. 

Phương Nam Theatre has built a stage with 150 seats to offer quality shows of water puppetry, a unique Vietnamese theatre. 

“We spent several months working with the staff of the HCM City Museum of History to launch our performances. We hope to encourage museum visitors, particularly young people, to learn about the country’s history, culture and lifestyle through our performances,” said Phương Nam Theatre director Lê Diễn. 

According to Diễn, who has more than 20 years of experience in theatre, water puppetry has been performed on a stage in a pool of water for about 1,000 years in Việt Nam. 

“Phương Nam actors use colourful puppets made of wood, controlled from the chamber next to the stage by strings and underwater nests, to tell stories about patriotism and national heroes,” he said.

The HCM City Museum of History was built by French colonialists in 1929. Located on 3,000 square metres with more than 40,000 artefacts, it holds cultural activities and art shows on history and culture. 

Water puppet shows at Phương Nam Theatre will be staged at 10am and 3pm every Saturday and Sunday at the museum at 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm Street in District 1. Tickets are available at the theatre’s box office. — VNS