Vietnam 2016 / Hanoi Museum of Ethnology

Traditional water puppet theatre (marionettes)

Water puppet theatre only exists in Vietnam. Its origins are not clear, it is believed to have been part of the cultural life of the country as early as the 11th century. The form of the theatre play was kept strictly secret and was only passed on within a family from old to young. In the 1980s it was almost extinct.
A small orchestra accompanies the performances, and the members of the orchestra are also the voices of the puppets. Originally, the theatre took place in the village pond or in the lake.
In the basin, behind a curtain, the actors stand and handle the water puppets, which are up to 1 m tall and weigh 1 to 5 kg, the figures are carved from the soft and light wood of the fig tree.