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• #Vietnamese water puppetry dsymbolism portable#

And the puppets themselves are the symbols of myth and dramatic experience. Each performance and every puppet is meant to capture the essence of an insight into life and its meaning. The theme of the skits concentrates on the real and imagined life of the villagers or on the folk tales told by grandparents as well as stories of fishing, harvest and rituals. But the beauty of the puppets and the 'reality' of their personalities transcend make-believe. The designs of the underwater mechanisms remain a closely guarded secret. The crowds would yell a word of warning to a puppet in danger or a word of encouragement to a puppet in need as the impresario controlled the complex action with a long pole and strings beneath the water surface.

#Vietnamese water puppetry dsymbolism portable#

Lacquered and designed to dance on water in village rice paddies or portable tanks built for traveling performers, the puppets were often accompanied by musicians, colorful flags and audience participation. These works of performance art, so indigenous to rural festivals and theatre were almost all lost during the communist occupation and subsequent American liberation effort there. The magic of fancifully decorated water puppets dates back to antiquity in Vietnamese culture.