Geography | Society geography » Vietnamese Water Puppetry

Source: http://www.doksinet VIETNAMESE WATER PUPPETRY TOPIC, TOLOSA PUPPETS INTERNATIONAL CENTER (www.topictolosacom/en) Source: http://www.doksinet Múa means dance, Rô’i, puppet, and Nu’ó’c, water. This is, puppets that dance on water This traditional puppet theatre nowadays subsists only in Vietnam, as it has been for many centuries now. Originally, the artists handling the puppets were not professional puppeteers, but farmers living in the villages at Mekongs riverbank, the Red River; a tradition still alive in some places. Life in these places was closely related to the river: rice crops, fishing, temples, leisure, etc. And water was also the mean to represent their puppet stories. These days, puppeteers engaged with this kind of theatre are trained in different schools or professional puppet companies in Hanoi. These carefully sculpted, polychromed and varnished puppets are light, wooden carvings of around 40 and 60 cm, although they can be bigger depending on the

region and the represented character. Most of the figures, specially the bigger ones, lay on a float or a platform from which raises a bamboo rod of around 2 m the one rod the puppeteer handles directly. The Vietnam National Puppet Theatre performed at the fronton in Tolosa during its International Puppet Festival, Titirijai, both in 2002 and 2007. The ones displayed in this exhibition are some of the puppets the Vietnamese company brought along and used back then. Currently, they belong to the holdings of TOPICs museum. Source: http://www.doksinet VIETNAMESE WATER PUPPETRY EXHIBITION This exhibition assembles 36 water puppets from Vietnam, all belonging to the Tolosa Puppets International Center, TOPIC. Said puppets are displayed in five different islets identifying the different scenes making up the show Vietnamese Water Puppets. In each performance, the puppet company represents between 20 and 30 acts in no particular order for they are interchangeable among them. These scenes

can be grouped in three big blocks, plus an introductory scene: Múa Têu Têu is a very well-known character, the fool that comes from the sky and introduces the performances, among many other things. He also takes part in scene changes, or interacts with the audience by pointing out their flaws and provoking them. He embodies the humour and optimism of the Vietnamese people. Source: http://www.doksinet Secondly, there is the scenes recalling the everyday life of the farmers, might these be ploughing their rice crops, fishing; or related to their spare time, as canoe races, swimming competitions, wrestling, etc. After a long workday, the farmers themselves would sit around the water puppet theatre stage in order to see the puppets enacting the main aspects of their routine. The performances would always tell the same stories, yet it was a cultural demonstration of their identity as a group, a social gathering. Source: http://www.doksinet Then theres the mythological scenes at

the Dance of the Immortals and the Dance of the four mythological animals. The acts mythological characters perform usually appear around the end of the spectacle and they symbolize prosperity promises for the Vietnamese people, a reflection of the near history of a country that went from a more or less idyllic rurality to a triumphant independence war. Source: http://www.doksinet Finally, theres the scenes depicting legends and historical events adapting those of the Vietnamese people recalling, for instance, the legendary hero Lê Loi and his victory over the barbarian Chinese soldiers. The exhibition also includes a brief explanation on the stage where the spectacle is performed: on the open air, inside a big inner harbour, swimming pool or pond 15 m long and 10 m wide (not smaller than 30 m2), or sometimes even at a real bog or marsh. The handling technique of the puppets and the position in the scenery of the puppeteers and musicians is also explained. Source:

http://www.doksinet TECHNICAL DETAILS - Room: This exhibition is designed for a undivided, multi-purpose and versatile space of approximately 200 m2. Nonetheless, the puppet selection and display can be adapted to smaller areas. The room should measure no less than 3 m in height - Needed material: Electricity: At least, three power points (220 V; 25000 W). Lightning: 60 spotlights. Nevertheless, lightning can also be accommodated to the means and capacity of the different spaces. Sound: At least one audio broadcasting system for the screening of an audiovisual product, as well as a DVD player and a projector or, if not possible, a computer and a screen to play said audiovisual product. Personnel It takes at least two people to load and unload the pieces, as well as a light technician to correctly set the illumination once everything is in place. In addition, a maintenance technician familiar with the room to come every now and them would be desirable in order to solve the questions

that might arise during the set-up. Finally, presence of staff during the display is essential. Time: The set-up takes 5 days, and 2 more days for it to be dismantled. During these days it might be necessary to extend the opening hours of the room for the process to be carried out adequately. Water: a tap close to the exhibition room with which to fill up a big bucket (that should also be made available to us) is crucial in order to fill the different islets of the exhibition. Source: http://www.doksinet In addition to the exhibition itself, TOPIC can offer parallel activities or workshops related to the exhibition. These activities would have to be budgeted separately For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact with: IDOYA OTEGUI MARTÍNEZ TOPIC, Tolosa Puppets International Center Director Plaza Euskal Herria 1 20400 Tolosa (+34) 943 650414 iotegui@cittolosa.com