Frame marionettes revived

Attracting frame marionettes

The frame marionettes art which was originated in Czechoslovakia and entered Vietnam from the last century has captivated the audience ever since and remained a passion of artists at the Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater.

According to Director of the Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater Nguyen Hoang Tuan, artists using frame marionettes hide behind the curtain to make the marionettes key characters on the stage.

Excerpts from Thach Sanh, Tam Cam and Thanh Giong plays were incorporated into the Hao Quang Tu Qua Khu, with a view to honoring previous famous stage directors and artists including Tran Nghia, Quynh Giao, Dang Giap, Minh Hang, Van My, Hong Hanh and Do Mui.

What differed this time was that the excerpts were not maintained in their original form but changed based on the perspectives of the current generation. The Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater had piloted using black and colored frames as well as a variety of puppets. Marionettes and their handlers are not two separate characters on stage but act as interactive characters, entertaining the audience through impressive visual tricks.

“The interaction of the puppets and their handlers makes the play more interesting, with the marionettes physically performing the emotions that are conveyed by the puppeteers. I hope this unique combination will give viewers something different,” Nguyen Hoang Tuan said.

Back to the traditional tracks

“I reconstructed the play according to modern thinking from a traditional script, with several details amended. For example, the excerpt from Tam Cam is modified from what was seen in Director Luu Quang Thuan’s setup, in order to portray the poetic beauty of northern villages as well as the characters of Tam and Cam. Hao Quang Tu Qua Khu is a great example of a play as it underlines the beauty of traditional philosophy, humanity and the country, which always makes sense to all Vietnamese generations,” Director Nguyen Phuong Nhi said.

“Hao Quang Tu Qua Khu, Hai Cay Thong (Two Pines) and Swan Lake are three plays performed by artists of the Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater at the International Marionettes Festival held in Hanoi. They’re intended to introduce audiences to modern reconstructed plays based on traditional approaches to water puppetry performances,” Nguyen Hoang Tuan said.

Bao Thoa