A scene of shadow puppetry, a traditional form of art that has not been performed regularly (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City is seeing positive changes to the local puppetryscene, according to authorities.
Phuong Nam Art Theatre, for example, recently renovated its twocircuses in Go Vap district’s Gia Dinh Park and District 11’s Lu Giaresidential area.
“During the two locations’ maintenance period, circus and puppetry shows arestill being performed via small tours held locally and in neighbouring areas,”Meritorious Artist Nguyen Duc The, Director of the Phuong Nam Art Theatre,said.
On the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival and the International Puppetry Festivalin Hanoi in October, the theatre will stage new puppetry plays.
Su Tich Con Muoi (Origin of the mosquito) is one of its latest plays,emphasising the value of family to young audiences.
It tells a story of a poor, married couple who love each other. After the wifesuddenly passes away, the husband is told by a god to save his wife by givingaway three drops of his blood. The resurrected wife later cheats on him andleaves her husband for a rich merchant.
Utterly disheartened, the husband asks only that she return the threedrops of blood that he had given to restore her life. The wife dies afterwardsand returns in the form of a mosquito, endlessly bothering her former husbandand trying to regain those three drops of blood.
This play is showcased via shadow puppetry, a traditional form of art that hasnot been performed regularly.
Construction of the two circuses is expected to be completed by November tomeet the schedule of the National Circus Festival held in HCM City later thisyear, The said.
Poor sound and lighting are among the significant challenges that the theatrehas encountered, together with a lack of human resources, he said.
This year, however, the theatre has received more attention from the HCM CityPeople’s Committee and the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, headded.
The upgraded circuses are not only ideal for circus but puppetry performances.
On a different note, the first Vietnam Puppetry Festival is being held on HCMCity’s Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street between August 16 and 18.
The event, directed by Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports andTourism Vuong Duy Bien, aims to preserve and bring puppetry art closer tothe general public and international tourists.
“Nguyen Hue street is a beautiful, open venue to hold the festival,” Bien said,hoping that it will be an annual event.
There will be a main stage performing both water and regular puppetry and fivesmall stages for rod string and other puppets. Other types of arts will also beperformed during the event.
The event has attracted participation of artists from the Vietnam PuppetryTheatre, Phuong Nam Art Theatre, Hai Phong Puppetry Theatre, Canh Dieu ArtTheatre, and Dong Nai Contemporary Art Theatre, among others.
Many children with disadvantaged backgrounds have been invited to join theopening night, organisers said.
About 50 scholarships, 50 bicycles and other gifts will be offered to some ofthem, they added.
HCM City authorities have also approved construction of a new multi-purposetheatre with 2,000 seats at Lu Gia residential area in District 11.
The new theatre will be equipped with international, modern facilities wherechairs can be hidden to expand the performance grounds, depending on the typeof performance.
The estimated construction cost is 1,500 billion VND (64 million USD),authorities said.-VNS/VNA
Phuong Nam Art Theatre, for example, recently renovated its twocircuses in Go Vap district’s Gia Dinh Park and District 11’s Lu Giaresidential area.
“During the two locations’ maintenance period, circus and puppetry shows arestill being performed via small tours held locally and in neighbouring areas,”Meritorious Artist Nguyen Duc The, Director of the Phuong Nam Art Theatre,said.
On the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival and the International Puppetry Festivalin Hanoi in October, the theatre will stage new puppetry plays.
Su Tich Con Muoi (Origin of the mosquito) is one of its latest plays,emphasising the value of family to young audiences.
It tells a story of a poor, married couple who love each other. After the wifesuddenly passes away, the husband is told by a god to save his wife by givingaway three drops of his blood. The resurrected wife later cheats on him andleaves her husband for a rich merchant.
Utterly disheartened, the husband asks only that she return the threedrops of blood that he had given to restore her life. The wife dies afterwardsand returns in the form of a mosquito, endlessly bothering her former husbandand trying to regain those three drops of blood.
This play is showcased via shadow puppetry, a traditional form of art that hasnot been performed regularly.
Construction of the two circuses is expected to be completed by November tomeet the schedule of the National Circus Festival held in HCM City later thisyear, The said.
Poor sound and lighting are among the significant challenges that the theatrehas encountered, together with a lack of human resources, he said.
This year, however, the theatre has received more attention from the HCM CityPeople’s Committee and the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, headded.
The upgraded circuses are not only ideal for circus but puppetry performances.
On a different note, the first Vietnam Puppetry Festival is being held on HCMCity’s Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street between August 16 and 18.
The event, directed by Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports andTourism Vuong Duy Bien, aims to preserve and bring puppetry art closer tothe general public and international tourists.
“Nguyen Hue street is a beautiful, open venue to hold the festival,” Bien said,hoping that it will be an annual event.
There will be a main stage performing both water and regular puppetry and fivesmall stages for rod string and other puppets. Other types of arts will also beperformed during the event.
The event has attracted participation of artists from the Vietnam PuppetryTheatre, Phuong Nam Art Theatre, Hai Phong Puppetry Theatre, Canh Dieu ArtTheatre, and Dong Nai Contemporary Art Theatre, among others.
Many children with disadvantaged backgrounds have been invited to join theopening night, organisers said.
About 50 scholarships, 50 bicycles and other gifts will be offered to some ofthem, they added.
HCM City authorities have also approved construction of a new multi-purposetheatre with 2,000 seats at Lu Gia residential area in District 11.
The new theatre will be equipped with international, modern facilities wherechairs can be hidden to expand the performance grounds, depending on the typeof performance.
The estimated construction cost is 1,500 billion VND (64 million USD),authorities said.-VNS/VNA
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