July 22, 2012, Part 2
Since arriving in Vietnam we had heard about the traditional Vietnamese water puppet theater. We knew we definitely wanted to see a show while in Hanoi, and were so happy to be able to get tickets on our first evening there. Right after entering the building we saw posters explaining that if you wanted to take pictures or videos during the performance you could pay a little bit extra for a photo or video pass. The amount really wasn't much (an extra 20,000 dong ($1 US) for a photo pass and an extra 60,000 dong ($3 US) for a video pass), and we thought that was a great alternative to just saying "No Pictures or Videos" like many places do. I guess they know that tourists usually want to share interesting performances with their family and friends. We got bought a pass, and then found our seats, only a few rows up from the front.
The orchestra was small, and made up of very different Asian instruments. The musicians were dressed in traditional Vietnamese clothing and looked very professional. They played two introductory pieces before the puppet show started. During the performance, people behind a screen controlled the puppets, which were half submerged in water most of the time. For some of the short scenes, a woman playing with the orchestra up front also sang along, and a man backstage sang sometimes as well. They had really lovely voices and sang in a very Asian style. The performance was so neat to watch and very different from other traditional art forms. We were really glad we spent the $5 each to watch it. It was definitely a highlight of our trip!
Next up: Ha Long Bay
So cool. I want to see more.
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