At home with the water puppets (p.m). Water puppet theatre of Phan Thanh Liêm
May 9 @ 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
350,000VND
Back in 2018 we met Mr Liêm and visited his home water puppet theatre in Xa Dan street. 8 years has passed and we have reconnected with him since he opened a 2nd theatre experience at his parent’s home in Long Bien, so this time we are going there.
Liêm and his wife are instrumental in keeping the art of water puppetry alive through their 2 little at home theatres. The top floor has a mini stage decorated with artificial banyan trees, bamboo trees and a pond. It can seat an audience of 15-20 pax. Liêm and his wife stage a 20 min show, including lion dances, buffalo fighting, rice farming and boat racing. We have a chance to hold the puppets and see how they work, chat to one of the modern-day masters of the water puppet art, learn how his family has kept the art alive throughout the generations, plus he explains how he makes all his puppets.
Born into a family with a tradition of performing water puppetry in Nam Dinh, Liêm acquired a passion for this folk art in his childhood. And he shares this with us in the house – which is totally taken over by water puppets.
Agenda. This is an afternoon event for a few hours. Liêm will explain about his family tradition of water puppetry and look round his display of puppets, followed by a 20 min water puppet show in the little theatre.
Numbers: we need about 8-10 pax for this event to take place in order to cover Liêm’s set price which cannot be negotiated **
Price: please pay on arrival in cash, but could from VND 280,000 to VND 350,000 pp depending how many sign up**
Venue: address and how to get here will be in the welcome email sent to those confirmed on this afternoon event. It is in Thạch Bàn, past Aeon Mall, in Long Bien, off Cổ Linh, about 8km from the centre of Hanoi (very easy to get here by bus, as well as taxis etc.)
RSVP to stella@fvheritage.org and please include your mobile number
Vietnamese with FVH committee interpretation as Liêm doesn’t speak ENG.
