HCM City is seeing positive changes to the local puppetry scene, according to authorities.

A scene of shadow puppetry, a traditional form of art that has not been performed regularly.

Phương Nam Art Theatre, for example, recently renovated its two circuses in Gò Vấp District’s Gia Định Park and District 11’s Lữ Gia residential area.

“During the two locations’ maintenance period, circus and puppetry shows are still being performed via small tours held locally and in neighbouring areas,” Meritorious Artist Nguyễn Đức Thế, director of the Phương Nam Art Theatre, said.  

On the occasion of Mid-Autumn Festival and the International Puppetry Festival in Hà Nội in October, the theatre will stage new puppetry plays.

Sự Tích Con Muỗi (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 wife suddenly passes away, the husband is told by a god to save his wife by giving away three drops of his blood. The resurrected wife later cheats on him and leaves her husband for a rich merchant.

Utterly disheartened, the husband asks only that she return the three drops of blood that he had given to restore her life. The wife dies afterwards and returns in the form of a mosquito, endlessly bothering her former husband and trying to regain those three drops of blood.

This play is showcased via shadow puppetry, a traditional form of art that has not been performed regularly.

Construction of the two circuses is expected to be completed by November to meet the schedule of the National Circus Festival held in HCM City later this year, Thế said.

Poor sound and lighting are among the significant challenges that the theatre has encountered, together with a lack of human resources, he said.

This year, however, the theatre has received more attention from the HCM City People’s Committee and the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, he added.

The upgraded circuses are not only ideal for circus but puppetry performances.

On a different note, the first Việt Nam Puppetry Festival is being held on HCM City’s Nguyễn Huệ Pedestrian Street between August 16 and 18.

The event, directed by deputy minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vương Duy Biên, aims to preserve and bring puppetry art closer to the general public and international tourists.

“Nguyễn Huệ Street is a beautiful, open venue to hold the festival,” Biên said, hoping that it will be an annual event.

There will be a main stage performing both water and regular puppetry and five small stages for rod string and other puppets. Other types of arts will also be performed during the event.

The event has attracted participation of artists from Việt Nam Puppetry Theatre, Phương Nam Art Theatre, Hải Phòng Puppetry Theatre, Cánh Diều Art Theatre, and Đồng Nai Contemporary Art Theatre, among others.

Many children with disadvantaged backgrounds have been invited to join the opening night, organisers said.

About 50 scholarships, 50 bicycles and other gifts will be offered to some of them, they added.

HCM City authorities have also approved construction of a new multi-purpose theatre with 2,000 seats at Lữ Gia residential area in District 11.

The new theatre will be equipped with international, modern facilities where chairs can be hidden to expand the performance grounds, depending on the type of performance.

The estimated construction cost is VNĐ1,500 billion (US$64 million), authorities said.— VNS