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Playable heritage game

Water puppet pond theatre

Also known as Múa rối nước

In the villages of the Red River delta, wooden puppets glide across a flooded pond while performers stand waist-deep behind a hanging mat. The tales are of farmers, fishermen and buffaloes, told with music and jokes.

Play the previewAbout this tradition
Water puppet pond theatre: photograph by Francisco Anzola
Photo: Francisco Anzola, CC BY 2.0, source on Wikimedia Commons
Water puppet pond theatre: the game in attract modeLive previewPlay

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How to play

  1. Read the scene and choose what the villagers do.
  2. Wit finds the plan; teamwork makes it work.
  3. Be patient: a rushed idea often costs more rice.
  4. Reach the last scene to see your stars.
Rules at a glance
  • Force rarely moves a buffalo.
  • Neighbours working together make more than one person alone.
  • Some endings are kinder than others.

About the tradition

Water puppetry grew up in the flooded rice fields of northern Vietnam, where villagers performed on ponds. Lacquered wooden puppets are moved by long hidden rods and strings, worked by performers standing in the water behind a hanging mat, with singing and an orchestra. A jester called Teu introduces the scenes and comments on village life.

Origins

Usually placed in the era of Classical Worlds (about 1000 BCE to 500 CE), although its exact origins are uncertain, within the cultural world of Southeast Asia and the Islands.

Credits

Sources

Get the app

Water puppet pond theatre is one of 10 stories and theatre games in the Story & Theatre of the World app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Submitted to the App Store and Google Play; in review. Store links appear here the day it goes live. One app, many traditions, no account needed.

See all 10 stories and theatre games in the app

In review on theApp StoreIn review on theGoogle Play

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