ThingsAsianWater Puppet Performance: The Cast
by Lisa Spivey/Albert Wen, Oct 1, 1999 | Destinations: Vietnam / Hanoi
The puppeteers line up in front of the screen at the end of the performance.
Image © 2000 Lisa Spivey
The puppets in a water puppet show are carved out of fig wood. They are nearly three feet tall and can weigh up to 35 pounds. The puppeteers, who stand in the water behind a screen, control the puppets with a rod-and string mechanism. The rods are bamboo poles 12 to 15 feet long. The more complicated puppets are controlled by several puppeteers at the same time.
