Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre stands at 57B Dinh Tien Hoang Street in Hoan Kiem, on the north-east corner of Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam. Water puppetry originated in the flooded rice fields of the Red River delta around the 11th century, and the Thang Long troupe is the best-known company performing it for visitors. Puppeteers stand waist-deep in water behind a bamboo screen, manipulating lacquered wooden figures on long submerged poles so that the puppets appear to move across the surface of the stage pool.

The show lasts 50 to 55 minutes and consists of a sequence of short folk vignettes. Scenes cover rice planting, fishing, buffalo herding, dragon dances, a phoenix and the legend of the restored sword, which is tied to Hoan Kiem Lake outside, and end with dancing fairies and dragons. A live orchestra sits to one side of the stage, playing traditional instruments including the dan bau monochord, bamboo flutes and drums, while singers in the cheo folk tradition narrate. There is no English dialogue, but printed synopses are handed out at the door, and the action is easy to follow without language.

Daily performances are typically at 15:00, 16:10, 17:20, 18:30 and 20:00, and the box office is open from 08:30 to 20:00. Tickets cost 100,000 VND for rear seats, 150,000 VND for middle and 200,000 VND for the front five rows, which are close enough to be splashed. A camera fee of 20,000 VND applies. High-season shows sell out, so booking a day or two ahead is sensible, and the 18:30 slot is usually the fullest. Earlier performances are generally less crowded.

The theatre is small and the hall can be warm, so visitors should arrive about 15 minutes early to choose a seat, ideally central. The performance is suitable for children, who usually enjoy the colourful puppets, and it needs no preparation. The theatre is directly on the lakeside road and can be reached on foot from anywhere in the Old Quarter, and it combines easily with a lake walk and Ngoc Son Temple.