The 1,000 year-old folk art form of water puppetry spins the traditional stories and folk melodies of Vietnam into a lavish, over-the-top spectacle: multi-colored phoenixes and copper turtles, fantastical jumping fish, pirouetting dragons spouting water. The Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theatre of Saigon perform alongside the 7-member orchestra Rup Tung Cack–the Vietnamese description of drums beating–whose distinct blend of rural and contemporary Vietnam showcases the country’s colorful heritage. Featuring more than 15 different instruments, including gongs, kettle drums, bamboo flutes, zithars, and two-stringed violins, Rup Tung Cack’s arrangements help the puppets come vividly to life in this truly magical show, a rare treat for North American audiences (last seen in Seattle in 2002) and appropriate for all ages.
