 Artisan Nguyen Thanh Lai, head of the Luy Lau puppetry troupe, introduces water puppets to schoolchildren. (Photo: Thanh Thuong/VNA) |
On a stage set up in the village pond, a puppet climbs an areca tree made of bamboo and picks areca nuts and betel leaves. At the pond’s edge, male and female singers perform Quan Ho folk songs while offering betel trays to guests.
Behind the stage, a tall artisan plays a drum while reciting dialogue as the puppets act out various folk tales. He is Nguyen Thanh Lai, head of the Luy Lau puppetry troupe. Lai, one of the best-known water puppet artisans in Vietnam, has worked to preserve and promote this traditional art form in Dong Ngu village.
"I fell in love with puppetry when I was a child. I love singing and performing. As I grew up, I did many jobs, but puppetry obsessed me. I gave up everything and took this art form up. It’s what I was born to do,” said Lai.
When he was young, Nguyen Thanh Lai spent his free time watching locals perform with the puppets. Then he became an integral member of the Dong Ngu puppetry guild. In 2009, he founded the Luy Lau puppetry troupe and the Luy Lau folk culture cconservation area to promote puppetry. From 10 members the troupe has grown to more than 30. They perform hundreds of shows a year in Dong Ngu and elsewhere.
"Our puppetry is one of a kind. We blend water puppetry with Quan Ho singing and integrate both with Dong Ho folk paintings. The puppets themselves reflect the aesthetics and spirit of Quan Ho and Dong Ho paintings. For example, the ‘Rat’s Wedding’ tale depicted in Dong Ho paintings is similar to our play ‘Returning in Glory’. We also have ‘Betel Offering’ and ‘Swinging’ which closely resemble Quan Ho folk songs,” said Lai.
When not performing, Lai spends his time crafting puppets. According to Lai, in addition to its performance style and scripts, each troupe distinguishes itself through its puppets. Besides the usual puppets like the buffalo and Teu the clown,
Dong Ngu puppets feature characters from the ‘Rat’s Wedding’ and dragon boats carrying Quan Ho singers. Each intricate puppet uses a sophisticated mechanical system to move gracefully and climb using both hands and feet. Most of the Luy Lau troupe’s puppets are handcrafted by Lai himself.
"The puppets are controlled either by strings or by rods. The string method is no longer popular, but at Luy Lau we still use strings for several actions, including setting up ceremonial gates, waving flags, sending puppets far out across the water, and making them climb areca trees. This requires extreme skill on the part of the artists," Lai said.
 A variety of intricate and finely crafted puppets are made by Dong Ngu artisans. (Photo: Pham Hang/ arttimes.vn) |
Lai is particularly focused on finding young talents to pass the tradition to. Puppetry is demanding – it requires standing in water for hours – so a genuine passion for water puppetry is crucial.
"Nguyen Thanh Lai is passionately devoted to water puppetry. It's a very difficult art, not something everyone can do. Lai often stays up all night thinking about new puppets or stories. He’s the person who has revitalized water puppetry," said puppeteer Tran Thi Tuyen.
Nguyen Duc Lai, another puppeteer who works for the Luy Lau troupe, praised Nguyen Thanh Lai for his commitment to the traditional water puppetry. “When you're passionate, you just dive into the work, try to attract an audience, and let them experience the magic of water puppetry. He’s the person who has kept this art alive."