Shadow of the Puppets takes the stage in Hanoi
The Vietnam National Theatre Drama will perform the play Shadow of the Puppets on March 17.
The play was penned by author and art critic Vu Hoang Hoa who currently lives in Sydney. It was officially nominated for the 2023 Patrick White Award for scripts organised annually by Sydney Theatre.
Shadow of the Puppets is a profound meditation on family pain, same-sex love and the struggle to live as one's true self. In each person, there are always hidden corners, deep secrets that they always keep hidden. The tragic story of an unhappy family opens up human problems throughout society.
The performance uses puppets and puppetry, including the beautiful art of 'shadow puppetry'. Puppets and people have blended together on stage, being the character's body and soul, the light and dark sides, the pain and joy being released.
The performance is full of novelty in its expression. From the content to the staging, they play has a contemporary breath, breaking all traditional theatre rules. For nearly 120 minutes, the performance leads viewers through life's stages, back to the past, to illuminate the present through beautiful visual displays and physical dances that are sometimes lyrical and profound, sometimes turbulent and explosive.
The play’s director Ta Tuan Minh won Director Award at the 2020 Theatre Festival. The play’s producers include choreographer Nguyen Duy Thanh, puppet director Le Chi Kien and puppet designer Nguyen Xuan Long.
