Inspired by Vietnamese water puppetry, Mưa is a ‘movement opera’ turning an age-old practice into a modern form. Múa rối nước, literally ‘making puppets dance on water’, is a tradition dating back as far as the 11th century when it originated in the villages of the Red River Delta area of northern Vietnam.

​

Setting the space for Mưa is a miniaturised theatre filled with water. The characters appear under different identities as performers, puppets or apparitions.

​

The people who created water puppetry were farmers: when the rice fields would flood, the villagers would entertain each other using this form of play. Such tradition is deep rooted in Vietnamese popular culture evoking themes of countryside.

​

This is the backdrop of Mưa, looking at a world long gone from our 21st-century perspective. As the world changes and evolves, artists and scientists find new ways to understand it. Mưa endeavours to examine life experience through music, movement and a 1,000 year-old tradition originated in the deepest rural areas of Vietnam.

​

Mưa was selected through this year's open call. The project is being created by award-winning choreographer and director Dam Van Huynh and composer Dai Fujikura.

Performing forces: 2 singers, dancer, puppeteer

​

ABOUT THE ARTISTS' WORK

“Van Huynh has found his own very stylised world, and has perfected the art of drawing an audience into it.”
Critical Dance