VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City has two new venues for puppetry and circus art at Tran Huu Trang Theatre and Children’s House of HCM City.

Modern space: The Children’s House of HCM City on 169 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in District 3 is one of the two new venues for puppet and circus shows. --  VNA/VNS Photo

Most of the puppet performances will be held at Tran Huu Trang Theatre on 136 Tran Hung Dao Street in District 1 at 9:30 am every Saturday and Sunday.

Nguyen Duc The, director of Southern Arts Theatre, said that puppet artists have had few opportunities to perform due to the lack of venues and expensive rental costs since the city’s puppet and circus teams began working together two years ago.

Now that Tran Huu Trang Theatre has lent its support, more children will be able to enjoy their shows.

The latest one-hour puppet play Huyen Thoai Bien (Sea Legend), whose plot is inspired from Ong lao danh ca va con ca vang (The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish) and Nang tien ca (Mermaid), will be staged as well as other plays.

Children’s tickets are VND70,000 (US$3) each, while an adult ticket is VND100,000 ($4.4).

“I’m so excited for the puppet show. It’s been many years since I last went to a show and I want my daughter to experience one of our country’s important signatures,” Thanh Tam, 59, told Viet Nam News.

The Children’s House of HCM City at 169 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street in District 3 will hold mostly circus performances at 9:30 am every Saturday and Sunday and at 7:30 pm every Saturday.

The first show is set to be held on July 22, with “Clown Festival” being the main theme.

The 90-minute show will be performed by artists from Mat Troi Do (Red Sun) and Bau Troi Xanh (Blue Sky) circus teams.

A children’s ticket is VND70,000 ($3), while an adult ticket is VND120,000 ($5.3).

Artist Phi Vu said that though the two venues were not meant for professional puppet and circus shows, they provide opportunities for artists to showcase their talents, especially to the younger generation.

He added that bigger shows with different themes would be held in the future.

The said that he had been seeking city approval to build a temporary venue for puppet and circus shows with 600 seats on Lu Gia Street in District 11, while waiting for the permanent one that will be built next year. He added that he would have mobile stages to encourage artists to go on tours.

VNS