Water-stage used in puppetry art performances is a special thing of water puppetry art. The actions of puppets do not only depend on pole-and-string apparatus but also on the force of water as well as the system of rudders and floats in a “controlling machine” of the puppets.
Plastic art has always played an important part in puppetry art performance, making up more 60% – 70% than the puppets. Characters of water puppetry have the same opinions: The personality of characters is clear, dull and quaint.
In the water puppetry art, music is an indispensable factor which not only plays the role as bridge between two items but also affects the atmosphere of the shows. The rhythm acts directly on the puppeteers’ control of puppets. Music plays the important role to show clearly personality and actions… of puppets, inspiring and attracting the audiences.
The main music used in the water puppetry performance is music of Cheo which is the specific traditional art in the Northern plain. In addition to instrumentalists, there are Cheo singers. Music, songs, words in combination with movements of puppets lead the audiences to understand plays… aiming at summarized introduction of cultural values, customs, and festivals featured by national characters in Red River delta.
The main musical instruments used in the water puppetry art are: drum, two-stringed fiddle, flute, drum kit, 16-chord zither or monochord. In the water puppetry performance, many kinds of firecrackers were also used such as crackers, fireworks, powder-filled paper strings, duck-shape firecrackers. The explosion and miracle light of fireworks made the performance more attractive.