Modern water puppetry is performed in a pool of water four meters square, with the water surface being the stage. Performance today occurs in one of three settings—on traditional ponds in villages, where a staging area has been set up; on portable tanks built for traveling performers; or in a specialized building where a pool stage has been constructed. Up to eight puppeteers stand behind a split-bamboo screen, decorated to resemble a temple facade, and control the puppets using long bamboo rods and string mechanism hidden beneath the water surface. The puppets are carved out of wood and often weigh up to . Rice, the main staple of the Vietnamese diet, is usually grown in paddy fields. The original water puppet festivals were literally held inside a rice paddy, with a pagoda built on top to hide the puppeteers who stand in the waist-deep water. The water acts as the stage for the puppets and as a symbolic link to the rice harvest. It also hides the puppet strings and puppeteer movements, improves the musical and vocal acoustics, and provides a shimmering lighting effect. A traditional Vietnamese orchestra provides background music accompaniment. The instrumentation includes vocals, drums, wooden bells, cymbals, horns,
đàn bầu (monochord),
gongs, and bamboo flutes. The bamboo flute's clear, simple notes may accompany royalty, while the drums and cymbals may loudly announce a fire-breathing dragon's entrance. Singers of
chèo (a form of opera originating in northern Vietnam) sing songs that tell the story being acted out by the puppets. The musicians and the puppets interact during the performance; the musicians may yell a word of warning to a puppet in danger or a word of encouragement to one in need. The puppets enter from either side of the stage or emerge from the murky depths of the water. Spotlights and colorful flags adorn the stage and create a festive atmosphere. ==Content==