VietNamNet Bridge – A Vietnamese puppet play, entitled “Toad sues against God,” was performed in Berlin, Germany last week. The show was warmly welcomed by German children and their parents.

Eckhard Greiner (left) and Luise Laehneman introduced the puppet play to the audience.

“Toad sues against God” is a Vietnamese tale, in which ugly and small toads dare to go to Heaven to sue God for the drought in the lower world. This story implies the Vietnamese people’s effort and steadfast will in drought prevention.

That is the introduction of the one-hour puppet play by puppeteer, Eckhard Greiner, to a German audience. The play was performed with the accompaniment of Vietnamese folk music, played by bamboo flutes, mono chord and t’rung. The two puppeteers, Eckhard Greiner and Luise Laehnman, attracted the audience’s attention by their emotive voices.

Eckhard has been interested in Vietnamese water puppetry for a long time. He has traveled between Vietnam and Germany several times to research water puppetry and purchase equipment for his puppet play.

Eckhard and his co-workers have spent several years to prepare for this play. Manh Hung, a Vietnamese-German, who is in charge of music, said he spent six months to practice and combine music with the play.

This puppet show will come to every corner of Germany.

In this puppet play, Eckhard Greiner plays God, and Luise Laehneman plays the toad. Tran Phuong Hoa and Manh Hung were in charge of music. Do Thi Hoang Lan translated the Vietnamese story into German. Henrike Kochta created puppets, costumes and directed the show.

(Source: Tien Phong)