Tourism keeps water puppets afloat

HANOI - In a darkened theater in central Hanoi, a wooden dragon emerges from a pool to the sound of cymbals crashing in a traditional water puppet show that lures hundreds of tourists daily but is largely shunned by locals.

Backstage behind a thin bamboo screen, around 20 puppeteers slosh around waist-deep in rubber overalls wielding the marionettes with long rods.

"The puppets are pretty heavy ... and the water also creates resistance," said puppeteer Nguyen Thu Hoai, who swapped her galoshes for flipflops between sold-out shows.