This November, the National Science Museum in Pathum Thani will make an unlikely turn into a hub of cultural discovery where ancient art meets modern innovation.
Running from November 13 to 17, Harmony World Puppet Innovation Festival 2024 allows a glimpse at this centuries-old craft through a fresh prism of science, technology, and creative reinvention.
A spectacular blend of tradition with the latest innovations, the festival presents puppet performances, interactive exhibits, and hands-on workshops from around the world that invite visitors to join in a new dimension of storytelling.
As the name of this festival suggests, “harmony” is the essence of this celebration—harmony across cultures, art forms, and disciplines.
Running for five days across three venues within the National Science Museum, the event underlines how puppetry, notionally considered a rather innocuous form of entertainment, can be a forceful medium to convey more profound messages.
Each venue has been designed to reflect the different facets of puppetry's potential.
The Science Museum, for example, highlights how puppetry intersects with scientific discovery, showcasing exhibits that explore the history of puppets in relation to engineering, mechanical inventions, and automation.
The Information Technology Museum goes further into the future and takes an interesting look at how robotics and technology are informing puppetry evolution.
Last but not least, the King Rama IX Museum brings nature and environment into the fold, using puppetry as a tool for telling stories of plants, animals, and ecosystems—reminding visitors of the ever-pressing connection between human creativity and the world around us.
The performances, blending traditional and contemporary styles, come together to create a rich mix of stories from around the world, bringing cultures to life.
Thai puppetry forms the backbone of the festival, with many of the nation’s most celebrated troupes presenting their work.
Among them, the traditional Nang Yai shadow puppetry from Wat Ban Don stands out—a striking, large-scale form of storytelling where intricate leather puppets, illuminated by a single light source, cast dramatic shadows on a screen.
Thai Nang Yai shadow puppetry brings drama and enchantment to life, illuminated by a single light source.//Photo Courtesy of NSM Thailand Facebook page
Another highlight is Nang Talung from the Mahaflook Troupe of Phetchaburi, a southern Thai tradition that brings folk tales to life with delicate, hand-carved puppets.
Visitors can also experience the “Lao Wiang” puppetry from northern Thailand’s Khon Rak Hun Troupe, which brings ethnic traditions to life in a unique fusion of music, dance, and puppetry.
Beyond the Thai performances, the festival boasts a diverse array of international acts, each offering a unique cultural perspective.
This year, the Skybird Puppet from Hong Kong will entertain audiences with a traditional Chinese puppet show complete with boisterous clowns whose antics are sure to draw participation from the audience.
HTW Oo Myanmar from Thailand’s western neighbor will present string puppetry in a style typical of the country's classical pagoda festivals: the art of subtle manipulation of fine wood figures.
Meanwhile, Singapore’s Paper Monkey will take the festival audience to dreamland with its fantastic performance “My Cloud”, a puppet show inviting dream-like wandering.
Most interesting, however, is “Moondance”, a Canadian mobile shadow puppet show that narrates the story of a lonely young girl who, through magic, discovers the power of imagination and adventure.
“The Story of the Long-Gone Animals” opera, by Mahidol University and Sema Foundation, joins the puppet festival at the National Science Museum.//Photo Courtesy of NSM Thailand Facebook page
The portable nature of this performance, designed to perform anywhere, calls forth another layer of creativity in showing how an ancient art continues to adapt in today's world.
But while the performances themselves are undeniably one of the main attractions, there is something at this festival for the more hands-on enthusiast, too.
A number of interactive exhibitions and workshops invite visitors to explore the world of puppeteering on a much more personal level.
One of the highly anticipated exhibitions will be “A Life in Shadows” by the Australian photographer Constantine Korsovitis.
His remarkable photography captures the world of shadow puppetry through the lens of light and dark with incredibly evocative results.
Alternatively, visitors can get a glimpse of where art and technology meet in the Science & Culture in the World of Puppets exhibition, which merges traditional puppetry with modern developments such as clay animation and automata.
One can even try one's hand at making a stop-motion animation at a workshop led by the recognized animator Pong Tangthong, who will lead workshop participants through turning lifeless items into living things.
Playful souls will love the “LEGO Brick Challenge”, adding fun and competitiveness to the festival where teams of participants build robots using LEGO bricks, adding a dash of tech-savvy excitement to the event.
TYLTYL & MYTYL, a Bunraku-style performance based on “The Blue Bird” explores life’s universal questions.//Photo Courtesy of NSM Thailand Facebook page
Complementing the workshops on traditional toys and shadow puppet shows are other interactive stations where one can try one's hands at some of the crafts seen on stage and around the exhibits.
Harmony World Puppet Innovation Festival 2024 invites you to look at the world from a different perspective—one that speaks of innovation, creativity, and cultural exchange.
The Harmony World Puppet Innovation Festival 2024 presents interactive workshops, exploring a global dimension of storytelling. Photo/ Courtesy of NSM Thailand Facebook page
Whether you like art, technology or are just seeking a different cultural experience, this festival offers something across borders, generations, and art forms.
It's a celebration of storytelling in its most universal form, but one that reminds us of that eternal need of man to be creative, to entertain and to connect.
Planning Your Visit
Located at Khlong 5 (pronounced “Khlong Ha”) in Pathum Thani province, the National Science Museum is part of the Technopolis, home to the Natural History Museum, Rama IX Museum and Information Technology Museum.
To reach Thailand's National Science Museum, you can take the Red Line rail service from Krung Thep Aphiwat to Rangsit station.
Once there, take a taxi or Grab vehicle (30 mins) to the museum.
For those planning to attend, tickets and event details can be found on the festival’s Facebook pages, including NSMThailand and Harmony Puppet Thailand on Facebook, and on the website www.nsm.or.th.
