Vietnamese themes and culture come to life in a show of acrobatics, bamboo cirque, contemporary dance and folk instruments, on stage in Saigon’s turn of the century Opera House.
-
Ad Explore Hanoi's vibrant street food scene
on this 3.5 hour bike trip. From US$36
Developed in 2009, A O Show was the first production, and introduced Ho Chi Minh City to amazing feats, turning simple things like bamboo and iconic bamboo fishing baskets into a circus art. Now A O Show frequently tours the world and other productions have been introduced. We were disappointed to learn we couldn’t see the original but that was soon forgotten once the curtain went up for Teh Dar; we loved every minute of it.
Time for a show? Photo: Cindy Fan
Teh Dar draws its inspiration from a few tribal groups of Vietnam’s Central Highlands. The live performance features both male and female acrobats, dancers, musicians and singers with mesmerising choreography. The production does play up the “exoticism” but it’s hard not to get swept up in the feeling of curiosity and mysticism, especially since they’ve taken gongs and drums, traditional instruments of the Central Highlands, and upped the ante with intense percussion paired with physical theatre.
What we enjoyed was that there was still a narrative—it wasn’t just people doing impressive tricks, though there was plenty of that. There were interludes of song and joyful moments of humour, where despite not knowing the language, the audience could still connect with it. The only downside is the lack of pamphlet or poster to give an overview, something you would expect of any theatrical production. The show draws from symbols of the Central Highlands—Rong houses, jar wine, gongs—and the average theatregoer may not understand their ... please log in to read the rest of this story.
Don’t miss the boat!
Please subscribe to Travelfish.org to read the rest of this article, or log in here.
Subscribing to Travelfish costs A$35 per year and it gets you access to more than 200 downloadable guides to specific destinations, fabulous discount coupons and 50% off our personalised travel planning service. Sign up here.
By
Cindy Fan.
Last updated on 26th August, 2017.
-
Ad 2D/1N tour of the Mekong Delta including
Cai Rang floating market. From US$55
Location map for A O Show and Teh Dar at Saigon Opera House
Start planning your holiday today
Sent every Monday, our newsletter is full of travel advice, news & special deals. Read past issues.
Popular attractions in Ho Chi Minh City
A selection of some of our favourite sights and activities around Ho Chi Minh City.
Best places to stay in Ho Chi Minh City
A selection of some of our favourite places to stay in Ho Chi Minh City.
What next?
Browse our independent reviews of places to stay in and around Ho Chi Minh City.
Check prices, availability & reviews on Agoda or Booking
Read up on where to eat on Ho Chi Minh City.
Check out our listings of things to do in and around Ho Chi Minh City.
Read up on how to get to Ho Chi Minh City, or book your transport online with Baolau.
Do you have travel insurance yet? If not, find out why you need it.
Planning on riding a scooter in Ho Chi Minh City? Please read this.
Browse the web securely while travelling with TunnelBear. Try with a 7–day free trial.