The Hunan Puppet Theatre of China
18 January 1983 – 22 January 1983 St Martins Theatre
The Hunan Puppet Theatre of China, The Australian International Puppet Festival, Marionette Theatre of Australia, Victorian Arts Centre,
Puppetry
The Hunan Puppet Theatre traveled to Melbourne with 17 puppeteers and their famous rod puppets, which have been popular in China for over 2000 years. The Company performed morning and evening shows of "The Golden Spirit", a love story about a poor student whose fiance's father refuses to let them marry because of his lack of wealth. The student lives in a hut by a pond, and the spirit of a golden carp from the pond assumes the shape of his bride. Other spirits from the pond assume human shape to aid the lovers before the story is resolved with a happy ending.