Puppeteer pulls at heartstrings

Practicing the complicated art form for years, young actor performs one-man show, Chen Nan reports.

In a dimly lit theater, shadows dance against the stark stage. A young actor, clad in black, stands alone, barely visible, as anticipation fills the room. The stage is shrouded in darkness, save for a spotlight highlighting the actor's hands, skillfully manipulating puppet strings.

The puppets, of various sizes and styles, glide gracefully through the darkness. The actor's movements are fluid and precise, bringing them to life with an almost magical display.

The darkness serves as a canvas, allowing the puppet stories to unfold vividly against the shadows, captivating the audience with their enchanting movements.

The young actor is 33-year-old Hong Jindiao. His one-man show Riding Alone features over 20 handmade puppets of four types — string, glove, stick and shadow puppets. Hong narrates the show, sings, and manipulates his puppets to the rhythms of Chinese instruments.

"Everything I have learned since I was a teenager is showcased in this production. Though it's a one-man show, I am not alone onstage, as I am accompanied by the puppets," says Hong, who staged Riding Alone in Beijing on Sept 6 as part of the 17th Beijing Fringe Festival, which runs until Oct 7.

Initiated by pioneering theater director Meng Jinghui, the festival features 15 theatrical productions by young talents, 17 script reading events, two forums and three screenings.

One of the puppets Hong displayed onstage is Guan Yu, the legendary general of the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). Symbolizing traditional Chinese values like loyalty and righteousness, he serves as one of the leading roles in Hong's show. The puppet is based on the long-bearded warrior often portrayed in TV shows, movies and traditional Chinese operas — green robe, reddish face and armed with the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, a double-edged blade on the end of a pole.

While telling a well-known excerpt from the literary classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms by 14th-century Chinese writer Luo Guanzhong, in which Guan rides alone on a long journey to fulfill his promise, Hong also presents his own journey. With over 20 years of puppetry experience, he explores self-discovery, learning and performing experiences, inner struggles, personal growth, and the bond between puppetry masters and their students.

It's not the first time Hong has brought Riding Alone to Beijing. In 2023, the show was staged at the inaugural International Monodrama Festival at the Drum Tower West Theatre, a popular venue in downtown Beijing, and later toured nationwide with over 30 shows. From July 31 to Aug 4, the show was performed at the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. On Friday, it was presented at the IV International Puppet Theatre Festival "BalticPuppetwhirl" in Vyborg, Russia.

"His solid puppeteering techniques remind me of Chinese kung fu, which takes years to learn and practice. I am touched by the power he delivered in the show," says director Ding Yiteng.

"The puppets on Hong's hands are alive onstage. I was particularly touched when he ended the show by taking a bow not only to the audience but also to the puppets. He respects and loves the old art form," says Li Ting, initiator of the annual Daliangshan International Theater Festival that takes place at the foot of Daliangshan Mountain, Sichuan province.