By Cherry Thein

THE Yangon-based Htwe Oo Myanmar traditional puppet troupe performed at a puppet festival in Sweden last week and is due to move on to another festival in Cambodia this weekend.

The troupe – consisting of puppeteers U Ye Dway, U Maung Kyi, U Tun Kyi, Daw Cho Cho San and U Khin Maung Htwe – performed at the 19th Interdock International Puppet Theatre Festival, held in Lund, Sweden, from September 24 to 28.

“The festival is only for puppet shows and performances,” U Khin Maung Htwe told The Myanmar Times before the troupe departed for Sweden. “We received our invitation last year from an organiser of the festival.”

The troupe is also due to perform at an international art festival at Lakhaon Theatre in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from October 3 to 9.

U Khin Maung Htwe said performers from Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Canada and France will also take part in the festival in Phnom Penh.

The troupe has also performed this year at Dubai Summer Surprise 2008 in August, he said.

“The Dubai audience showed great appreciation and admiration for our show. It gave us a lot of strength. I feel great elation knowing that our traditional puppet shows can earn such appreciation,” U Khin Maung Htwe said.

However, he said that it was important to maintain traditional puppet theatre as an art form, especially since its popularity has long been in decline in Myanmar.

“Locals are most responsible for keeping this art alive. We should cherish our own culture,” he said.

U Khin Maung Htwe said that after the troupe returned from its overseas excursion next month, it would focus on organising more performances in Myanmar at suitable venues.

View Original Article @ Myanmar Times