Puppets offer mirth, mystery and audience interaction

Puppetry these days appeals mostly to preschool children, but the Shanghai Puppet Theater is trying to come up with new plays that appeal to older children and their parents.Colorful morning performances of "The Monkey King Subdues the White Skeleton Demon" will be performed on November 19 and 26 and on December 3 at the Shanghai Puppet Theater on Nanjing Road W.Puppetry - hand puppets, string puppets, rod puppets and shadow play - have entertained people for more than 2,000 years in China. The puppet master's art was highly sophisticated and puppets themselves were painstakingly made and considered works of art. Many of them still are.The playfulness of puppet shows, the mystery of how the characters move, and the interactions with the audience are special elements that cannot be found in other entertainment.Though generations of people grew up watching puppet shows, today's digital media and technologies and pop culture have swept away all but the vestiges of many forms of traditional theater.It's a difficult time, but also one of challenge and possibilities.Yu Yinong from the Shanghai Puppet Theater is directing an hourlong play "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King." It is to be performed next year during the Labor Day Holiday in May and Children's Day in June.Yu heads one of four troupes in the theater with a total crew of 50.