The A O Show is a modern circus and theatre production that turns everyday Vietnamese rural life into movement. There is no spoken story to follow. Instead, performers climb, balance, spin and leap through scenes of rice planting, market days, fishing and festivals, and the main prop is bamboo in many forms: poles, baskets, hoops, boats and even the frames of houses. Acrobatic skill and contemporary dance sit side by side, and live and recorded music keeps the pace moving. The show has played in Saigon and abroad. The Saigon Opera House that hosts it is itself a sight, a French colonial theatre from the end of the nineteenth century at the top of Dong Khoi, with an ornate facade and a lit-up front after dark. The product we link is a one-hour show ticket with a guide, a car pick-up and drop-off. That makes it a smooth choice if you would rather not worry about finding the theatre or a ride home in the dark.
How it works
You book the show with a car pick-up and drop-off, and a guide takes care of the logistics. The performance runs for about an hour. The product page states the inclusions as the tour guide and the car transfers, and it carries a rating of 4.4 from fourteen reviews. Dates and performance times depend on the Opera House programme, so check the schedule for your travel dates at checkout and pick the time that fits your dinner plans.
What to expect
The theatre is a proper proscenium hall, so seating is tiered and the view is good from most places. The performance is physical rather than literary, which is why it works for visitors with no Vietnamese and for mixed-age groups. Look for the bamboo set pieces, because they carry the show's best moments, and keep an eye on the musicians.
The acrobatics can be very close, so a seat nearer the middle gives the best view. The show is more art than spectacle, and the tone is warm and humorous more than epic.
Making the most of it
The Opera House is in the middle of the Dong Khoi sightseeing area, so you can fit in a late afternoon walk past the Central Post Office and Notre-Dame Cathedral, a dinner on the nearby streets and then the show. The cheaper and more traditional alternative is the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Show. If you like the idea of a whole evening, you could do the A O Show one night and the puppets another. Dress is smart casual, and the hall is air-conditioned, so bring a light layer.
A practical note on planning
Saigon evenings are warm and traffic can slow a car to a crawl around the centre at rush hour, so treat the pick-up time as the fixed point of your evening and eat either well before or well after the show. If you have a long day of sightseeing behind you, the seated, air-conditioned hour is a welcome rest, and it is also a gentle way to introduce teenagers to live performance. Travellers who like to compare, note that the water puppets are folk theatre with live narration in Vietnamese, while this show is contemporary and physical.
What to expect
The experience
A wordless one-hour performance of acrobatics, bamboo props and contemporary dance, with a guide and a car pick-up and drop-off included.
Best time
Choose an evening performance and pair it with a walk through Dong Khoi and Lam Son Square beforehand.
How long
About an hour for the show, plus transfers.
Tips
Check performance dates at checkout, arrive a little early for seating and take a light layer for the cool hall.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Visitors who want a modern, language-free show with strong physical skill and a warm touch of Vietnamese village life.
- Families
- A good fit for children and teenagers who like acrobatics, since there is no language to follow.
- Couples
- A polished evening out in a colonial theatre, easy to combine with dinner on Dong Khoi.
- Pair with
- The Central Post Office and Notre-Dame earlier in the day, and the Skydeck or a dinner cruise on another evening.
- Time needed
- About two hours door to door including the transfer.
Good questions
How long is the A O Show?+
The performance lasts about one hour.
Do I need to speak Vietnamese to enjoy it?+
No. The show has no spoken story, and the acrobatics, the bamboo staging and the music carry the scenes.
Where is the A O Show performed?+
At the Saigon Opera House, the French colonial theatre at the top of Dong Khoi Street in District 1.
What does the ticket include?+
A guide and a car pick-up and drop-off are part of the product we link, along with the show ticket.
Is the A O Show suitable for children?+
Yes, most children enjoy the acrobatics and the bamboo props, though the hour is a long sit for the very young.
