It begins with a bird building a nest amongst the branches of a tree. Then the tree is cut down by someone who wants to build a house. So, the bird flies away, seeking a new nest to rest in. As the bird travels, the screen will show us not just the tree’s denizens, but also cityscapes, ecological disasters, airports, prisons, sidewalks, park benches, even the hands of immigrants clutching passports and spare change.

This wordless paper puppet show is part of the 2014 French Spring Festivals and sponsored by Institut Français Indonesia. This performance accompanied by musical poetry accompaniment that divided into several themes and variations. If there are words in this performance, then they are lyrics of a traditional Thai lullaby, “The Lonely Yellow Bird”. Beautifully sung, the lullaby is the inspiration of this performance.

Combining traditional Thai puppets and the technology of image projection, this seemingly simple puppet show becomes more captivating at each turn, inviting the audience to set their imaginations free.