Movie Talk

I once watched a dance troupe who did this puppet-dance drama.
I think they were visiting from another Asian country, can't remember which one exactly.
Well, they had this life-size dragon on stage and this dragon EATS UP this guy and they show the guy being eaten -- chomp, one leg gone, chomp, one hand gone, right there on stage. And finally only his head is left. The dragon plays around with it, shaking it here and there, then tosses it in the air and catches it in his mouth.
The whole guy then emerges from the dragon's tummy, at the end.
They didn't have any smoke or black outs or anything, this was all happening there in front of us and Mom and I kept muttering 'how are they DOING this?' and Dad hissed, 'Will you two just enjoy the story?'