For as fun as it can be to watch puppet shows such as The Muppets, it's easy to forget just how difficult, uncomfortable and exhausting the performance art of puppetry can be. After all, puppeteers have to be sure that their puppets perform well while they themselves remain hidden--concealed behind or inside a wide variety of objects--during live performances, sometimes for hours at a time. If you're wondering what that does to a puppeteer's fragile mind, then the live improv show of Stuffed and Unstrung is for you.
I heard about Stuffed and Unstrung the other day because there was a performance of it here this week (which I missed, unfortunately), so I thought I'd spread the word for those of you who might be interested when the show appears near you. Stuffed and Unstrung is a touring performance that's produced by Henson Alternative, a label from The Jim Henson Company that's geared exclusively towards adult audiences. The show consists of six puppeteers who use a large selection of puppets to perform improv comedy skits based on suggestions from the audience. While there are video screens present to show the comedy as it is performed by the puppets, the audience can simultaneously see the puppeteers controlling the puppets on the stage. While the comedy inevitably veers into adult territory, Stuffed and Unstrung is not so much of a parody of wholesome puppet shows like Sesame Street (such as Avenue Q) as it is a showcase of how puppetry and puppeteers excel at absurd, bizarre comedy.
Click here to visit the official Stuffed and Unstrung site, which includes video clips, pictures, articles, a schedule of upcoming performances, and a message from Brian Henson himself.
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