OK, this is not, repeat, not a kids’ show. Despite the presence of cute, fluffy animals on stage, you’ll find that they mostly have an actor’s hand up their bum, and they probably swear just as much as you or I would if we found ourselves in the same situation.
As the title suggests, this is an improvised show, with the audience asked to shout out suggestions for the puppets to perform. Two or three puppeteers from the ten or so on stage are then called forward by the master of ceremonies to carry out each sketch.
There’s really two shows going on at once; the actors have a camera directly over the stage to which they perform, projecting just the puppets onto large screens at each side of the stage. You can either watch these ‘close-up’ screens, or you can follow the action and the puppeteers themselves by watching the stage as they jostle and interfere with each other (sometimes literally) underneath their puppets.
This is big, corporate humor (yup, with the Americanized spelling), as you’re advised at the start of the show that “merchandise is available for sale right after the show”. I know they’ve got a lot of people to pay here, and it’s all very slick and well produced, but it’s of questionable value at up to £20 per ticket for an hour’s entertainment.
You can see the show’s Muppet heritage, with some great puppets and a more grown-up sense of the same zany humour. It’s the kind of fun, feel-good night to take someone to on a second or third date (they might think you a bit weird if this was your first-date destination of choice), or it could be a good works night out after a few pints, with some pleasant, middle-of-the-road escapist comedy for all.
