The Devil In Miss Piggy?
Say it ain't so. "Adult" shows starring the Muppets? By the actual people behind the Muppets? As in not a spoof?
Even Miss Piggy would blush over the antics of "Jim Henson's Puppet Improv" that is spearheading a renaissance of puppet shows for grown-ups.
At this year's Edinburgh Fringe arts festival, there are more puppet shows listed for adults than for children.
"That really pleases me," said the late Jim Henson's son Brian, director of the Muppet Christmas and Treasure Island movies now revelling in the freedom of performing for adults only.
Every afternoon at the Fringe, his anarchic troupe of puppeteers do an improvisational show for kids. Every evening the air turns blue for the show that takes off into surreal flights of fancy dictated by the audience.
"It is lovely to do a show where you can go wherever your brain takes you," said Henson, winding down after a show in which the audience asked the puppeteers to play half a dozen hot dog puppets auditioning to be Ricky Martin's backup singers.
But would father have approved?
"I think he would have loved it because of how outrageous I get. My Dad really believed in community and sweetness but the other side of him was incredibly naughty.
"He always said the only reason we did this was those moments where it is like laughing in church. It becomes so infectious you cannot stop laughing."
Henson, who first performed the improvisation show in Aspen and Hollywood, would like to develop it into a TV show. Two other projects he is working on are also just for adults.
Well, there goes Sesame Street. Somehow, I really wouldn't want kids watching Behind the Green Frog.
UPDATE: We sent our investigative reporter from Magic 8-Ball Wireservice and Pool Cleaning to get reaction from the founder of the Muppets, the late Jim Henson.
Jim Henson, RIP RPM
By Tom, Thursday, 10 August , 2006 @ 4:58 pm
So Henson’s son is doing puppet shows for adults. Big deal. And why would Jim Henson care? Slow news day I guess.
By Gaius, Thursday, 10 August , 2006 @ 5:17 pm
Humor impaired?
By syn, Thursday, 10 August , 2006 @ 6:56 pm
Sock-puppetry sex is just another form of disfunctional sex with plastic dolls poor thing.
The dude ‘can’t get no satisfaction’ man.