See Jim Henson’s Puppet Improv Company Live in Hollywood!

[BEAR]

exactly...you can even see the muppets swearing in muppet movies...on the muppet show...it's not like jim was against it..he just didnt push it.
I really hate when people try to make jim to be some tame goody goody...he was a zaney funny guy.

It's not about being a "goody goody". It's about having class. And to me, Jim Henson and the company have always been classy and funny at the same time. It can be done.

 

[rurulesunc]

Well guys. I went to the show last night and let me just say, that was the most fun I have had in a long time! We got there and ate dinner before the show then they took us inside. My husband and I were assigned seats (if you eat dinner you get the best seats) right next to the stage. There were monitors up both on stage and off so that the performers could watch on camera how it looked and we could see both the performers and the video feed. I had seen from some of the promotional pictures that there seemed to be a group of about 4 performers. Not so. I think there were about 8 in total, one of which being Brian Henson himself. (Sorry that I cant remember the names of the other performers, it was all such a blur). The show started, they took suggestions from the audience and did some really great improv work. As the night went on and people saw which suggestions the performers were willing to take, the sketches got more raunchy. At first I was a little shocked at how far they went, but that really is the benefit of working in the puppetry field. Puppets can do things that human actors cannot. Overall it was a really great night.

Thank you to any of the performers (if they pop on and read this). It really was a dream come true to see the Muppets performed live. Im sure that those of you who went to Muppetfest know what I mean. Anyway, thats my report on the night. If they perform anywhere else make sure you go. This is a really talented group of performers both as puppeteers and as improv artists.

 

[ravagefrackle]

Well take a look at Avenue Q. I mean it's not a Henson Production directly but there are people involved with the show who worked with Henson. I think the show is ridiculous.

well everyone has to work you know, they Muppets are in limbo, and This new Henson venture is just that new,so we work were the work is

 

[ravagefrackle]

If it is going to be straight out filth and raunch a la Avenue Q I want no part in seeing it.

wow you really think its thats Raunchy, pretty tame to me,

Shakespeare has more raunch in his plays if you ask me, I would have thought Crank Yankers even more so than Avenue Q,

 

[PopoverFroggy]

I went to both Puppet Up! shows last night at the Hollywood Improv. Combining a "Whose Line Is It Anyway" style with Muppet-style puppets (there were no familiar characters, which I think is a good choice), in a live adult comedy venue, Puppet Up! is an excellent experiment for the Henson company. This is the most fun I've had seeing live puppets in a long time!

Some highlights included a director making a movie about a little girl, an aardvark and some other creature (can't remember) in a plastic surgery office. The director puppet kept interrupting. "CUT CUT! Do it faster..." (The performers do the whole scene again, hyper-speed). "CUT! Audience, give me an emotion..." Someone shouted "LUST" and the "movie" detiorated into an absurd porn scene with appropriate music. Then the director asked for a film-style. "Film Noir", shouted an audience member. The music shifted to a light jazzy ambience, and the aardvark's voice became voice-over, and everyone's acting became stoic and, well, Film Noir-like. Later in another sketch, a valley-girlish woman was trying to square-dance with three aliens. Oh yes, and an extended sketch about a mouse and a beaver with a nose-hair issue threatening to tear their love apart. Absolutely hiliarous. There were some brilliant characters that popped up, like the dim-witted super-hero at a homeless shelter (Tyler Bunch), the hot dog that sounded like Fat Albert (couldn't see who that was), and pretty much all girl characters played by Julienne Buescher, who was unbelievably good! Everyone was. Patrick (the MC and Improv instructor from the Groundlings) put "the grinder" as they called it on Victor and Drew, by making them go backwards and forwards, have their sentences start in alphabetical order, or rhyme. Insane!

Of course, if you're squeemish or like your Muppets to be innocent, this event would not have been for you. That'd be true for any adult improv venue, really. From talking to people who worked with Jim, I cannot say I agree that he believed everything should be wholesome and child-proof. Go to the Museum of TV & Radio and watch Kermit's performance on old "Sonny & Cher" shows. Kermit hits on her with the line "So, uh... you wanna... fool around?" Granted, it's not South Park or even Avenue Q, but hardly Sesame Street.

That caveat aside, if you think you might like it, DEFINITELY go see it if you can. They videotaped both shows last night, and some of the cast is going to Scotland to perform at a festival there. I suspect eventually, this sort of thing could end up on TV (cable, I hope) or in more live venues.

 

[rurulesunc]

Wish we could have met up Popover. I just noticed that you work at Imageworks. I'm in CG too. Life's funny that way.

 

[SJohnson]

(Sorry that I cant remember the names of the other performers, it was all such a blur).

The cast was: Brian Henson, Julianne Buescher, Drew Massey, Paul Rugg, Allan Trautman, Victor Yerrid, Kevin Carlson (Wed. & Fri.), Tyler Bunch (Fri. & Sat. 8:30), Sean Johnson (Sat. 8:30), Patrick Johnson (Sat. 10:30).

It's nice to hear so many positive comments. It sounds like you all had as much fun watching, as we did performing.

 

[agger_rob]

It's not about being a "goody goody". It's about having class. And to me, Jim Henson and the company have always been classy and funny at the same time. It can be done.

The Muppets on SNL were adulterous. Not too classy if you ask me...

 

[SJohnson]

New Puppet Up Merchandice!

The Jim Henson Company has just created some exclusive merchandise for Puppet Up! Check it out: http://www.cafepress.com/jimhensonco/1623840

 

[Starlancer]

So is this like a broadway show or sumtin like that or is it a traveling show?