BWW Reviews: STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG's Naughty Puppets Return to Irvine

Proving that no two shows are ever alike, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG—back for a return engagement at the Irvine Barclay Theatre through January 1—isn't your kids' (or Jason Segal's) kind of Muppets. While certainly as cute and quirky as their child-friendly counterparts, these naughty cousins of Jim Henson's masterful characters cuss with no filter, engage in despicable behavior, and generally act like bawdy adults trapped in very furry bodies. And, dang, are you going to ache with laughter from it all!

A production offered by Henson Alternative—the adult arm of the Jim Henson puppetry empire—this critically-acclaimed off-Broadway hit's national tour has returned to Irvine where it made its West Coast Premiere at this very same time last year (which I reviewed here). As with all its shows, STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG is an uproariously gut-busting theater piece that combines the wonder of seeing and hearing those superbly-crafted Henson workshop creations acting with a kind of bawdy, decidedly adults-only humor you get from improv. Elmo will surely cry and scream away from all of this. It goes without saying that these actor/singer/puppeteers are, of course, all hardworking and intensely talented... but they're only as funny as the suggestions and situations thrown at them randomly by the loud, interactive audience.

The vignettes are all outrageously adult-skewing, even with the presence of cute-sy hotdogs, badgers, squirrels, evil bunnies and aliens. Also making a cameo appearance are a trio of diva 'backup singers' that appeared with Cee-Lo Green during his Muppet-ized number at last year's Grammy Awards. There's no attempt at concealing the human puppeteers "with their fists up their [bleep]" as one puppet so eloquently illustrates. After a while, you tend to forget the puppeteers' presence as you find yourself watching the felt-and-foam characters on the huge video projections high above both sides of the stage. A stationary camera propped up high center stage captures everything the puppeteers choose to show in front of it, even though just below, off camera, the puppeteers themselves are just as hilariously animated.

Reigning in all of the chaos as a master-of-ceremonies of sorts is host Patrick Bristrow, who asks the audience for suggestions for the cast to dramatize before their very eyes—using puppets, of course. (Interesting note: Bristow—who co-created STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG with director/producer/writer Brian Henson—had to bow out as host at the last minute last year due to a family emergency, so it was a treat to finally see how he hosts this pandemonium). Some of the suggestions are certainly funnier than others, but the best parts of the show is watching the puppeteers think on their feet to steer the show towards a more hilarious path, which they often do. The cast of puppeteers—Brian Clark, Peggy Etra, Drew Massey, Ted Michaels, Allan Trautman, and Victor Yerrid—all do a terrific job handling every new parameter thrown at them from every which way. Whether it requires thinking up a song on the spot or predicting the history of a chosen couple's initial courtship for laughs, these guys have the comic skills to pull off this laugh-out-loud show. And, luckily, Bristow is also there to end the skit once it reaches its comic denouement.

The best moments, though, are seeing the cast's awesome duo of faithful "recreations" of past Henson "classic" puppet routines that first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show (one of these can be viewed here). These moments remind the audience the artistic legacy of Jim Henson and his subsequent impact in the entertainment world.

Follow this reviewer on Twitter: @cre8iveMLQ

Photos of the Original Off-Broadway production of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG (with Brian Henson) by Carol Rosegg.

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Henson Alternative's STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG continues at the Irvine Barclay Theatre through Jan 1. Tickets can be purchased online at www.thebarclay.org, by phone at 949-854-4646 x1 or in person at the Box Office. Box Office hours are 10AM-6PM M-F, Noon-4PM Sat-Sun. A small number of VIP seats with Gold Bar privileges are available. Call the box office for information.

STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG is recommended for ages 16 and up and may contain graphic language.

The Irvine Barclay Theatre is located at 4242 Campus Drive in Irvine.

For more information on additional tour stops, check out www.StuffedAndUnstrung.com.