Puppetry Of The Penis founder Simon Morley explains the motivations behind manipulating his nether regions in front of a live audience…
What inspired the desire to develop a stage show about the malleability of your penises?
To be honest, it was a party trick that has gone way too far!! It’s not uncommon for Australian men to kick their pants off and entertain their friends after a few too many drinks. It must be the suitable climate. We were just very good at it, and after a while, we found ourselves being invited to parties where we didn’t know anyone. They would load us up with free beer and then “Go on! Give us a quick burger!” I just got sick of doing it for free so I put a cape on and started selling tickets.
How have reactions to your show varied?
The entire spectrum. We have performed the show in over 35 counties now and it’s funny and quite shocking in all of them, but you do see big differences in the demographics. In Australia and Europe we get a lot of men coming to our show. In the USA and the UK, not so many, mainly the ladies. It’s strange because men here think it’s too gay to laugh at what we do, when the reality is the room is full of women who have a little bit to drink and can’t wait to get their hands on a set to practice! Australian men worked this out a long time ago, and I think you’ll find our show is a very popular first date!
Which countries are most receptive?
Australia and Canada are great; we do pretty well here in the UK as well. Was a big hit in Spain and Scandinavia, too.
What sort of “puppetry” can audiences expect to see?
Well I wouldn’t bring the kids. What you should expect is a couple of strapping Australian men with no clothes on manipulating their nether regions for your amusement. Make sure you bring Nana, She’ll love it!
Any specialities?
Look out for the old favourites the Pelican, The Loch Ness Monster and the Hamburger; as well as new installations such as E.T and a stunning tribute to our namesake Alfred Hitchcock.
Puppetry Of The Penis, Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, Fri 5 Apr; Grand Theatre, Swansea, Tues 23 Apr.
WIN PUPPETRY OF THE PENIS TICKETS
Two men twisting their appendages into the shape of a windsurfer… who wouldn’t want to see that? Puppetry Of The Penis is a full-frontal take on theatrical entertainment, and if you don’t like to take yourself too seriously, this show is sure to be right up your street. We’ve got a pair of tickets to see the performance on Fri 5 Apr at Theatr Brycheiniog.
Q: Which animal has the largest penis relative to its size?
Please email your answer, name, address, Twitter username and contact number to [email protected] by Mon 1st Apr.
