Okay, so we're easily distracted.

So we haven't updated our blog since we were in Canada. You still love us, right?

We're gearing up for the US production of "Forest". The script has been slightly re-worked, adding a whole five minutes to the run time. The rehearsal process has been fresh. And we have a brand new stage at Flint City Theatre. Everything's in place, all we need is you.

Forest for the Trees
Flint City Theatre at the Good Beans Cafe.
September 23-October 2 (Thurs, Fri, Sat), at 8pm.
Tickets are pay what you can.
For more information check out: www.flintcitytheatre.com

We're Home!

The Puppet Report:

Hiya, jerks, Suzie here. The people are all Fringe-fried, so I figured I'd be responsible and let you know we are back safely. Also, my awesome plot was even more awesome than I had planned. More to follow!

(Ed. Note: An actual report on the end of fringe and more pictures are coming soon.)

27 June 2010

Last Day of Fringe

Today is the last day of Fringe. But first, some things that happened:

Brian and Shelly came to see us!
We saw some plays!
We did a show!
Bob was attacked by two ladies with pillows!
We went to a yummy vegetarian Asian restaurant, and had piles of seitan!
We went to the last "No Show" of the Fringe!
We busked at the Market, and made (a small number of) dollars!
We bought some paintings!
We saw Liz's ex-pat friend!
Liz finished grading!


So, we're getting ready to go home. The festival flew by. We are satisfied. We made some art, got a response, and were not kicked out of town. All good things. One more show, then some Impresario watching, then some party. It will be a full night.

The Puppet Report:

Hi, Suzie here. I am sad the Fringe is ending. I have been having so much fun. My plot is thickening, and now I'm afraid we will go home before it comes to fruition. Hmm... Anyhow, we got to stay up really late last night, and that was fun. I am kind of mad, because the people went to see "UnADULTeRATED Me", and I was not allowed to go. Two words: Clown Striptease. Come on, how could they leave me out of that?! They are such jerks!

Hi, it's Tommy. Last night, we got to stay up late, because Bob and Liz told us stories. Bob told us "Jack and the Beanstalk" but I think he left out some parts, because it was kind of confusing. Liz told us a wonderful story about a squirrel who goes to hell, and comes back with pointy ears. It was really good. Tonight, we will do the show one more time. Then we will take a long break. I am looking forward to catching up on my summer reading list.

25 June 2010

One more show down! We played to a small, but super, house last night. We have adopted a complete "life in the theatre" schedule, as we didn't have anywhere to be until about six last night, but then we were booked until approximately three in the morning. We did our show, then...we saw "Kicked", which was a great performance of an intense script. Then we saw "American Badass in London", Tommy Nugent's new show, which was quite fun. Then the "No Show". Then, hanging out. Then, home.

Today is another day off, which is grand. We plan to busk a little at the Farmer's Market, then maybe make a trip to Attic Books (used book store that Meg and Liz cannot spend small increments of time and/or probably money in).

We are currently experiencing, en masse, the kind of creativity that comes from spending ten days doing art, surrounded by artists. Ideas are flying fast. The big question of the hour is, "Why not?"

24 June 2010--Reunited

Liz has returned! Yay!

Yesterday was full of moving, regrouping, show watching, and talk showing. We moved to a new billet, and are in London proper now. We are staying with a lovely lady, who has a sweet dog and a beautiful garden. We are within walking distance of our venue, which is great.

We went to Veg Out, a sweet little vegan restaurant on Richmond St., for dinner. Delicious! Megan is going to work out a sweet potato cornbread recipe as soon as possible, in order to have it whenever she wants without driving to Ontario.

We followed up dinner with some shows. We saw Gunpowder and One Man Riot. Both were fantastic. Then, we went on the No Show, which was fun.

The Puppet Report:
Hi, it's Tommy. Liz has returned! I am so happy. Yesterday, we went on the No Show. I was kind of shy. I was also kind of tired, because I had spent a lot of the evening doing some fancy dancing.

Hi, it's Suzie. Even though those jerks ate tempeh without me (Ed. note: Suzie doesn't even know what tempeh is), I still had a good night. I hung out in a coffee shop, and tried to seduce Bob. I think I'm making progress. Then, we went on the No Show, and I tried to seduce the dreamy Canadian host. Again, it was not a total failure. I just need to stick with things. (Ed. note: Suzie has developed a creepy little laugh that cannot be conveyed in print, but she's doing it now.)

What Bob and Meg Did

Yesterday, Bob and Megan made the delightful discovery that downtown London is on the ball. So much on the ball, that they even clean off their posting boards on a regular basis. The posting boards which held...our posters.

So, we spent a good bit of time re-postering Dundas and Richmond Street. Luckily, we had a lot of posters.

We went to a snazzy reception for our billets (hosts), at Il Tenore. It was nice. We munched on goodies, and listened to the owner of the restaurant sing opera. We also listened to the fire alarm, as it got tripped and rang for twenty minutes.

Late in the evening, we went to see Dying Hard, a series of monologues about the death of miners in Newfoundland. It was very well performed.

Then, to the "No Show", where we still missed Liz.

The Puppet Report:

Hi, it's Tommy. I am getting kind of bored. I have not been out much. I heard Liz will be back today, I am excited.

Hi, it's Suzie. I have about six hours to complete my seduction of Bob. Then Liz will come back, and all will be lost. I may only be fourteen inches tall, but I am as mature as an eighteen inch puppet. Screw you, Liz, I do what I want. Of course, all my plans are already being ruined because BOB AND MEGAN ARE IGNORING ME MOST OF THE TIME! They are such jerks. I heard they are planning to go to a vegetarian restaurant without me, once Liz returns. And they know how much I love tempeh! (Ed. Note: Puppets do not eat human food, including tempeh).

What Liz Did

Liz taught. Then she taught some more. Then she took a break and graded. Then she taught again. While grading, she got to look at lots of sparrows.

This sparrow lives in Port Huron. See how nonchalantly he surveys his surroundings! Port Huron sparrows don't have too many worries. They are upper-middle-class sparrows.


This sparrow is a Canadian sparrow. Note how he is almost in flight. Canadian sparrows are always nervous, looking over their shoulders often and flying off at the least provocation. This is because the Canadian songbird season is very long, lasting from mid-May to early October. Most Canadians carry tiny shotguns in their purses or backpacks. This is because a normal-sized shotgun would blow a songbird to bits, and then there would be no sparrow soup for dinner. The miniature shotgun is the weapon of choice for most Londoners. One often sees Canadians walking home, satisfied, with their daily limit of robins, bluebirds, goldfinches, and other songbirds in their satchels.

[Ed. Note: Liz often makes things up.]

What else did Liz do? She mostly missed the puppets, especially Tommy, who doesn't judge her the way Suzie does. She hopes that Suzie has not yet managed to seduce Bob, since - although she's not completely sure what the laws are in Canada - there are probably a lot of statutory laws against puppet/human relations, especially when the puppets are under 18 inches.

Liz can't wait to rejoin the puppets (and Bob and Megan!) this evening. We'll be going to the No Show! Woooo!