Our sister website, BBC Wiltshire, sent a reviewer to see the touring comedy show when it arrived in High Wycombe. This is what she thought… "What's on tonight?" asks the sole man queuing in a mass of women outside the Swan Theatre. "Do you really want to know?" laughs the middle-aged lady in front of him "its men stretching their foreskins..." And she wasn't wrong. Welcome to Puppetry of the Penis.
Mass 'hen night' | "Everyone was excited and giggling - a whole theatre of women waiting for full-frontal male nudity." | | Review |
The performance at the Swan might as well have been billed as a women only performance it seemed like the entire female population of High Wycombe were out on a mass hen night.
Grandmothers, granddaughters, mothers and mothers-to-be, office parties, birthday parties - all on a huge girlie night out. The excitement was intense ..."I should have worn my glasses" murmured one elderly lady as we pushed our way into the main theatre. With minutes to curtain up, a group of ladies behind me started cracking open the boxes of mints and passing around opera glasses. Everyone was excited and giggling - a whole theatre of women waiting for full-frontal male nudity. And we weren't disappointed. The capes were off
 | | Simon with 'Friendy' |
As the lights dimmed David (Friendy) Friend and Simon Morley, the two caped puppeteers, burst on to stage and they had our attention. In the briefest of introductions where the women in the front rows (what were they thinking) were warned about wearing head and eye-protection as there would be 'bits and pieces flying around tonight'. And the capes were off. The audience erupted as the 'stars of the show' were introduced at 10 times their normal size on an overhead projector. By the way, the projector ensures that even those in the back row don't miss a trick. After that, a brief jiggling and rolling warm-up session and the 'meat and two veg' were ready for some 'dick tricks'. Standing with their backs to the audience, like children's magicians, the two Aussies with frantic hand movements started bending, twisting and stretching their limber tackle into the most outrageous shapes. The Eiffel Tower, a winking eye and an eye-watering hairy tongue had the grey haired lady next to me in hysterics. A hot-dog, a hamburger with sesame seeds and a far too realistic looking piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken with promises "I can do every piece in the bucket" were some of the culinary delights. A hot-dog, a hamburger with sesame seeds and a far too realistic looking piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken with promises "I can do every piece in the bucket" were some of the culinary delights. My favourites, however, had to be the Loch Ness Monster, a cheeping baby bird and a lifelike sea anemone. Showing off
 | | Video camera action is required! |
It was like watching a couple of kids proudly showing off what they could do with their willies. Charming, cute and funny all at the same time.
As the show sped to a close we were asked if we had learnt anything other than not letting our friends buy theatre tickets for us. Well I certainly had but, unfortunately, my husband wasn't interested in benefiting from my new found knowledge. You have to feel sorry for the men of High Wycombe. Anyway with the show descending on Wellingborough's The Castle for a one nighter on Wednesday 21st September, 2005, what can I say? It's charming, it's a laugh, it's a great girlie night out but, above all, it's very educational! | 
