THE SEX LIVES OF PUPPETS to be Presented at The Edinburgh Fringe

Blind Summit Theatre has spent 20 years defining UK puppetry and addressing unlikely subjects like puppet alcoholism (Low Life), puppet existentialism (The Table), and puppet possession (Henry, A Ghost Story).

Following a sell-out short run at Southwark Playhouse back in January, co-writers/ directors Ben Keaton (Perrier Award Winner, Father Ted) and Mark Down (Artistic Director of Blind Summit Theatre) invite Fringe audiences to dive under the covers again in 'The Sex Lives of Puppets'. Written in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, The Sex Lives of Puppets is a multi-layered theatre experience, in which puppet couples of different genders, races, and ages, talk candidly about their intimate experiences in a series of monologues and two-hander interview scenes which uncover sexual problems that are unnervingly familiar.

This show draws inspiration from closely observing survey interviews to create an "almost-verbatim" series of punk-puppetry vignettes. On the surface, the show is a fun and frank exploration of puppet passion, and on a deeper level, it engages skilled puppetry to express human moods, fears, worries, hang-ups and desires that will immediately resonate with its audience.

This show is a unique take on "verbatim" theatre; the words are not taken directly from the survey (partly due to privacy laws) but the puppets speak (almost!) verbatim from intimate and revealing transcripts. Focusing on play, openness, acceptance, and diversity, The Sex Lives of Puppets is both entertaining and informative . With sex so central to our lives and society, Blind Summit's puppets (performing for your pleasure) pose the question - why don't we talk about it more?

Written and directed by Ben Keaton (Perrier Award Winner, Father Ted) and Mark Down (Artistic Director of Blind Summit Theatre) The Sex Lives Of Puppets gives us a window into the carnal landscape of everything from the very modern (sexting, apps, online porn), to the eternal (adultery, blow jobs), and demonstrates both the increasing complexities and the enduring constants of sexual relationships in contemporary Britain.

The Sex Lives of Puppets looks at sex from every angle. It is expansive without being proscriptive, playful yet scientifically observational, pushing boundaries and getting explicit while still being warm, sweet, and full of heart.

The Sex Lives of Puppets will be performed at 21:30 at the Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond) from 31st July - 25th August (not 7th or 14th)

Booking Link: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/sex-lives-puppets

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