Brian Henson performs his puppetry for "Stuffed and Unstuffed," an adult comedy show that will be staged Feb. 17 at the Touhill. (Photo by Carol Rosegg)

The skillful art of puppetry will collide with comedic intelligent nonsense for the St. Louis debut of Henson Alternative’s “Stuffed and Unstrung.” The live and uncensored show is known for its provocative elements of comedic stage improvisation – with puppets. The Miskreant Puppets, that is.

Award-winning director, producer, writer and performer Brian Henson and actor and improvisational guru Patrick Bristow created “Stuffed and Unstrung.” The comedy performance will begin at 8 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Blanch M. Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. The show is for adult audiences only.

With live musical accompaniment and Bristow as host, “Stuffed and Unstrung” features a cast of six puppeteers in an uninhibited live puppet performance featuring a motley crew of characters known as the Miskreant Puppets. This production serves up “two shows in one” as the hilarious puppet action is projected on large screens flanking the stage, while the puppeteers display their skillful talents below all in full view of the audience.

“Without question, ‘Stuffed and Unstrung’ is amusingly ribald and a tad controversial,” Entertainment Weekly wrote. “It’s nearly impossible to spend the show’s two hours doing anything but laughing.”

“Stuffed and Unstrung” evolved from Henson’s previous production “Puppet Up! – Uncensored,” which made its debut at the 2006 HBO Comedy Festival in Aspen, Colo.

Henson Alternative is The Jim Henson Company’s label for content created specifically and exclusively for adult audiences. Previous credits include “Tinseltown” for Logo, “Puppet Up! – Uncensored” for TBS and the upcoming feature film “Happytime Murders.”

Tickets for “Stuffed and Unstrung” featuring the Miskreant Puppets are $30 to $40. Visit touhill.org or call 314-516-4949 to order tickets.

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Ryan Heinz

Ryan Heinz